Thread sealer

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340Dart

340Dart

Obsessive Dart Disorder
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What does everybody use for thread sealer? I have used the tape sealer on the long bolt that goes through the bottom alternator bracket, water pump and timing housing. I've already done this twice and it's still leaking. I replaced the old rusty bolt with a new one and I can't get it to seal. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Fred B
 
I use Permatex thread sealer for everything that doesn't get blue threadlock. For sure on the water jacket stuff.
DR
 
I like the Permatex red high temp RTV. Never had a failure.
 
I use the silver seal powder in the little tube. It works great.
 
340Dart said:
What does everybody use for thread sealer? I have used the tape sealer on the long bolt that goes through the bottom alternator bracket, water pump and timing housing. I've already done this twice and it's still leaking. I replaced the old rusty bolt with a new one and I can't get it to seal. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Fred B
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Are you sure its the threads and not a mar in the pump or cover leaking into the hole where they meet. Between the block and cover or the pump and cover. They both will leak at the bolt .
 
Dont forget those pesky intake bolts. Capillary action and crankcase pressure will make a mess of your shiny new RPM manifold. Permatex.
 
Loctite thread sealer for threads not into water jacket...
 
The Right Stuff and RTV is for any dang thing you wanna use it on. It has no clue what it's bein used on. The stuff works good.

There's more than one way to do things.
 
Whatever I have handy in the garage, RTV, right stuff, Teflon tape with thread sealer, it all works.
 
I use ultra gray on the pump gasket and on the bolts. Make sure the pump is sealed good otherwise coolant will weep into the bolt hole from the gasket and make it look like the bolt is leaking (been ghere, done that). My engine builder used permatex ultra gray, so that is what I use.
 
j par said:
I use it often and on everything - not a drip na-da nowhere never.
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The issue is when you take things apart. Have fun cleaning the dried up right stuff/ rtv off all the threads on your bolts, and the threads on your engine. The thread sealant never dries, so you can use it over and over. Plus you can tighten a bolt, and it will re-seal.


I wonder why Permatex would make the Right Stuff "gasket maker" and Permatex "thread sealant" ?
Dont matter to me what you use. The original poster asked what was the best thread sealant.
There for, a thread sealant would be best.
 
Johnny Dart said:
The issue is when you take things apart. Have fun cleaning the dried up right stuff/ rtv off all the threads on your bolts, and the threads on your engine. The thread sealant never dries, so you can use it over and over. Plus you can tighten a bolt, and it will re-seal.


I wonder why Permatex would make the Right Stuff "gasket maker" and Permatex "thread sealant" ?
Dont matter to me what you use. The original poster asked what was the best thread sealant.
There for, a thread sealant would be best.
Click to expand...

I've seen you make this argument before about the "mess" RTV makes. It's really invalid, because if you are disassembling the engine in the first place, it is very likely going to be cleaned anyway. Regardless, I have never had an issue with it. At least not one as big as you've obviously had at some point.

I've used RTV on every single head bolt for example, since the mid 1980s and never had an issue. I like it on head bolts for a couple of different reasons. First, if the head bolt holes go completely through into the water jacket, RTV will seal the bolts and stop water from migrating up the bolts and into the valve cover area. I've seen that a LOT.

Secondly, head bolts have a notorious habit of breaking upon removal. RTV on the threads will eliminate this.

I worked for the local Chevy dealer from 89 to about 93. At that time, GM used its version of liquid teflon on head bolts from the factory. There was a massive TSB (Technical Service Bulletin) that came out telling us to no longer use it and to use the GM replacement sealant instead. Guess what it was? GM's version of RTV.

I have had people tell me not to use it on head bolts, that it "affects the torque" blah blah blah. Lemmie tell you. I have screwed in a BOAT LOAD of head bolts through the years and they all had RTV on them. Never a problem. Not a big problem with cleanup either.

You make it sound almost as if people are stupid enough to use so much that it will ooze from every joint in the engine. All I do for bolt threads is coat about the first inch for head bolts with a coat just thick enough to fill the threads and no more.

Just because something doesn't say "thread sealer" on it, doesn't mean it will not work. The GM liquid teflon was a bonifide thread sealer, yet GM was having problems with it drying out and leaking through head bolts. That's why they stopped using it. In every engine I have torn down with teflon on the head bolts, it was dried out real bad.

Something that dries out over time is not what I want sealing something as important as head, intake or exhaust bolts and studs. I have screwed in enough bolts to know what works best for ME and I will keep using it.
 
Indian Head, copper rtv, yellow Teflon tape (always for fuel lines/fittings), or whatever dope is laying around. Run what ya brung.
And why would Permatex make RTV and thread sealer? Maybe it's because they are a business, and like most industrious entrepreneurs who intend to stay solvent they realized long ago there are ways to sell you less for more. It's like session beer, it costs the same as the standard label it's just watered down so it isn't 9%abv (kinda like light beer, you are buying 50% more water when you buy that "light" rice/corn/adjunct pisswater).
 
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