Gaskets What To Do??
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Racer
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 412
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From: Monroe North Carolina
Gaskets What To Do??
I bought a fel pro engine gasket set to assemble a 383. Is it wise to use gasket maker on the gaskets also? Should i just put the gaskets in dry or use an adhesive? If an adhesive then what kind? Thanks
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2002
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From: San Diego - Deep Within The State of CONFUSION!
Originally Posted by Corvettelvr73
I bought a fel pro engine gasket set to assemble a 383. Is it wise to use gasket maker on the gaskets also? Should i just put the gaskets in dry or use an adhesive? If an adhesive then what kind? Thanks
Places to NOT use sealer: carburetor, head gaskets, trans pan (if possible). On the heads you'll find spray to use for the gaskets instead of gasket sealer. Head bolts get Permatex black.
While the block is naked, run thread chasers thru each and EVERY threaded hole before assembly. This will assure that you can get the correct torque readings as you tighten things down. You chase the threads in the block AFTER it is hot tanked and BEFORE it's final cleaning step before assembly.
Racer
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 401
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From: IL
Most of the gaskets should be installed dry. Gasket adhesives, or even weatherstrip adhesive, can be used to keep a gasket in postion during installation. Some gaskets require small dabs of RTV in the corner joints (such as intake to head/block, oil pan to timing cover). Typically spraying the head gaskets with coppercoat is a bad thing! Coating the W/P or Timing Cover with RTV is a bad thing! Using a small amount of RTV on the Intake threads is a good thing, keeps oil from migrating up the threads onto that nice new manifold.
Most important, select the correct "gasket set" for your application. So many times the wrong type of gasket is used, and then is blamed for the failure. Case in point would be the one piece oil pan gaskets, even though the vehicle might be a '70, that new oil pan is not. It has been revised to the later '75 and up design, which uses a thicker front seal at the timing cover. This one has caught even veterans off gaurd when it starts to leak right off the bat and another trip to the parts store is required.
Point is, do a little research before adding that "fits all chevy" item.
Later.
Most important, select the correct "gasket set" for your application. So many times the wrong type of gasket is used, and then is blamed for the failure. Case in point would be the one piece oil pan gaskets, even though the vehicle might be a '70, that new oil pan is not. It has been revised to the later '75 and up design, which uses a thicker front seal at the timing cover. This one has caught even veterans off gaurd when it starts to leak right off the bat and another trip to the parts store is required.
Point is, do a little research before adding that "fits all chevy" item.
Later.
