Gaskets vs. RTV

Is it acceptable to use RTV instead of a gasket? In the Jeep Bible, the guy says use RTV on an oil pan instead of a gasket because its easier. Opinions? I always use black rtv.

 

I have heard of it done, but I generally use both. RTV typically lets you remove the old gasket in one piece, so you can reuse it for a field repair. It also saves the scraping and brushing that's needed to remove other gasket sealers, like shellac or Permatex.

 

I have done it on diff covers, and on engines that it was that way from the factory. wouldnt recomend it other wise. the oil pans that came from the factory that way were die cast alumnium and had a groove made in them for the sealer to get into. i would be worried that you would bend the cover next time you have to remove it. what has worked well for me is on oil pans, gasket with rtv on both sides. valve covers and the like rtv on valve cover then gasket, nothing on the engine side(dry).

 

I'm a gasket man.
I'll use sealant to supplement the gaskets.

 

Gasket, with a little rtv on each side

 

I don't use sealant on oil pans or valve covers. My dad and grandfather taught me years ago to coat the gasket on both sides with wheel bearing grease, reusable and seals fine. So long as your PCV or crankcase breather is working there should be no pressure to blow them out.

 

This is what I do.

But I'm going to try this next.

 

After spending some time scrapping and whittling old gaskets off of parts this sounds like a plan. Hmmmm, I'm in!

 

I have used a thin coat of oil on the head surface for rubber valve cover gaskets. And RTV to seal the gasket to the valve cover. Seems to work fine.

 

I'll have to tell my dad to do that on his truck. The 351 Cleveland practically dumps oil out the cheap chrome valve covers, he can't get them to sell. I told the old man to just use some RTV with no gasket since the covers never have to come off, but he told me it would never work. Can't teach and old dog new tricks I guess.

 

never use anything a white marine grease works great

 

I use wheel bearing grease as well. I also use it as an emergency back up seal in case my tractors pto takes a hit out in field while running my brush mowers. Trick I learned from the farmers round here.

 

I was taught (GM Tech School)that dry is the best for cork gaskets with a little RTV only going where a rubber seal meets the cork, like on the oil pan gasket
.
Paper style gaskets get a thin coat of high-tack on both sides.

I only do "RTV only" on items that have their surfaces engineered for "RTV only" like certain trans pans or valve covers.

If the surfaces are clean and straight, and you only torque to the book spec, you shouldn't need to put RTV on either side of a gasket.

 

All depends on application. In some applications like manual transmissions you need the gasket as it helps set clearances. Some you don't.
For auto tranny's that use a paper gasket on the pan I use the grease trick also taught me by Dad (30 year tech). Mostly because I don't want the sealer getting inside the tranny and it makes the gasket much easier to remove down the road during the next service. On other applications like 18 and 20 transfer cases that have rough machined surfaces I use a gasket with a VERY THIN coat of Ultra black, Ultra grey, or "the right stuff" on both sides of the gasket because that helps fill in the small gaps from the machining but the gasket takes up the imperfections of the pan (warpage, etc.) and gives some "squish" when tightened down. I also put some sealer on the threads of the bolts. Works very well for me.