Sealants.

[Dougal]

I'm looking for input on sealant types for engine assembly. Surfaces include cast iron, steel and aluminium.
In the past I've used Loctite Master Gasket and permatex instant gasket, but I'm looking to see what else is around. My Nissan engines were factory assembled with a grey silicone type sealant, but I have no idea what they might be.

Orange RTV is readily available, it looks awful.
Black RTV is readily availalbe, looks a little less awful.
Clear silicone has been suggested, that would be a good choice for a bathroom, no way am I putting it in an engine.

Anyone got a recommendation for me?

[PhilipA]

For the sump, Permatex The Right Stuff is the recommended sealant by LR. Expensive but good. I have also used it in several other places touched by oil such as the end seals of the valley gasket.
Hylomar is recommended by LR for other gaskets and I use spray Hylomar on the valley gasket to head and manifold and timing case , and water pump gasket.
I use Permatex Gold on the exhaust manifold to heads without gaskets . So far about 15Kk with no leaks.

PS, I have found Permatex Black to go too hard on the end seals and become brittle.
Regards Philip A

[Dougal]

This one: http://www.permatex.com/products/automotive/automotive_gasketing/gasket_makers/auto_Permatex_the_Right_Stuff_Gasket_Maker.htm

[PSI250]

i use this most of the time, well mainly because i get it for free...
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/11/614.jpg

[Dougal]

Found that one: Permatex Ultra Grey RTV Silicone Gasket Maker - Rigid High Torque, 99G - Supercheap Auto New Zealand (http://www.supercheapauto.co.nz/online-store/products/Permatex-Ultra-Grey-RTV-Silicone-Gasket-Maker-Rigid-High-Torque-99G.aspx?pid=5359#Description)

How about this one: Grey RTV Gasket Sensor Safe - Gasketing & Jointing - CRC NZ - leader in specialty chemicals and adhesives for the maintenance and repair professional (http://www.crc.co.nz/Automotive-Automotive-Specialty-Products-Gasketing--Jointing/p1/Grey-RTV-Gasket-Sensor-Safe-i6a5653d3-43c2-4121-b90e-b5b2af02ebad-6786.htm)

Competing brands, similar product?

[grant medwin]

loctite 510 is what we use its great on everything , excess wipes off easy. I biuld caterpillar underground mining loaders and use it all the time.

[Blknight.aus]

all good stuff..

I also use loctite #3, aka permatex, aka hylomar, aka aviation form a gasket, aka.....

[uninformed]

Generally there isn't 1 product that will do it all and at best practice. Just pick a known brand like loctite or permatex, that is convenient to you, go through their product guide and use what is best suited to the application. The colours are not there for looks, but to identify the product type within a given brand. I'd pick performance over colour every time. Sticking to one brand will prevent confusion, as competing brands have same colour with different specifications. Also you may choose to stick with one type of sealant ie anerobic etc

[CraigE]

Three bond make a great range of sealants. The downside is it is a bit exy. Best I have used though. Beats Permatex, Loctite and all of the other RTVs hands down.
It is used widely in the bike industry.

[justinc]

Wurth 250 comes in grey, white and black. We use it for everything; sumps, transmission cases, exhaust manifolds to head, engine housings to block, etc etc etc.
Expensive but can't fault it, so far has never failed to do its job..

JC

[uninformed]

Wurth has an extremely good reputation and is used in many European oem applications

[rovercare]

Another vote for 3bond

[Davo]

I've used Loctite 515 for about 15 years and it's pretty good and a plus is that I can actually buy it up here. Recently I've started using Hylomar Blue as it's good with oils and disassembles easily - but had a huge problem when coolant leaked out of a V8 timing cover. I got in touch with Hylomar and they admitted that it isn't really meant for coolant. (It would have been nice to put that on the tube, then.) Hylomar silicone did the job for that when I reassembled it. Apparently silicones are the best for coolant.

[Dougal]

Generally there isn't 1 product that will do it all and at best practice. Just pick a known brand like loctite or permatex, that is convenient to you, go through their product guide and use what is best suited to the application. The colours are not there for looks, but to identify the product type within a given brand. I'd pick performance over colour every time. Sticking to one brand will prevent confusion, as competing brands have same colour with different specifications. Also you may choose to stick with one type of sealant ie anerobic etc

Indeed, but there is an interesting trend with the grey sealants mentioned so far. Permatex, CRC and whatever Nissan use. All of them harden a lot more than your average RTV silicone. The nissan stuff is cured close to bitumen in hardness. Which is probably what I need.

[uninformed]

Indeed, but there is an interesting trend with the grey sealants mentioned so far. Permatex, CRC and whatever Nissan use. All of them harden a lot more than your average RTV silicone. The nissan stuff is cured close to bitumen in hardness. Which is probably what I need.

http://www.permatex.com/products/Automotive/automotive_gasketing/gasket_makers/auto_Permatex_Ultra_Grey_Rigid_High-Torque_RTV_Silicone_Gasket_Maker.htm

the key words here are "maximum vibration resistance"......can anyone say Isuzu. When I looked at using either the blue or black in permatex, for my lt230 sump, I found the black to have a slightly higher oil resistance and a faster curing time, so thats what i went for. But in Loctite, there are different differences between their blue and black. So I still stand by my previous post.

[Fluids]

x3 for 3Bond.

We get it thru Honda at dealer prices .... it's good stuff !

[Sprint]

my 3 favourite sealants, in no particular order

Holden Head Stud Sealer - anywhere where a bolt/stud goes into a water gallery
Three-Bond grey - Holden part number M40510 - use anywhere where you would use a silicone type liquid gasket, around $45 for a 250g tube, exxy but more than twice the size of a regular tube
Permatex - anywhere where you would use a normal gasket in addition to the gasket

[rick130]

I've used Loctite 515 for about 15 years and it's pretty good and a plus is that I can actually buy it up here. Recently I've started using Hylomar Blue as it's good with oils and disassembles easily - but had a huge problem when coolant leaked out of a V8 timing cover. I got in touch with Hylomar and they admitted that it isn't really meant for coolant. (It would have been nice to put that on the tube, then.) Hylomar silicone did the job for that when I reassembled it. Apparently silicones are the best for coolant.

Ditto re Loctite anaerobic sealants although I usually use 518 or 510 as Davo does.

I also fekked up using spray on Hylomar on my 300Tdi P gasket.
I thought the 518 might be too rigid between the cast iron and aluminium castings.

I love Hylomar spray for oil but won't make the coolant mistake again either.
I thought it might be the 2-HEA used in some OAT coolants (Caltex) as they soften some elastomer's.
Maybe it's just not suitable for coolants, full stop.

[uninformed]

my 3 favourite sealants, in no particular order..........................Permatex - anywhere where you would use a normal gasket in addition to the gasket

As you know, Permatex is a brand, with many different types of sealants for different aplications...And If you mean RTV silicons, then why include the gasket? to me it is just 2 more surfaces that could fail.

IMO paper (of any kind, thickness) should only be used on flat surfaces. Ive seen thicker paper type provided with alloy surfaces with a ridge. This is a potential area of faliure due to the ridge cutting the gasket. I have thrown the gasket and just used Permatex ultra Black.

[justinc]

my 3 favourite sealants, in no particular order

Holden Head Stud Sealer - anywhere where a bolt/stud goes into a water gallery
Three-Bond grey - Holden part number M40510 - use anywhere where you would use a silicone type liquid gasket, around $45 for a 250g tube, exxy but more than twice the size of a regular tube
Permatex - anywhere where you would use a normal gasket in addition to the gasket

i've losted many many brain cells to this stufff over the years:eek:

JC

[Sprint]

As you know, Permatex is a brand, with many different types of sealants for different aplications...And If you mean RTV silicons, then why include the gasket? to me it is just 2 more surfaces that could fail.

IMO paper (of any kind, thickness) should only be used on flat surfaces. Ive seen thicker paper type provided with alloy surfaces with a ridge. This is a potential area of faliure due to the ridge cutting the gasket. I have thrown the gasket and just used Permatex ultra Black.

To be precise, Permatex #3 non hardening sealant

i've losted many many brain cells to this stufff over the years:eek:

JC

wonderful stuff, isnt it!

[It'sNotWorthComplaining!]

i use this most of the time, well mainly because i get it for free...
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/11/614.jpg
I've used it too and never has a problem and matches the colour of alloy, less noticable than other colours

[specwarop]

I have used Loctite 515 before, and it leaked.
I have used 3BOND 1104 on my motorbikes in the past, and it has worked well, thinking it might also work nicely on the Rover. What other variants of 3Bond has everyone used on their cars?

[Blknight.aus]

if your using the gaskets XXX #3 non hardening sealant on both sides is the go.

if your not..

permatex RTV red, blue or grey applied correctly is about the best bet, the loctite versions of it are better and 3M is getting in on the game and their products while obscure arent to bad if you get them,'