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aero3113 Samba Member
Joined: March 03, 2013 Posts: 196 Location: Setauket, NY (Long Island)
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Posted: Fri Apr 26, 2013 5:48 am Post subject: To seal or not to seal |
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How many of you guys seal the gasket to the valve covers with sealant? I plan on adjusting the valves this weekend and would like to know if I should seal them. |
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John Moxon Samba Moderator
Joined: March 07, 2004 Posts: 13943 Location: Southampton U.K.
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NOVA Airhead Samba Member
Joined: July 20, 2005 Posts: 5221 Location: Richmond, VA
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Posted: Fri Apr 26, 2013 6:53 am Post subject: Re: To seal or not to seal |
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aero3113 wrote: |
How many of you guys seal the gasket to the valve covers with sealant? I plan on adjusting the valves this weekend and would like to know if I should seal them. |
You should not need gasket sealant with stock covers and gaskets. If you do use it you will likely regret it the next time you go to adjust the valves and you have a mess on your hands. _________________ Ghia Owner Emeritus |
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cseay1 Samba Member
Joined: March 22, 2012 Posts: 1341 Location: Elkwood VA
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Posted: Fri Apr 26, 2013 7:00 am Post subject: |
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My general rule for valve cover gaskets regardless of vehicles: attach the gasket to the valve cover with a good adhesive sealant, use no sealer on the engine side. That way when you pull the valve cover off for valve adjustment, gasket stays on the cover and is not damaged and can be re-used. Also, if the valve cover is sheet metal any deformities are more likely to be present on that side, and the engine side will always be the better fitting surface.
I like the Permatex Ultra Grey |
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Bleyseng Samba Member
Joined: July 03, 2005 Posts: 4752 Location: Seattle
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Posted: Fri Apr 26, 2013 7:01 am Post subject: |
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I have always used permatex sealant to glue in the cork gaskets and no leaks. Yep, when you change gaskets you have to scrape the sealant off to apply new sealant, big deal as its better than tons of oil on the heat exchangers. _________________ 70 Ghia Black convert-9/69 build date-stock w/133k 1600 SP-barn find now with a rebuilt tranny and engine
77 Westy 2.0L w/Ljet, Camper Special engine-95hp and with LSD!(sold)
76 Porsche 914 2.1L L20c, 120hp Djet (sold)
87 Syncro Westy Titan Red 2.1L 2 knob 100k miles |
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analogmax Samba Member
Joined: September 27, 2006 Posts: 161 Location: Chandler, Arizona
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Posted: Fri Apr 26, 2013 9:34 am Post subject: |
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I always use a thin coat of wheel bearing grease on both sides of the gasket. never have any leaks. |
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Max Welton Samba Member
Joined: May 19, 2003 Posts: 10697 Location: Black Forest, CO
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sparkleplenty Samba Member
Joined: January 09, 2008 Posts: 1110 Location: California
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Posted: Fri Apr 26, 2013 11:14 am Post subject: |
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I use a thin coat of Gasgacinch..."Monkey Snot"...works great, easy to remove and no leaks... _________________ '56 European Oval Ragtop-Stock
'56 Karmann Ghia Coupe-Stock
'59 Italian Series I Li150 Lambretta-Stock
"Give a man a fish, feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, feed him for a lifetime."
"Only when the tide goes out do you discover who is swimming naked." |
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karmann1st Samba Member
Joined: September 12, 2010 Posts: 93 Location: Florida
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Posted: Fri Apr 11, 2014 8:55 pm Post subject: |
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Cool idea...!! I love it. |
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djkeev Samba Moderator
Joined: September 30, 2007 Posts: 32432 Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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Posted: Sat Apr 12, 2014 5:46 am Post subject: |
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cseay1 wrote: |
.....................
I like the Permatex Ultra Grey |
Well, it is good to like something but........
Educate yourself on silicone and engine seizure.
If you are running the stock oil screen and not full filter modification take note.
If you use Silicone improperly, by this I mean the "If a little is good..... MORE IS BETTER!" You are at risk for serious engine damage. (Honestly, most users of sealants haven't a clue about using the proper quantity but just slather it on liberally like butter on bread!)
When you apply excess Silicone products such as various colored RTV's, the product squeezes out as you tighten the joint.
The excess forms "balls" dripping down inside that you cannot see.
These "balls" cure into small rubber balls.
The Balls can eventually break free and now run with the oil!
These balls can and do get sucked past the oil screen and through the oil pump intact.
Once they get into the oil passages they get stuck at various points and stop the critical flow of life giving oil to bearings, lifters, etc.
No oil means no lubrication....
No lubrication means damaged over heated bearings...
This means major engine damage and expense.
Does it always happen?
No.
But why risk it?
If you insist on Silicone based materials, use the smallest thinnest smear you can get by with!
Or
Install an after market spin on filter to catch the balls of Silicone.
Just saying..........
I've got a 1600 case with a spun #1 bearing in the storage area. I found red RTV in the oil passage mashed into the bearing oil port hole.
This engine was slathered with red RTV by some well meaning individual before me.
There are other non hardening, non silicone options..... Choose one of them.
Your engine and your wallet will both thank you!
Oh, to answer your question...... Don't seal.
I also use grease on gaskets, valve cover, oil pan, etc. it works really well.
Only seal if you have problems after using grease, though if it leaks your cover may be bent or your bail wire is weak.
If this is the case, sealant is simply a poor band-aid.
Dave _________________ Stop Dead Photo Links how to post photos
Ghia
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=392473
Vanagon
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6315537#6315537
Beetle
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=482968&highlight=74+super+vert |
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Era Vulgaris Samba Member
Joined: August 22, 2012 Posts: 1662 Location: Raleigh, NC
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Posted: Sat Apr 12, 2014 7:25 pm Post subject: |
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Someone nicked that idea from type 4 valve covers!
I use Permatex 2 on the valve cover side only...and only the lightest smear of it so that nothing squeezes out when pressed against the valve cover. In truth it probably doesn't need it at all, but it helps keep the gasket in place when re-installing the valve cover, which can be helpful.
I'll dick punch a mofo that puts it on the head side of the gasket. When I got my 914 I spent an hour scraping hardened sealer off the heads because some idiot thought it needed it. It doesn't. _________________ Currently own:
66 Karmann Ghia, L390 Gulf Blue, under construction, here: www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=760505&highlight=
99 Mazda MX-5 10AE, Sapphire Blue Mica, 6 speed, LSD
Previously owned:
98 Porsche Boxster, silver, 2.5L -- 67 Karmann Ghia, Black, 1500sp -- 98 BMW Z3, Atlanta Blue Metallic, 2.8L I6 -- 75 Porsche 914, Laguna Blue, 2270cc -- 72 Porsche 914, Signal Orange, 1.7 FI -- 74 Karmann Ghia, Black, 1600dp -- 74 Triumph TR6 with O.D., sapphire blue |
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vwracerdave Samba Member
Joined: November 11, 2004 Posts: 15278 Location: Deep in the 405
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Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2014 8:17 pm Post subject: |
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sparkleplenty wrote: |
I use a thin coat of Gasgacinch..."Monkey Snot"...works great, easy to remove and no leaks... |
I use the same thing, then let them set overnight before I start the engine. _________________ 2017 Street Comp Champion - Thunder Valley Raceway Park - Noble, OK
2010 Sportsman ET Champion - Mid-America Dragway - Arkansas City, KS
1997 Sportsman ET Champion - Thunder Valley Raceway Park - Noble ,OK
Featured in Dec. 2001 HOT VW's Magazine page 63
Watch my racing video's http://www.youtube.com/user/okvwracer/videos |
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tisius Samba Member
Joined: July 11, 2011 Posts: 1570 Location: Rotterdam,NL (+Chicago,IL)
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Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2014 12:16 am Post subject: |
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My 2 cents would be: don't use sealant, just some grease on the gaskets if you like.
Only if you have serious leaks which you can't resolve by renewing the gasket, then a sealant seems the way to go.
The VW factory intended a dry fit, as far as I know, so that should work for a stock engine.
Just don't buy crappy gaskets, get quality gaskets (they don't cost a zillion bucks). _________________ drive it like you just robbed the bank
you don't have to be crazy to be into VW's, but it sure helps!!
.... if it ain't dutch, it ain't much! |
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