RTV, Permatex, Aviation Form-A-Gasket, The right stuff etc....

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Kent mosby

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How do you choose? I watched a video today of a guy that used Aviation form-a-gasket to seal the oil pan, water pump and others. What is the difference between ultra black, grey, the right stuff grey, black , permatex blue, red

I am replacing the gasket on my timing chain cover as well as my water pump to block gaskets.. I believe I used RED high temp permatex to do so the first time. I have also used the right stuff black for other parts.

Is there a guide, spreadsheet, form that lists the applications for all the gaskets and the sealers that are needed and those that only need the gasket but no sealer.
 
I use RTV for a sealer as well as an anti seize agent. It works well for both.
 
Ultra Black is my favorite gasket maker / gasket sealer. ( brake parts cleaner will soften up the Black Gasket Maker if you need to get something apart, and if you are cleaning gasket surfaces down to bare again for re-assemly.)

Aviation sealer I use on bolt threads and bolts in the block at the timimg cover.

Red or High temp copper gasket maker I use in the small block heads where the outter studs go into the water jacket and the studs need to be sealed.

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I use "The Right Stuff" black on everything that needs rtv...
I can't stand leaks..
I'm meticulously careful when I put stuff like that together. Everything is ultra ultra clean I have tested all of the nuts and bolts and gaskets. I have plenty of extra latex gloves and change them as needed... I like to do it once do it right and spend the money for the good RTV...
Did I say I don't like leaks...
 
I use "The Right Stuff" black on everything that needs rtv...
I can't stand leaks..
I'm meticulously careful when I put stuff like that together. Everything is ultra ultra clean I have tested all of the nuts and bolts and gaskets. I have plenty of extra latex gloves and change them as needed... I like to do it once do it right and spend the money for the good RTV...
Did I say I don't like leaks...

Thay all leak :poke:

:lol:
 
I use "The Right Stuff" black on everything that needs rtv...
I can't stand leaks..
I'm meticulously careful when I put stuff like that together. Everything is ultra ultra clean I have tested all of the nuts and bolts and gaskets. I have plenty of extra latex gloves and change them as needed... I like to do it once do it right and spend the money for the good RTV...
Did I say I don't like leaks...
Have you disassembled an oil pan or valve cover that was glued to the crankcase with that Right Stuff gasket maker?
 
Have you disassembled an oil pan or valve cover that was glued to the crankcase with that Right Stuff gasket maker?
Yea I have and it fricken sucks. Had to use a cherry picker on the intake manifold to get it off the motor as well. It seals up good, and doesn’t leak. But good luck getting what you glued on with it off.
 
Have you disassembled an oil pan or valve cover that was glued to the crankcase with that Right Stuff gasket maker?
Not a valve cover I wouldn't put RTV on a valve cover... But yes at one point or another I've taken all the tin off of my engine... And of course the point you're making is it doesn't come off easy. And it didn't. But I'm not the kind of guy who sticks in a drag strip only Cam and expecting great Street manners out of it... There's always a trade-off.. I'll pay the extra 10 $15 a tube and the extra labor to get the parts off when or if they eventually come off.
I repeat, did I say I don't like leaks...
 
Not a valve cover I wouldn't put RTV on a valve cover... But yes at one point or another I've taken all the tin off of my engine... And of course the point you're making is it doesn't come off easy. And it didn't. But I'm not the kind of guy who sticks in a drag strip only Cam and expecting great Street manners out of it... There's always a trade-off.. I'll pay the extra 10 $15 a tube and the extra labor to get the parts off when or if they eventually come off.
I repeat, did I say I don't like leaks...
may as well use JB weld. lol try ultra black, it works real good and comes off easy if needed.
I will never use the right stuff again, used it once on a transmission pan and ruined it when I took it back off for service.
 
may as well use JB weld. lol try ultra black, it works real good and comes off easy if needed.
I will never use the right stuff again, used it once on a transmission pan and ruined it when I took it back off for service.
:lol:..
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Ultra Black "maximum oil resistant" RTV for just about everything, and Ultra GRey RTV for freeze plugs, and T-stat housing is my general rule of thumb. I also like Indian Head Shellac for oil pan gaskets, valve covers, and sometimes timing covers
 
Not a valve cover I wouldn't put RTV on a valve cover... But yes at one point or another I've taken all the tin off of my engine... And of course the point you're making is it doesn't come off easy. And it didn't. But I'm not the kind of guy who sticks in a drag strip only Cam and expecting great Street manners out of it... There's always a trade-off.. I'll pay the extra 10 $15 a tube and the extra labor to get the parts off when or if they eventually come off.
I repeat, did I say I don't like leaks...
Using standard gasket sets, RTV and Permatex High Tack adhesive I have build many motors with out leaks. And they will come apart with out major issues. The keys to leak free engine building are: clean - flat mating surfaces, quality - defect free gaskets, correct torque on fasteners, and knowing where and what kind of sealant - adhesive to apply.
 
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As stated by others, clean surfaces are veeeery important when using silicon. Remove any corrosion, roughen the surface if it is shiny [ chrome, polished alum ] & give it a final wipe with lacquer thinners.
I have used different brands/types of silicon, even cheap hardware store stuff, & have found no real difference in the sealing ability. Around sensors, neutral cure should be used & I only use the expensive high temp sil on exh system gaskets; standard sil is good to 350F+ degrees.
 
Using standard gasket sets, RTV and Permatex High Tack adhesive I have build many motors with out leaks. And they will come apart with out major issues. The keys to leak free engine building are: clean - flat mating surfaces, quality - defect free gaskets, correct torque on fasteners, and knowing where and what kind of sealant - adhesive to apply.
I never had any major issues and I put together several motors myself...
I think the thread was just offering suggestions was what he was looking for not an argument over what we use. I said what I use and why...
 
I've never used gaskasammich. I'm sure it works well.
I use gaskasinch on my intake manifolds.. after cleaning test fitting everything involved I put it on the faces of the heads and on both sides of the gasket and the faces of the manifold. Not the China wall and I throw the China wall gaskets away.. I put the very thinnest smear of the right stuff on all four water porch on the manifold and the head side. I put a double stacked bead of the right stuff on the China wall and a good little extra in all four corners and then with the intake manifold upside down and waiting I put one bead on its China wall with a little extra in the corners..
This is what has always worked for me others will differ...
 
You have to watch your *** on things like RTV, and I've been guilty. NEVER use it on oil pans although I've used it on the front/ rear "half moon" seal area. Crap is hard to remove. I used to like "hi tack." Oil pans, water pumps, timing cover, and the water ports on intake. I used to glue the rocker cover gaskets to the covers with that, then just use a finger film of oil around the head side of the gaskets.....solid lifters.
 
There are 3 places for silicone for engine assembly. The China walls, the rear main seal and the corners of the oil pan.
 
I use gaskasinch on my intake manifolds.. after cleaning test fitting everything involved I put it on the faces of the heads and on both sides of the gasket and the faces of the manifold. Not the China wall and I throw the China wall gaskets away.. I put the very thinnest smear of the right stuff on all four water porch on the manifold and the head side. I put a double stacked bead of the right stuff on the China wall and a good little extra in all four corners and then with the intake manifold upside down and waiting I put one bead on its China wall with a little extra in the corners..
This is what has always worked for me others will differ...

It seems to me the type of sealer to use on things like metal gaskets such as intake valley pans and such. I've always used copper coat.
 
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