installing gaskets
 

OK, I've read most of the threads here regarding installing gaskets but for one more time I'd like some opinions. In the old days it was easy, cork and gasket sealer. Now it's cork, rubber, sealed or not sealed and of course Permatex Black or Right Stuff with no preformed gasket.

I have a 68 Ventura, 400ci that had the original valve covers on it till last night. Now I'm ready to put cleaned up stainless steel covers on. Both the heads and the covers are spotless clean now. So I've had people say just use rubber and no sealant, cork and some sealant and others say Permatex only. A pretty good mechanic I know, more as a friend said that anything but Permatex will leak whereas a friend with 20 years of old big Pontiac rebuilding says rubber with no sealant will work fine.

Tell me what you all think.

i use permatex grey to seal the gasket to the cover and then left dry on the side that goes on the head....

Thanks for the reply. Cork or rubber for your method?

Ditto

I prefer rubber over the cork when I can

Thanks. I bought rubber gaskets and was going to add sealant to the cover side when I got varied opinions. What sealant do you use on rubber gaskets?

i use cork because i feel on the valve cover gaskets the rubber can squeeze out of the channel if it gets oil on it

In general, I glue the gasket to the removable piece (valve cover, oil pan, water pump, etc) using any of a multitude of gasket sealers or adhesives.

Doesn't really matter WHAT you use, although RTV silicone would be my LAST choice. Silicone in aerosol form is a lubricant, why install slippery gaskets that will shift or squeeze out-of-position?

I've become very fond of Gasgacinch; but I still use good ol' Yellow Death (3M Weatherstrip Adhesive) or Permatex #1, or #2; and there's room for HyTack and CopperCoat and ordinary pipe thread sealant with Teflon. The pipe sealant--cheap stuff in a bottle with a brush in the cap--works great for steel shim head gaskets; or steel shim "turkey tray" valley pan-style intake gaskets.

Great stufff guys. Thanks. Seems as though this is a subject that has no real answer. Rubber or cork and so far no one just using Permatex and no gasket. Shchurkey, you don't say which you prefer, cork or rubber for your valve covers.

Me too, like using gorrilla snot for the gasket to cover. I've used both, rubber and cork, and lately been leaning more towards cork, no particular reason (maybe availability, or what I had in stock).

I use High Tack on paper gaskets for areas like timing covers, termostats, oil pan, and valley pan gaskets. (carb base and dizzy to block gasket I do dry).

Copper spray I use on collector gaskets for example, where heat is an issue. Steel/copper shim style head gaskets are another area copper spray is good for.

Many intake and head gaskets go dry, read the manufacturer's recommendations. I don't even know if they even make the 'regular' old-style paper gaskets for heads anymore!

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Ok, gorilla snot is a new one for me, what the ... is gorilla snot?

i use rubber for the valve covers and a little bit of RTV on the cover side just to hold the gasket in place. It is a pain in the butt to get the gasket to stay in place while you tigten it down, expecially the driver's side.

Do you surround the bolt holes or just a few dots to keep it sticking to the cover?

just enough to keep the gasket in place while putting it on. You don't necessarily need the rtv. I just put it on because the brake booster is there, and i also have the roller rockers that stick up higher. it's just easier.

3M Super Adhesive. It's yellow, sticky, and super stringy! Hence, gorrilla snot! They now make it in black also, fyi....


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you talking about "super 90" in the black spray can ?

3M Super Weatherstrip and Gasket Adhesive, 8001, like schurkey mentioned.

http://www.shop3m.com/60455029946.ht...strip-Adhesive

8008 is the black

http://www.shop3m.com/60455029961.ht...KU=60455029946


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gotcha

HWYSTR455, I'm getting a little lost trying to remember who said what so sorry if you said it already but do you completely cover your gasket with your Gorilla Snot or just dots here and there and maybe complely around the bolt holes?

I cover the gasket straight from the tube as best I can, then 'smear' it some with my finger. Then I spend the next 5 mins while it's setting up a little removing what's on my fingers! Sure, I play with it a little, making stringy things, rolling my finger tips to make fake boogers, pretend like I'm pulling it from my nose, you know, the usual stuff! You can try to put it on the cover too, but that never works for me.


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I used the felpro thick rubber gaskets and they work GREAT! I used a very thin film of Permatex on the valve covers just to hold the gasket while installing them. I placed a very small bead on the covers, placed the gaskets on and smashed them down with my fingers to distribute the Permatex, let them sit for 10 minutes to set up, and installed them. ZERO problems since then. I have around 4000 miles since then.