"help" oil leak!

[The Big Al]

Originally Posted by JRouche

EXACTLY!!! For anything that I use RTV or silicon on I completely dry both surfaces. I use acetone. Then lay the bead down and set the mating part down as soon as I can. So it hits the wet bead. I dont let it compress the bead much, just a lil squeeze, just to where both surfaces are in compleate contact with the wet bead of RTV. If I need to shim a part cause its so heavy that it will totally compress the bead I used shim sticks to hold up the heavy part. I dont do just engines. Some of the stuff I seal are pretty heavy.

Once the bead of silicon (ok, RTV) is set up I clamp it all down. And when I say set up I like to give it as much time as I can afford. A day, two days, heck, a week if I have the time.

This letting it skim up for one side just doesnt make ANY sense. Why would anyone want the bead to adhere nice and solid with a wet seal on one surface but not want it to be the same on the other surface?? Never made ANY sense to me. Nope, wet bead on both sides.

If you let both surfaces get a good seal on the wet bead, then let the bead stiffen up with time you are creating a solid O ring of sealer.

You wont get any squish out of liquid sealer to contaminate the oiling system and you have a solid connection on BOTH surfaces.

Ive never had a failure doing it like that. Cant rush the silicon gaskets. Do it correctly and they will last a long time.. JR

I have done this (without knowing it) just lay it down and went with it on a intake change on the vehicle. And had best results.

I let my engine in the orange car glaze over and I have just a little ooze. I just tossed it up to high RPM.

I still mark the surfaces on the block and intake with a punch or letter "X"

Al

[JRouche]

Originally Posted by the mechanic

Both ways will work, as will putting the sealer on and bolting manifold down right away...I prefer the slight skin method-ive worked with hundreds of people who did this hundreds of ways-
two things always remain the same, Very clean surfaces and using enough rtv.

Yeah, yer right, get her clean first. Thats prolly the most important part...

Now.... The letting it skin up first??? I REALLY dont get the logic behind that. I understand the concept. If you lay an intake down on wet silicon it will squish it all out, been there, done it, there isnt any support there and no skin to keep the wet silicon from seeping into the working part of the engine.

So is that the only reason to let it skin up?? Cause its not a valid reason IMO. Everyone knows the silicon is gonna be really tight on the lower half cause it was laid down on a super dry surface and the silicon was wet, it grabs like gang busters. So then why wouldnt you want the same contact for the upper piece??? Maybe cause guys dont want to spend the time to shim it up with a few sticks of wood to keep it from completely squishing the sealant out till the sides skinned up??

Dunno, I just know from my uses of silicon that a wet silicon to dry metal surface is almost perfect.

My only advise, and its not good for much LOL Is get the silicon bead when its wet.. Wet is good JR