Goooo on gaskets?

[boxboy]

I know there are probably a diversity of opinions out there on this topic, but I will put it out there anyway. I need to regasket my J13 engine and have a kit from Victor Reinz. I am wondering if it is recommended to install them dry, or to put high tack, or hondabond or some other stick 'em on them. Now, I know things like the head gasket and exhaust are no nos. I am thinking of tappet covers, pan gasket, oil filter assembly, front cover, front crank seal, fuel pump, carburetor base etc.

 

Let the opinions fly.

[MicroMachinery]

It all depends on which gaskets. Some you should RTV, some you shouldn't, and some you can do either.

 

Given those gaskets/seals you just mentioned, here's what i would do:

 

Tappet cover(valve cover, I'm assuming): RTV? No. I would use a grease, probably white lithium grease if it's cork, silicone grease if it's rubber. This gives you a seal, but also allows you to take the valve cover off without the gasket sticking to the head.

 

Pan gasket: RTV? Yes, but only a "kiss" coat, meaning that there's enough to take up the imperfections in the gasket and the metal on the block, but not so much that it will cause it to slip out when you tighten it down. What I do is put a dab on the gasket and wipe it across the gasket to where it's so thin that you can see through it.

 

Oil Filter Housing: ABSOLUTELY NOT! Once upon a time, I got a car that the PO had RTV'd EVERYTHING :angry: . Some of the RTV on the oil pump had squeezed out and gotten into the lubrication system and plugged an oil gallery. Bad situation. I was able to wrap the cam and feed pressure through a single oil hole in the cam and flush it out. Luckily I caught it before it did any major damage.

 

Front cover: Again, a kiss coat here. I've heard some people say to put these on dry, but I get a little nervous putting dry gaskets around water jackets.

 

Front crank seal: Huh? This just installs into the timing cover, then seals around the crank pulley. You shouldn't have to put RTV around the outside of it, since it's a press-fit. However, I do use silicone lube around the sealing lip that contacts the crank pulley, but if it's not handy, motor oil will do. No RTV here.

 

Fuel pump: You can do either here. It's not pressurized, and not sitting under oil, so you can get away with putting them on dry. I don't, however. When I have to replace the fuel pump, if the gasket has bonded to the metal, out come the razor blades and scotch brite pads to clean it off. With a kiss coat of RTV, they peel right off and with a little brake clean, you're ready for the new gasket.

 

Carburetor base: No RTV here. The gasoline will dissolve it over time. I use a dab of silicone grease here so that the gasket won't bond itself to the base of the carb. Also aids in mating the carb gasket to the manifold and carb, reducing the chances of vacuum leaks.

 

Those are my opinions, and only because that's how I've learned through my own experiences, and what I've found to be most effective.

[Z-train]

Don't do this.

 

[Zeusimo]

 

Wow Epic FAIL

You Don't Want This

[MicroMachinery]

Oh boy... :blink:

[Unclejesse88]

For the front crank seal, insect the sealing surface when you have it apart. I'm not familiar with your engine, but I assume the crank seal rides on the crank pulley and not the crank. Either way, inspect the sealing surface for grooves. If you find grooves install a sleeve kit on the sealing surface. Upon reassembly, add a dab of rtv to the crank keyway, so you get no seepage at that spot.

[datzenmike]

Only reason for using RTV is if the mating surface isn't smooth enough to get a good seal. It could be badly gouged by someone using a chisel or screwdriver to remove the old one, cracked/broken, warped or not using the correct gasket. A good mechanic would never use a chisel, would replace or fix something that was broken, cracked or warped and would use quality gaskets. So basically only an incompetent mechanic uses that stuff. OK, lets put it this way.... a good mechanic would only use it as a last resort and would know to use as little as possible. The absolute minimal amount so that it does not squish out like a rednecks 305 intake manifold on his mullet-mobile.

 

Sealants are used where you don't ever ever expect to take them apart again. They are 4% 'sealer' and 96% 'glue'. I've used a 6' 2x4 to pry a Chevy intake off because it was slathered in RTV, and that's the soft stuff. I've broken thermostat outlets off because a gasket shellac.

 

How's that for an opinion?

[boxboy]

Okay, okay! Now I am not a bad enough mechanic to put silicone window sealant into my intake manifold. :lol: But I have used hondabond on pan gaskets before. Yes, a light bit to deal with the fact that pans and valve/rocker covers tend to be less than perfect mating surfaces. I would think the tappets would be similar, but perhaps their small size makes them a bit less imperfect. Sounds like a machined surface is a definite dry gasket and a questionable area only the slightest bit of sealant. One thing I know about the Hondabond I like to use is that you better make sure you don't want to take that part off again since it sticks REALLY good.

 

As to quality gaskets, since this set is the only one I could find anywhere, it is the only quality available to me. I have no other options. Mklotz used it on his NL engine. Didn't have anything too awful to say about it.

thanks for the input. Those who want to vent can continue to post their opinions. :)

[boxboy]

Forgot to add that the reason I question the front crank seal is that it is a felt ring, not a good neoprene seal like it should be. I have been told by a Datsun mechanic locally that Nissan/Datsun made a replacement front cover for the J engines, but I haven't found that to be confirmed anywhere else. I wouldn't think of putting it around the crank itself.

 

When you say grease, will any grease do? I have heard lithium grease can draw water.

[MicroMachinery]

When you say grease, will any grease do? I have heard lithium grease can draw water.

 

Don't use lithium grease on rubber seals; it attacks the rubber. That's why I mentioned silicone grease... or clean motor oil.

[boxboy]

And torquing? I can't find any sources that tell me how much torque to put on things like the oil pump housing, tappet covers, fuel pump, front cover etc. I know overtightening can squish the gaskets out, and undertightening, well . . .

[Dudeman]

http://www.olddatsuns.com/

 

Go to Datsun Tech, scroll down and hit page 4 for torque specs

 

 

Edit: Thats for L series, sorry. I bet the info is somewhere on that website tho...

[MicroMachinery]

Just get a manual for your truck/engine. You'll find answers to all your questions, and more. They're not hard to find.

Here's one on Ebay for .99. Oooo! :o

[Skib]

the only places I ever use any light RTV on an L is around the water jackets on the front cover, the thermostat housing, and the corner where the block, head, and front cover meet.

 

everything else goes on dry.

[Nicholas7620]

Thanks for the info evr1, I didn't know goo :blink: about goo on gaskets. I'll avoid the goo. :)