Would you use sealant when installing a new valve cover gasket?

[steve s]

Thanks for any input. The Ford shop manual says to use sealant but the packaging on the gasket said in bold face "Do not use any sealant". Comments?

Car: 91 Ford Festiva

I didn't use sealant and it seems I have quite a bit of leakage but I haven't 100% pinned the leak down to the valve cover gasket.

Thanks

Steve S

[sketchman]

I would not. I have not. I will not.

[tooldude]

When the instructions are to not use sealant (or anything) on a gasket, then don't. That means it was designed to seal as is. If it doesn't seal, then there is some other problem.

[sketchman]

And then there's the oil pan gasket that leaks even if almighty John himself forbids it with threats of hellfire and damnation.

[FestYboy]

Thin glaze of rtv works wonders for the VC gasket to head interface.

[Greywolf]

I'm going to pass on a story here from my early years with Datsun cars.

For a while in 1977 I was learning while working for Jim Wolffe in El Cajon California (Import Auto Center) - and what he had to say about Datsun (CYLINDER HEAD) gaskets was really plain and simple:

You NEVER EVER use a FELPRO gasket on a Datsun - you just don't! If you use any kind of gasket sealer on the factory gaskets, you want to mist it on very lightly. There was a red spray that he sometimes used, but for the most part gasket goop was forbidden, because he hated to go back and have to re-do anything.

At one point I wound up in a small shop in another part of the city and a guy was going to use a felpro gasket on a B210: I advised him HELL NO! But he did it anyway.

That car pumped every bit of anti freeze it owned out of the exhaust in no time...

I also heard that FORD has developed a "Surface Treatment" that the dealerships use on head and block mating surfaces that treats the metal to help the gaskets to stick - if anyone has updated info on this POUR IT ON!

But if the gasket instructions say "NO SEALANT" DON'T!!!

Going deeper into that you want to clean the metal surfaces spic and span so that no trace of oil, grease, water, anti-freeze, or anything at all is on them.

When you have totally removed every last bit of old gasket - what you should do is go over both metal joining surfaces with "BRAKE KLEEN" or something similar that leaves no residue behind. You want a direct metal to gasket bond...
* Acetone
* Ether (starting fluid)


! On Valve Covers what works best is to use weather strip glue (GORILLA SNOT) on one side, and Blue Silicone RTV on the other.

The reason is that the weatherstrip glue will hold the gasket on one side (to a valve cover, for example) and the RTV will release so that you can do valve adjustments without buying valve cover gaskets by the case.

* If one side is cast iron that is DEFINITELY the side to use 'Blue Glue' on. Both materials provide an excellent oil seal.
* If the valve cover is sheet metal or tin - THAT is where the Gorilla snot needs to be. Blue Glue and aluminum are good friends.

I remember 240 thru 280 Z cars having their valve covers set up this way, and it was flawless. The Aluminum valve covers would sit on a bench while the gorilla snot set up and the bolts for them kept the gasket aligned. You can put weights on top of them to make sure there are no gaps.

A present to you from my experience, for this evening :tm:

For a valve cover gasket?
Peruse the above and make your own judgement


But for a cylinder head gasket if it says NO -
Then no way in hell.


~But prep the surfaces like you work for Lockheed and YOU have to fly that thing...

[FestYboy]

Copper spray... Head gaskets. Match made in heaven. Fills in micro pores and is a good thermal interface.