ajharman

Doing a full reseal on a motor for my 94 z28 (basically everything except the head gaskets). Got most of the engine stripped down and am cleaning gasket surfaces and everything now, should be able to start putting back together by the beginning of next week. I've noticed varying opinions on using gasket and thread sealers and and stuff like that on certain gaskets and was curious about how people do theirs. Here is what I'm thinking currently:

Oil pan: (Fel-Pro Gasket)
Install completely dry, use small amount of red RTV at the rounded edges by front and rear main seal on the block side.

Timing cover gasket: (Fel-Pro)
Install with light coating of Permatex Number 2 Gasket sealer on both sides of gasket and a small amount of red RTV at the corners where timing gasket meets oil pan gasket.

Timing cover seals: (oil pump drive, opti, front main)
It's my understanding that these are installed completely dry, except for clean engine oil rubbed on inside of front main seal and on inside edge of water pump drive seal.

Water Pump Gaskets: (Fel-Pro)
Light coating of Permatex Number 2 on both sides of gasket

Water Pump Bolts:
Threads coated with some Permatex high-temp thread sealer

Intake Gasket: (Fel-Pro)
Installed totally dry with RTV black on the un-gasketted front and back portions

Valve Cover Gaskets: (Victor Reinz)
Installed dry

Rear main seal: (Victor Reinz)
Housing gasket installed with light coating of permatex, rear main seal itself installed dry outside with inside of seal coated in clean engine oil

Oil filter adapter: (Fel-Pro)
Cut gasket installed dry, rubber o-rings all lightly coated in clean engine oil first

Modine Oil cooler adapter coolant lines:
Rubber gasket washers installed dry?

Coolant Crossover banjo bolts:
Rubber gasket washers installed dry?

EGR Gaskets:
Sprayed with some copper coat?

Exhaust manifold gasket: (Victor reinz, several very thin layers of smooth metal, not thick and spongy looking like the Fel-Pro one)
Can I spray this with copper coat to help seal any imperfection in the mating surfaces? Or will it get too hot? Seems like this gasket won't seal as well as the thicker, coarser exhaust gaskets I had on my other motor (probably should have bought the same ones in retrospect).


Sorry to ask so many questions that I know can be looked up, don't want people to think I didn't do a search on any of this stuff beforehand, just seemed like everybody does it a little different, wanted to get people's opinion. Do it by the book (I have a FSM), or use some gasket sealers to prevent leaks due to possible surface imperfections?


Thanks in advance for tips and input.

1toofastlt1

iTrader: (4)

I suggest dry for all of those. I use a little permatex to hold gaskets in place such as the water pump

97lt1camaro

iTrader: (3)

I used rtv on everything except intake gaskets and rear main, and the banjo bolts for the cross over

SS RRR

iTrader: (2)

Way too much goop mentioned.

Timing cover seals: (oil pump drive, opti, front main)
All dry.

Water Pump Gaskets: (Fel-Pro)
Dry

Water Pump Bolts:
Only bolts that need sealant are the bottom two which plumb directly into water jackets. The others do not.

Intake Gasket: (Fel-Pro)
Dry

Rear main seal: (Victor Reinz)
Seal into the housing goes in dry. If you really want to put a coating on then that's up to you. The more important step is to ensure the seal itself is installed wet or dry as per the instructions.


Coolant Crossover banjo bolts:
Dry. They're rubber. Thick rubber at that.

EGR Gaskets:
Dry

For exhaust manifold gaskets, if you are using the stock manifolds then use stock gaskets. If you are using headers then the flanges will not be as flat therefore using a mls type gasket may promote leaks that even a spray won't cure. Best answer is to use a Fel-Pro 1406 header gasket without any sealant or spray.

BALLSS

AJ

I have never had a leak on a rebuild using

Permatex Black 'ultra" on:

oil pan gasket (corners front & back)
intake gasket front & back and 1" up onto the side intake gaskets with 1/4" wide bead of RTV
rear main seal adapter-thin coat front & back (smear on with finger)

Permatex "grey" WP & thermostat sealant:

WP gaskets-thin coat on both sides of gasket

GM Thread sealer: (white)

lower DS WP bolt thread

Front Timing seals:

WP drive seal- I install dry but Felpro instructions say "use oil on inner lip. I believe the "GM" seals originally stated dry so that is how I have always installed them using the "tool"

Opti seal-DRY
Crank seal- oil on inner lip

Valve cover:
none
EGR:
none
Cross over pipe (banjo + 2 washers on either side of pipe)):
none

Rear Main Seal:

Felpro "rubber" not teflon-oil on inner lip

Obviously all mating surfaces must be clean and flat and just be prudent with the amount of sealant used.

leadfoot4

iTrader: (1)

Rear main seal.....is it the "new style" Teflon seal, or the older style neoprene? Teflon goes in dry, neoprene, coat the ID with engine oil.

nascarnate326

iTrader: (1)

Lots of goop was used on mine, have 41 miles on it with no leaks

SilverSS07

iTrader: (1)

Make sure you read up on installing the water pump drive seal. Install it after the timing cover is on and stretch it out or it will leak.

ajharman

Much appreciated! Tons of good input here guys. Thanks for all the replies. I'll go easy on the sealants. Don't wanna glue the whole thing up, just wanted to make sure I get it where its not gonna leak on me when I get it back together.

ajharman

It's teflon, so I'll leave it dry. Good call, didn't know it was different.

ajharman

Yeah this one is gonna be the tough one for sure. I've seen people say to use a sharpie marker top or a appropriate sized socket. I'd like to get one of those little tapered tools if I can, but we'll see.

I'll definitely look into that one in more detail before I try installing it.

Thanks again guys.