TomP

Just wondering if I should use a sealant on these cork gaskets! My instinct tells me to slop sealer on 'em, but I never worked with cork gaskets yet...

Or should we just screw the cork oil pan gaskets, and lay down a line of blue rtv or ultra-copper instead? Should we also use rtv for the valve cover gaskets? We have the gaskets already; almost seems like a waste not to use them.

This is for my friend's 2.8 we're working on, by the way. Looks like we're finally "set" for Sunday to pull his melted 2.8, and drop the good 2.8 in. If you want to read the last update, it's at this message: https://www.thirdgen.org/messgboard/...ML/001226.html

Thanks!


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-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l) from http://www.f-body.net/mailbag/3rd/3rd_mailbag.html message boards
---Think your car could be pic of the week? Visit http://www.f-body.net for details!

LeeH

iTrader: (2)

I have hated cork gaskets since I started using them in the 70's. No matter if you install `em dry or with sealant, they would start leaking in a few months or a year because the cork dries out.

Nowadays, I just use ultra on the low pressure seals - Rear end access cover, even on a ZZ4 block and a TPI intake, cause the center gaskets don't match up - Felpro even puts a tube of sealer in their intake gasket set for this reason.

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89 Firebird Formula
WS6 package,ZZ4 Crate engine
SLP 58MM TB, Edelbrock TES Headers
Random Tech 3" cat, SLP 3" stainless exhaust
9 bolt rear, Hotchiss swing arms, Lakewood panhard rod
Corvette 2/4 servo, kevlar band, full poly rear.
Centerline 16x8 rims, B.F Goodrich drag radials

greearhr

There is a product called "the right stuff" available at NAPA and maybe other places. It cames in a can like whip cream. It is extremely oil, antifreeze and gas resistant. It is used in O.E.M. applications in place of gaskets. I used it to seal a bad external leak on the oil pan and it saved pulling the pan. You just lay down a bead and assemble. It's not cheap but I will use it in place of a VC gasket next time.

Bear Tracks

Racerwannabe

My favorite way to mount valve covers is to apply Gaska-Cinch to the valve cover and let it set up for about 5 minutes. Then align and stick your gasket to it. Let that set up for another 10 minutes or so. Then I stick my finger in some clean engine oil, rub it around the other side of the gasket, flip it over and drop it on the head. You won't have any leaks and you can remove and replace the valve cover many times without worrying about the gasket.

As for the oil pan I wouldn't even mess with a stock type cork gasket. Get the one piece rubber pan gasket from Fel Pro and install it according to the instructions.

Oh, while you have the oil pan off do yourself a favor and get a $50.00 stamped steel two piece timing cover. I'm about to do a cam swap and sure wish I had one.

Have Fun!

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91 RS/3.1 - Stock except stereo system, daily driver.

86 IROC - Pep Boys 350 longblock, Performer 750 carb, Performer RPM intake, Comp Cams 280 magnum, Hooker 1 5/8" shorties, Flowmaster Y pipe, 3" pipe to Flowmaster 2 chamber Dual outlet, TH 350 performance rebuild w/shift kit, Daco 2600 Stall, 3.42 Gear Moser 12 bolt w/Eaton posi.

TomP

Hm, so nobody wants me to use cork, eh? I think the factory used black rtv for the valve cover gaskets; maybe it was that "right stuff" stuff. I'll just use my blue RTV for it.

The rubber gasket is $26, as opposed to the two-piece "cork rails" and "rubber over-the-crank" gasket we got for $6. I'd rather not put down $20 for a gasket for him, and I don't think he'd want to do that either. Any way around it? Can we just use the rear section, and use blue RTV for the rest?

Well, wait- isn't the rubber one-piece oil pan gasket re-useable? Maybe we can score it off that melted '89 2.8.

(For the 2.8/3.1, GM went to the one-piece rubber gasket in '87. '86-below had the two-piece set. Oh, and there's no such thing as any aftermarket timing chain cover for the 2.8/3.1- all we get is that factory aluminum one... what a pain to scrape clean!)


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-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l) from http://www.f-body.net/mailbag/3rd/3rd_mailbag.html message boards
---Think your car could be pic of the week? Visit http://www.f-body.net for details!

[This message has been edited by TomP (edited March 23, 2001).]

Engineboy

Well Tom, I'm going to say the opposite of everybody else..everybody has their own way, this is what I do.

On the cork valve cover gaskets, I put them on dry, except for a little dab where the heads meet the intake manifold on the block. If you plan on removing them a couple of times, as stated above, use a little gaska-cinch on the valve cover side.

As far as the oil pan, also install dry and use a blob of silicon in the corners on the block at the rear main area and where the timing cover joins the block.

Basically I just use silicon anywhere there is a seam in the gasket or a tight corner that might just need a little extra seal.

This is what works for me.

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ASE Mechanic/Machinist/Smog Tech

1999 NBM Trans Am
1986 Chevy 3/4 ton pick up
1981 corvette
1995 Kawi ZX6R

R.I.P. #3
My favorite quote about D.E. "He can see air"

merf23

I now avoid cork gaskets at all costs, but what i used to do when i was really poor (as opposed to just regular poor now) is soak the gaskets with some WD40. This would cause them to expand slightly and allow them to compress slightly to fill irregular gaps when bolted into place.

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1984 Z28 (L69) monochrome tangerine orange with IROC decals and hood
1987 IROC wheels with Goodyear GSC's
305 from 87 IROC with 1994 LT1 cam (203/208 .450/.460")
performer intake with holley 600 (#1850)
Qjet is in the works
dynomax cat-back
non WC T-5 with 0.73 5th
3.27 nine-bolt