what is the best gasket sealant (at any price) for timing cover, oil pan, valve covers? Does anyone ever use gasket sealant between the heads and intake?

I'm looking forward to the responses on this one...I'm about to order my gaskets for oil pan, valve covers and intake and was wondering the best way to seal.

Hylomar, bar none

http://www.hylomar.com/
http://www.hylomar.com/distributors.shtml

rick, is that stuff similar to the brown gooey permatex non setting gasket sealer? i use that on thin paper gaskets like timing covers, fuel pumps, diff covers, and i have never had a leak with it. i even, for the hell of it, tried it on the $4 craptacular mr gasket header gaskets to see what it would do. still good 7 months later, they usually blow out on me in less than a week.

hylomar

I'd have to say no. The reason is the brown gooey stuff and hylomar have a different feel, thickness, density out of the tube. Also you'd have to see how the hylomar pulls apart when sandwiched between two parts to really see how cool the stuff is. Somewhere in the website is a picture of it, their blue sealer.

If you are EVER at a big trade show and they have a booth AND the guy is from England stop by and discuss sealants. He will know exactly what the chemical makeup is of any sealant out there, tell you what they do and what is the best product for your application. I have never called the tech line in the UK but if you really wanted to know what the brown stuff and how it compares to Hylomar they will know. If they don't I'll pay you quadruple the phone bill cost.

Also, if the guy from England is in the booth ask him if he has any pics left in his computer of the French girls on the boat. They are well worth looking at.

Whoa, that Hylomar is EXPENSIVE! http://www.hylomar-usa.com/_resources/_html/order.html

Ordering direct from Hylomar is not going to net you the best price. As with any good company they will not do an end around their distributors. Much cheaper going through a WD supplier which are all listed on the link.

Your right...found it via distributor for $12 vs $25+

It's good stuff, well worth the 12 bucks. No need to go overboard with it either. A little dab a do ya!

Thanks for the replies. I have used the brown gooey permatex and the black silicone permatex and had OK results. The reason I like to have my engine painted chevy orange is so that I can see if anything is leaking anywhere.

I use none other than good old Permatex, "Indianhead Shellac Gasket Cement" in the little brown plastic shoe polish dauber bottle..

Great stuff on most anything, BUT it is messy and hard to clean up at next rework time!!

Been using it for more years than I care to think about..

pdq67

PS., He, He!! Headgaskets included at one time!!!!!!!!!!!

I use Copper kote in the can with show polish type dauber made to the lid on all non rubber gaskets.

Works great on oil pans, timing covers, fuel pump, intake side gaskets, etc.

Then I just use blue RTV on the front and rear main seals, corners of oil pan, along with laying a bead of it down for the front and rear intake end seals.

I don't use any sealer on my valve cover gaskets. If the heads and valve covers are clean and VC's sealing lip not bent it won't leak.

If you do want to use it on the VC's I reccommed that you only put it on the top side of gasket so gaskets glue to valve covers. That away if you have to pull of the VC's later it don't be glued down to head so it will come right up with ripping and you can then reuse the gaskets.