Gaskets and RTV sealant?

[foxfan1992]

Hey all. Most of you probably know me as the guy with the red 1984 Nissan 720 that blew a headgasket.

After the 'misfortune' of having to take the whole timing assembly apart, I replaced the timing chain and sprockets while I was down there. Now however I just have a couple of things I'd like to clear up.

 

The gaskets for the timing cover, water pump and oil pan have to be replaced since they did not come off in one piece. I'll be going to pick them up shortly, but another question I'd like to ask is about the RTV sealant? Is it necessary to use this sealant, or will the gasket be enough to stop oil or water leaking?

 

Thanks
Harry

[Eagle_Adam]

i would pick up some grey RTV silicone 

 

oil pan doesn't "need" any but the timing cover and water pump do IMO 

[datzenmike]

Nissan didn't use it, it shouldn't need it unless really scratched and dinged up... but if you feel that you should, just the thinnest smear with your finger and not like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. AND as Adan said get the silver not the orange shit because it will squish out and make your Z24 look like a 350 chevy engine.

 

Was working on my head last fall and saw what I thought was an elastic band in one of the coolant passages...

 

Pulled on it with a dental pick...

 

This is how much I fished out all together and why I'll never use it. This was likely from some moron sealing up a water pump he replaced. It will do the same to the oil pan pickup...

.

[DaveZilla]

This is exactly why they say a THIN coat of sealant on the instructions...

 

If I do use sealant it's a very thin coat of Ultra gray or Ultra black (any of the Permatex Ultra colors work really well), then let it sit for about 5 or 10 minutes before installing so the sealant can skin over and work the way it's supposed to.

 

Also, if you get that much squeeze out on the outside of your engine, there's the same amount on the inside where you can't clean it off and this happens^^^

[foxfan1992]

Thanks all, much appreciated :-)

[maltese]

Personally, I use RTV only if I'm not using a gasket. If I am using a gasket, it gets sprayed with Copper Coat, prior to installation.

[Jim_Rockford]

never put rtv on the gasket, let the gasket do its job, the place rtv (ONLY use Permatex Right stuff, comes in a cheese whiz can )  do not bother with ultra black,grey ,purple,polkadot anymore, they suck, right stuff is tough as nails and no need to let it sit up. and only use it in the corners of a sealing surface like where the block meets and oil pan and timing over, just to fill that little gap area where the 2 gaskets meet. 

[harlow426@msn.com]

The only place I would use rtv silicone is on exhaust manifold gaskets(RED) & sometimes on water/pump(grey or black). A thin layer of permatex #2 NON-HARDENING form-a-gasket can b used anywhere. On cork gaskets like the valve cover and oil pan I use permatex on the pan/cover side of the gasket and a layer of general purpose grease on the other side. The grease will allow dis-assembly in the future and no risk of RTV plugging up stuff. I usually "rough" up gasket surfaces with my die grinder equipped with a 3M "ro-loc" scotch brite disk then clean with carb choke. Keep wiping gaskets surfaces w/ carb choke n paper towels till no residue comes off on paper.DON'T overtighten(I use my stubby 3/8 Snap-on rachet with three fingers)!! Use blue loctite if worried about bolts loosening up....clean the threads with q-tips carb choke in the block and wire wheel threads on bolts 2 get clean. Every once in a while I'll use "gaska-cinch"/"spray-tack" or other type gasket contact adhesive if in an application where it is hard 2 keep gasket positioned during assembly(rarely).