Here's my two cents worth. The _best_ gasket compound in the world IMHO is
Hylomar. It was developed by Rolls-Royce (the jet engine division) and is
superb. Remains flexible; if it gets into the engine, it dissolves and
dosen't plug up the works; a gasket treated with it will come off without a
chisel when you tear the engine down years later.
BL can supply it as a Unipart number GGC 102 (they call it "Universal
Jointing Compound"), but a NA firm (I can't remember who) did buy rights to
it and sell it both in the original tube form and as a spray-on.
Now, for my general rules for gaskets...
Thin paper - use a compound
Thick paper - optional, I use a compound if the fluid is coolant, don't if
it's oil or grease.
Cork - use a compound unless the part will be removed alot (valve cover,
say), in which case glue the gasket to one surface with 3M Super
Weatherstrip Adhesive and use nothing on the other side.
Exhaust gaskets - NOTHING, ever, ever, ever.
Rubber gaskets - I usually glue to one surface and use Hylomar on the other.
Rubber O-rings - light smear of vaseline or rubber grease, depending on
the service (brake system parts usually swell in any petroleum-based
compound, and rubber grease ain't petroleum based)
Head gaskets - Hylomar or nothing, unless the gasket has it's own compound
applied (possible with a NA made gasket from FelPro or others). This is a
bit controversial, but in my experience of around 400 engines, from
single-lung motorcycles to Jag's V-12, I have never had a failure and it
has helped when an aluminum head has eroded areas around the coolant
passages and the customer won't or can't get the head surfaced.
So, that's what I think. Have fun with it.
_____________________________________________________________________
Vern Klukas I'm a little teapot
vernk@carver.dataflux.bc.ca or Short and...
ug141@freenet.victoria.bc.ca or
inkspot@carver.dataflux.bc.ca
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