Using RTV Sealant: What side to install on?

[alansupra94]

I was wondering what side do you install RTV sealant on? Part side? Or other side?

This is regarding the water pump, oil pump and oil pan.

 

[pboglio]

I did a little experiment with RTV when installing my intake manifold, just to prove a point. I applied "Right Stuff" but it was difficult to extrude a small enough beed. After torquing to spec the amount of extrusion into the intake ports was fairly huge. Doing a teardown was "extremely" difficult as both pieces were essentially glued to each other. This was an example only, I finally installed my intake manifold dry with the OEM viton crush gasket.

Conclusion, I use RTV sparingly and only where the service manual specifically calls out. I switched to "Hylomar" blue. It's essentially a non-drying high tack gasket dressing that can be pulled apart and resealed numerous times but needs to be used with a gasket. Pretty trick stuff and the amount of material extrusion is minimal, though the sealing capability is limited to I believe .003" flatness. It has its place and so far it works great when applied in the right application.

The ideal sealing material is a compressible seal like an o-ring, which doesn't suffer from material extrusion when torqued to spec. I don't see how RTV can avoid this without a dedicated gland and groove to accept it.

 

[whiteAWD]

as a an ASE certified tech i only use RTV where insructed to ( ). If it comes with a felt/fiber/paper type gasket i use the gasket and high tact spray. oil pans and corners of "special area's" that always leak on our fantastic cars get RTV all the time. The RIGHT STUFF is a good product but after working at a VW dealer i have used there WHITE RTV that they use on there oil pans and it is the best i personally have ever used. It is expensive but its worth it.

 

[alansupra94]

as a an ASE certified tech i only use RTV where insructed to ( ). If it comes with a felt/fiber/paper type gasket i use the gasket and high tact spray. oil pans and corners of "special area's" that always leak on our fantastic cars get RTV all the time. The RIGHT STUFF is a good product but after working at a VW dealer i have used there WHITE RTV that they use on there oil pans and it is the best i personally have ever used. It is expensive but its worth it.

Yeah I only used it on the oil pan. I used it on the oil pump and water pump in small dabs in the corner and problem areas JUST to hold the gasket on (NONE on block side).

Thanks for all the help guys.

I was thinking about getting ASE certified but I dunno if I have the time to study.