What to seal VC Gasket with????

[Brian]

Hey I just got a new Valve cover, oil cap, spark plug and camshaft seal gaskets. I have heard I need to use sealant or something on them when replacing. Is this true and what should I use.

 

[jbillakdsm]

I believe it's called RVT and it's a red silicone based sealant for high temp applications. The only thing you have to be careful about is to get a smooth bead that dosen't squirt out when you tighten stuff down. My dad had some lying around when I put the VC gasket on my old talon. Oh yeah, I only used this on the VC gasket. I don't know about the other gaskets since I've never had to replace them on any of my other cars.

 

[Brian]

how did you apply it, did you put sealant in the gasket spot on the vc then put the gasket in then put more to seal it to the head. I just dont want to do it the wrong way.

 

[Enraged78]

When I did this, I put the sealant on both sides of the gasket. It's a little messy, but the cover will NEVER leak when you do it like this. I would buy a new gasket, as the half moon that you replace is made of rubber and likes to shrink after a period of years. Then you are good to go. Just remember to not torque the VC bolts past 7 LBS. The VC WILL crack (ask me how I know this...). I would torque them to 5LBS if you dip them in silicone RTV, as it helps them seal and keeps them from backing out.

Matt.

 

[nine5raptor]

I think the factory torque spec on those is like 3 lb ft

 

[98TsiAWD]

Tq spec for the VC bolts is 2 ft lbs.

Go to checkers or carquest and get "Right Stuff" gasket maker. Its by far the best liquid gasket sealer out there. Put it all over the halfmoon, and in the "points", this would be where your cams are, where it makes a corner if you know what i mean. Put a dab in each corner.

 

[Brian]

so are you saying dont put sealant around it all, just put it all over the two curves of the vc gasket and on the 4 points.

 

[jbillakdsm]

You can put it the whole way around, you just have to be careful that it doesn't squish out toward the inside if at all possible. Put the bead a little closer to the outside so that you don't end up with little bits of silicone making their way into your oil. Also, be VERY CAREFUL when torquing down the bolts. My dad got a little wrench happy and cracked my VC, fortunately, it's not major and a little RVT prevented it from spreading.

 

[Brian]

If it gets in the oil will it do any harm to the car or just come out when you change the oil.

 

[NOSLO2PT0]

When replacing the valve cover gasket, just apply the RTV on the corners and around the CAS hump, and cam humps. That's all you need to do.

 

[91nbtsi]

2 words. Right Stuff. Best sealer out there period, as someone said before.

 

[Brian]

Alright so I only need sealant on the 4 corners and the two humps and the cas hump. the rest doesnt need it, it will seal up fine. Does anyone know if the spark plug and oil cap gaskets need to be sealed down.

 

[KenTSIII]

The sealant is just to hold the gasket in place when you are installing the valve cover. I've installed the gaskets numerous times completely dry w/ no leaks whatsoever. Just make sure that everything is clean & torqued down evenly & to the correct torque spec.. I believe it's in in/lbs.. not ft/lbs.

 

[Brian]

Alright so really it will be fine as long as torque specs are correct

 

[onegee]

http://myzero.com/engine/valve.html

there u go..., that link shoud tell u EVERYTHING u need to know about redoing ur VC, did mine a while back using that...I use Napa RTV..most ppl use that, the high temp black colored one..doesn't really matter really..

 

[Bohrn]

just anywhere that the gasket has to make a hard corner, like a 90degree. Not on the flat parts.

In the corners, etc.

Not too much either, just enought to seal the area there. In all likelyhood you don't really need it at all, but due to imperfections in manufacturing etc, there is a little bit of slop and the RTV sealant takes up that space.

If you put too much on, not only will it look really ghetto, but it can harden up, break off and get in the oiling system and plug up a small area, with possible disastrous results.

I did mine at Christmas when I painted mine, and no leaky at all yet (knocks on head, after realising desk is friggin laminate)

 

[Brian]

Cool, alright guys thanks alot, one thing should I put any in between the gasket and vc or just put the gasket on the vc and then put the sealant between gasket and head.

 

[98TsiAWD]

Originally posted by Brian
Cool, alright guys thanks alot, one thing should I put any in between the gasket and vc or just put the gasket on the vc and then put the sealant between gasket and head.

Press the gasket into the VC, then put Right stuff on the points on the head, then set the VC onto the head, bolt it down to 2 ft lbs. Snug them all down before torquing them all. But not too tight by hand, the VC will crack VERY easily. Mine was cracked when I bought it under the spark plug cover, so oil collected in the spark plug area. I fixed that with JB weld. Replaced my VC gasket a few days ago and I recracked it worse by tqing it down on the bolt, now I need a new VC. Should be here monday tho and is blue

 

[Brian]

Alright sounds good, I think that should be easy enough, anyone know about any of the other gaskets I mentioned

 

[Brian]

So which kind of sealant should I purchase, I currently have some RTV Black Hot Oil Resistant sealant, will that work or do I need a diff. kind.

 

[98TsiAWD]

It will probly work, but I would recommend "right stuff"