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Gaskets - What to do - RVT or Not?

reddog64

reddog64

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What do you guy's do for gaskets...

Diff's
Do you bother using a gasket or just RTV the crap outta it?

Trans Pan
Do you just use the gasket, or rtv and gasket?

Valve covers
Do you just use the gasket or rtv and gasket?

Intake
Do you put RTV around the water jacket's?
What about the front and back seals? (Block to intake)

What "color" rtv do you prefer?
 
reddog64 said:
What do you guy's do for gaskets...

Diff's
Do you bother using a gasket or just RTV the crap outta it?

Trans Pan
Do you just use the gasket, or rtv and gasket?

Valve covers
Do you just use the gasket or rtv and gasket?

Intake
Do you put RTV around the water jacket's?
What about the front and back seals? (Block to intake)

What "color" rtv do you prefer?
Click to expand...

Diff: I do both gasket and RTV, but lots of people only goop them.

Tranny: I refuse to put RTV anywhere near an auto tranny. Too many little holes to get plugged up with boogers.

Valve covers: *Cork* gasket, black RTV.

Intake manifold: Side gaskets only, no goo. Throw out the front and rear rubber seals, and use a 3/8" bead of RTV across instead, overlapping the side gaskets slightly. (Thank you Scott :bow: )

I tend to use the Permatex gray 'cuz it's what I have, save the valve covers which I used black for -- why, I forget.

-- A
 
x2 on what he said except i use the permatex black (get it by the case) I only use black rvt on the diff covers cause i pull them off a couple times a year to check things out after wheeling trips and such. no need for gaskets. valve covers the cork are good, summit has some nice blue silicone base jobies that i really like. intake use the gaskets (on the sides) and a nice thick bead of rvt at each end. Tranny Only use gaskets!
 
About the valve cover gaskets, I just put a set on that are reuseable. They are silicon rubber with wire mesh core. So far, so good. I can't remember what brand they are, but will check when I get home this evening. Later, Mark
 
i was in autozone and they have two different size intake gaskets...
I'm running stock heads with a edelbrock performer intake goign on in a week.. which gaskets should i pick up?
the standard size or the slightly larger ones... there like a 16th bigger?
 
As you get older you get thicker.

In my opinion, if the intake is new I would go with the thinner gasket; but if the intake is used I would consider the thicker as the intake may be a little warped. Either way, make sure the gasket matches the holes in the intake to head runners (trim any overlap). And always use a good torque wrench and the correct tightening sequence. That is how I would approach it. (This is where the grain of salt thing comes in.):D
 
Grinreaper56 said:
In my opinion, if the intake is new I would go with the thinner gasket; but if the intake is used I would consider the thicker as the intake may be a little warped. Either way, make sure the gasket matches the holes in the intake to head runners (trim any overlap). And always use a good torque wrench and the correct tightening sequence. That is how I would approach it. (This is where the grain of salt thing comes in.):D
Click to expand...


Great!

Thanks!
I see your right down the road...
My truck is in mt Vernon... i live in Federal Way...
 
What about oil pan? I have always just used black RTV on the diff covers, I assume the oil pan would be about the same deal... just more difficult to get at to re-do.
 
The coolest way to do the pan (in my opinion) is to use the 1 piece Felpro one that has alignment pegs that you screw up into the block, place the gasket over the pegs (which hold the gasket in place), and then the pan. After you get a few bolts in the pan, you take the pegs out. And you can reuse the gasket. You just gotta love it.
 
Diff's
Do you bother using a gasket or just RTV the crap outta it?
i ordered some but of course they were wrong and since then rtv has been the solution, probably better anyways.

Trans Pan
Do you just use the gasket, or rtv and gasket?
gasket and rtv

Valve covers
Do you just use the gasket or rtv and gasket?
gasket rtv

Intake
Do you put RTV around the water jacket's?
never thought about it
What about the front and back seals? (Block to intake)
yes

What "color" rtv do you prefer?
i like orange because it looks cool and its easy to see where you did and din't get it compared to black which i discovered is harder to see as easy when building a motor!

Grinreaper56 said:
The coolest way to do the pan (in my opinion) is to use the 1 piece Felpro one that has alignment pegs that you screw up into the block, place the gasket over the pegs (which hold the gasket in place), and then the pan. After you get a few bolts in the pan, you take the pegs out. And you can reuse the gasket. You just gotta love it.
Click to expand...

that sounds pretty smart, never heard of it.
 
Trans pan: cork gasket. Very little rtv, just to hold that little floppy bastard down.
Valve covers: I use AC delco silicon blue reusable ones, they dont take RTV.
Diffs: RTV only.

Oil Pan; dunno, havent had to do it.
 
reddog64 said:
i was in autozone and they have two different size intake gaskets...
I'm running stock heads with a edelbrock performer intake goign on in a week.. which gaskets should i pick up?
the standard size or the slightly larger ones... there like a 16th bigger?
Click to expand...
Those reuseable valve cover gaskets I was talking about earlier are made by Spectre and I got them at Autozone. Might be the same brand as those intake gaskets you were looking at. Anyway thought you might like to know. Later, Mark
 
Trans pan gaskets should never have RTV on them. Best thing to use is a little bit of Gasket Sealant, kind of like a glue, but will not come apart like RTV can. Last thing you want is a chuck of RTV getting into the trans.

I usually glue the gaskets into the valve covers the same way, when they are cork. RTV can cause problems, and if it still leaks with RTV, you need new covers. A set of covers is much cheaper than getting RTV into the engine, IMO.
 
i have swapped to the reusable blue rubber valve cover and oilpan(get new 1 piece oilpan gasket if possible) gaskets(some have crush sleeve, so over tightening doesnt squeeze gasket out, the cork 1's seem to get brittle and crack, then leak. b4 they came out w/ these rubber 1's, i used to run a thick bead of rtv around valve covers, then let them sit a day or 2, before i bolt them on. it worked great.
i read somewhere, 1 time that your not supposed to use gasket and rtv together...either or?...if i have gasket, i glue it in place w/weatherstip glue and make sure surfaces are clean. i put gasket/rtv on the tin, easier to clean a part off of the truck.
gm actually put out a tech update, telling techs to throw away intake bathtub gasket and use rtv on front and back intake gasket, instead of rubber gasket w/spot of rtv in corner where they meet side gasket.
if newer model vehicle,beware rtv can mess w/O2 sensor, but they make rtv that is O2 safe(blue,iirc), otherwise i use black room temp vulcanizing rubber(rtv :-) on everything w/o gasket. if i have the gasket, glue it w/"gorilla snot" and just use it.
gm brand weatherstrip glue is even called "weatherstrip & gasket adhesive"
 
Last I knew, silicon rubber, 1-piece gaskets is what GM is using on some, if not all, of their engines. Pan and valve covers.
 
diff. cover- just rtv

trans pan- i never use silicon as stated above a couple times. just gasket. ( i got a manual now though ;) )

valve covers -i use the rubber gaskets and no problems yet. only been on a short time though.

intake- rtv and gaskets

oilpan- rubber gasket. no bad luck there either. ( i also have a newer block so it's standard i guess)

I always use the orange stuff. same stuff my dad's always used so i just stock up on it
 
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