do I use gasket goop..

[gregsails]

Hey All.
I am ready to reassemble my A 4 from the oil pan up. Is it recommended I also use a gasket goop like a Permatex Aviation to dress the gaskets or are dry gaskets ok.
Thanks Greg
Catalina 30 hull 694

[lat 64]

I can't even remember what I did. I do know there is a particularly tricky one at the reverse gear housing. Watch out for it as you slide the housing forward into place. The photo shows how I found mine when I took it part. It leaked there.


Go carefully,

Russ

[Dromo]

I used Permatex Aviation on all my gaskets , except the head gaskets
Helps to hold them in place

[Al Schober]

I use the NAPA/Permatex Form-A-Gasket Sealant Liquid, Item #765-1210. Helps fill in those irregularities - excess just squeezes out.

[hanleyclifford]

I use no gasket sealer whatsoever except at the junction of the oil pan, gearcase housing and block. Instead I coat the gaskets with (cheap) grease on both sides, except that the head gaskets should be put on dry.

[Dave Neptune]

Sealing and sealers

If the surfaces are in GREAT shape the grease works just fine. However for MY personal use in a marine environment I use the Av grade on everything. The permatex also seals out the salty moisture that can and will creep into whatever it can! I even use it on the headgasket, one in my case.

Definitely do not use silicone sealants on any cast iron parts that have been exposed to oil as it will never really bond to the metal so all you really have is a Band-Aid that will allow moisture to creep under the gasket and chew up the metal. I have seen to many therm housings and manifolds eaten away and the silicone has done nothing to protect the metal only the gasket. Silicone does work quite well with aluminum though as it does not absorb oil!

One thing for sure my engines are a bit harder to tear down and they don't leak!

I just like a sealer that works with oily parts.

Dave Neptune

[hanleyclifford]

Yeah, I like keeping things oily, too. I clean all mating surfaces with a single edge razor blade until they shine. I also run a flat bastard over any proud spots like capscrew holes in oil pan or other machined components. Since I tear down every 1000 hours I like to keep things simple and I don't mind a little oil weep here and there - it's actually good for the casting.

[67c&ccorv]

The danger with using a gasket sealer is the materiel will squeeze out on the inside of the mating surfaces when torqued down - form a bead - and then get dislodged at some point in the future winding up in an oil or cooling passageway with disasterous results.

I usually coat the bottom side of the mating surface with the gasket sealer and lightly grease the other side - that way if I have to disassemble in the future the gasket stays put on the one side and pops off easily on the other.

Use the stuff sparingly...

[thatch]

"Somewhere in the middle"

67 and I are pretty much on the same page on this issue. Whenever I'm installing a gasket I ask myself the question, "am I going to be removing this piece prior to a complete teardown". In the case of a carb gasket, I smear a light coat of lithum grease on both sides and have found that I can reuse the gasket several times. Gaskets on plates that need help staying in place, like the water cover gasket and the lifter access plate get cement on one side and grease on the other. In the case of the pan asket, I would tend to cement the portion in the connecting area but cement only the bottom half in the reversing gear area. By doing it this way, I could potentially remove the reversing gear cover without having to replace that gasket.
Tom

[romantic comedy]

I pretty much tend to use grease, especially on part that I know I will be taking apart. It takes a lot of time scraping gaskets. Always used grease on racing engines.

Also I never reuse a gasket.

With the Atomic four, I would most likely use aviation goop. I just dont want to take a chance with a leak.

[gregsails]

gasket goop

Thank you all for your advise. I guess I ll use the permatex aviation. Very interesting thou, I have never heard of the grease before.
Greg Catalina 30 sail 696