Putting new gaskets on a 292 y block

I have cleaned and painted the whole motor and now I am putting all new gaskets besides head gaskets. Which gaskets will need r.t.v ?

 

Valley pan and oil pan for sure. Damned valley pans are a leak waiting to happen but I still love the sound and torque. Good luck MIKE

 

Are you sure? The valley pan is cork.

 

I thought for cork you dont apply anything else? I can be wrong?

 

There was no such thing as RTV in 1956.

To my mind it has become a crutch for lazy people...just slather some more on instead of correcting bent pans surfaces etc. Yeah I use it very sparingly for some gasket joints where they meet but the proper gasket does not need "blue goo". I use weather stripping cement to hold the gasket in place during installation but never any RTV on a gasket as a back up. The gasket is the seal.

The first RTV was blue and the half***ed mechanics would have that **** oozing out of every joint on an engine. I learned to hate it so I am biased. It has it's place but added on top of gaskets is not one of them. We were able so seal up joints long before it was ever invented. JMHO

It's a god send for SBC intakes but in that case, it eliminates the end gaskets all together and is not added on top of the gasket. Thank the lord they now make it in black.

 

Back in the day we never had RTV. we also hardly ever got 100,000 miles on a engine. RTV has made it possible to have a small block chevy with stock valve covers that didnt leak. When it first came out there was a magazine article where the ***embled a engine without any gaskets except head & intake gaskets and front & rear main seals. I did a GMC 305 V6 the same way. I like to use it. I apply a coat on both sides of cork gaskets then I ***emble the parts and just start the fasteners. I wait 24 hours before final tightening. Why apply it if your gonna just squeeze it out. Its not any good where gasoline is present. Gas is a good solvent for removing it. I once bought had a 100,000 mile 65 352 -4 bbl ford galaxy500 the PCV was completly plugged . It was blowing oil out the filler cap in the valve cover. so the guy put on a non vented cap.The pressure blew out the cork gasket at the back of the intake. Some garage told him the rear main seal was out. Told him the engine was shot. That it probably wouldnt even be a acceptable core to rebuild. So I got it cheap. I cleaned the PCV and installed the proper oil filler cap. I sprayed the Back of the intake with starting fluid and cleaned the gap out using Qtip,s. I Got it really clean. I crammed it full of Blue Silicone. It Never leaked again. OldWolf

 

I would have to say I agree 100% with Tommy. I use RTV but very little of it, just where gaskets meet and on the end of intakes that cover the valley. (sbc, sbf, FEs ect) As for the valley cover on the Y most of them have been over tightened in the past 50+ years and get warped. Set it on a flat surface and see what it looks like then try to adjust it to sit flat. When you go to tighten it be gentle with it, don't "crank it down. Do the same with the oil pan. If you want to know what I like for sealer it white grease, NEVER USE IT AS AN ***EMBLY LUBE, put a nice even coat on all the gaskets and don't over tighten. Gasgacinch is another one I like when you want the gasket to stick, use it like contact cement. I like the girl on the lable too.

 

I agree with tommy but be aware that the cork we get today in gasket sets is not of the same quality and a tip on the Y is don't put the first and last head bolt under the valve covers any place else or you will be replacing the blown head gaskets the next day since there 3 threads longer.

 

RTV is not traditional gasket sealer >>>>.

 

2X RTV is to fill voids, not to be used on gaskets. GMSC, General Motors Sealing Compound, it looks like Mississippi mud, has been used on all GM gaskets since the late 60's. It remains pliable and cleans off easily. The valley pan cork gasket needs to be glued (yellow glue) to the pan and then use sealer on the other side or it will walk. Inside of the large diameter valve cover seals, I use wiper motor insulators that are cut in half. They seal better.
I have looked at a number of engines that were damagd from RTV plugging up the oil pickup screen. What flows out when used on a gasket, also flows into the engine.......

 

So what about the water pump,timing cover and oil pump seal? They seAl themselves too?

 

USe the sealant called " the right stuff ". It is black and seals much better than the goo you may be speaking of. I only use it where the gaskets meet each other, and the valve cover to gasket side ( not to the block! ) so the gasket stays on the vavle cover. Especially rec this on the Y block. I was always in there checkin on things makin sure lash was right and I had oil flow in the correct areas.

 

The gasket is the seal. That's what it is there for. No need for anything else. I use 3M weather stripping cement ("Gorilla snot") to hold the gasket in place while it's being installed. (they now make it in black also so the yellow does not show.) It doesn't seal anything it merely holds the gasket in place. The gasket compresses and takes up any unevenness. On tin covers like valve covers, oil pans and some timing chain covers use a straight edge to check to make sure it is flat. If it is not flat anymore from over tightening, use a small hammer to knock down the high spots until it is flat then glue the gasket in place and install it. I like to use the edge of a metal work bench to support the flange and then tap the high spots back flat.

 

Sorry if I seem like a bother but I dont know much bout motors. I just want to get this right. Since im not replacing the headgaskets just the valley pan,timing cover,water pump,oil pump and oil pan gaskets. Any sealent or rtv is just used to keep the parts in place while installing just to make it easier right?

 

I like Permatex Hi-Tack >>>>.

 

Also how does the seal go in that is in the middle of the timing cover for the crank. Also does it need to be pressed in?

 

x2! that stuff rules,resists gasoline too

 

So you just put a few dabs of this on the gaskets to keep them in place before ***emly? Where can I get it? Also does it come in black so it blends with the motor

 

It is a contact cement that needs to be on both surfaces. You can put it on the gasket or on the part. I run a small bead down the center, apply the gasket, push the gasket around to spread it around. Pull the gasket up to let it dry just a tad. When it starts to get tacky, put it back on and drop the bolts into the holes of the part to keep the the gasket holes aligned with the holes in the part. I usually do this first so that it will set up while I s****e the block or the head. When the bock is clean the gasket will be set enough to hold it's place. Remove the bolts and install the part.

 

Thanks tommy! I will go ahead and put som on the block then put the seals on then a little more on the parts. Just to keep them in place. Just for the intake,water pump,timing cover,oil pand and I think thats it.

 

Yip the valley pan is a ***** of a thing to seal, I ended up tossing the pressed tin pan and going for a more rigid finned Moon one, cork gasket and a little high temp RTV and I havent had a leak since and its coming up 3 years.

 

I would but I have to stick with the og obe since I have my pcv system all set up for it.

 

im at pep boys and found the 3m "black weatherstrip adhesive" in a tube. Is that it?

 

nope. If your looking for RTV at the parts store get Ultra Seal Permatex. Although I would still use High-Tack >>>>.

 

Yes that is what I use as a cement to glue the gasket to the part. It is not a silicone and doesn't do any sealing. It merely holds the gasket in place...the gasket does the sealing. The adhesive keeps the holes aligned so that you are not fighting to get that last bolt started because the gasket slipped. Very helpful on the timing chain covers with a bunch of bolts....rear end third members also.

Back in the 50s (P.S...pre-silicone) there were several glues used for this purpose. A gl*** bottle with a wool applicator attached to the inside of the screw on cap. One had an American Indian with a full chief feathered head dress as a logo. I'd like to find an old dried up bottle of that just for decoration and the memories.



It looks like they still make it but the 50s bottle were better looking.

You may get a lot of opinions on what to use. 3M weatherstripping cement was made to glue rubber door gaskets to the body or door. It was yellow then. We called it Gorilla snot. Somebody used it on engine gaskets and it became a staple in the garage. It became so popular that they changed the color to black for the people that care about the looks. A regular mechanic doesn't care about any yellow showing at the seam. A hotrodder does. Everyone will use a system that they grew up with and has been successful with. I've outlined my system.



I prefer the cork valve cover gaskets to the "reusable" neoprene ones. I use the 3M stuff to glue them to the VC and then apply some Vaseline to the surface that mates to the head. The Vaseline helps to prevent the cork from sticking to the head and can often be reused with out a new gasket. These are the extra thick cork gaskets. I like the look of the cork showing between the VC and the head. Just my quirk. Cork gaskets look "old timey" to my eye.

 

I agree with you Tommy. These threads confuse me >>>>.

 

Thanks a bunch tommy, that helped alot! The tube i found id in a clear package and is a 1oz tube. I hope its what you are talking about

 

I always got the big tube but unless you do a lot of engine work it would probably dry up and be useless when you need it the next time. They are only good for a year or so.

 

Do you by chance have a picture of one? Haha

 

here you go >>>>.