Permatex's Ultra Copper Maximum Temperature RTV 101BR offers the highest temperature rating in the industry: -75F to +700 degrees intermittent. It is three times more oil resistant than any silicone out there. So good, in fact, you can use it on exhaust manifolds. Permatex High-Temp Red RTV 26B silicone sealer has the next highest temperature rating of most silicone sealers, -65F to +650 degrees F intermittent. It delivers outstanding service when used properly. Use High-Temp Red at gasket gaps, such as where oil pan side rail gaskets meet rubber end gaskets. Use it sparingly because, when it oozes out, all you're doing is wasting sealer and it looks unsightly.
When it comes to areas like wet jacket bolt threads and paper gaskets, the old standby--Permatex Form-A-Gasket--tends to be your best friend. You'll recall that wonderful smelling brown stuff from working on your first car. Form-A-Gasket #1 is fast drying and permanent. Form-A-Gasket #2 is slow drying and non-hardening, which makes it possible to disassemble quickly if necessary.
Light-duty gasket applications like valve covers and oil pan side rails can get by with yellow Edelbrock Gasgacinch #9300 in a can. Spread a thin film of this stuff on gasket surfaces for good sealing and adhesion. Gasgacinch holds gaskets firmly in place. It is not a gap sealer, but instead a gasket glue.
4 Engine oil galley plugs...
4 Engine oil galley plugs and cam plugs can be big leakers. Oil galley plugs should get Permatex Form-A-Gasket #2, which is non-hardening and forever pliable. Cam plugs should get The Right Stuff, which works well in the toughest locations. We’ve seen seasoned engine builders use retaining screws and even J-B Weld to keep cam plugs secure and leak free.
5 Rear main seals can be...
5 Rear main seals can be problematic with vintage Ford engines when they aren’t installed properly. Seems every machine shop has its own approach.
6 Ryan Peart from JGM Performance...
6 Ryan Peart from JGM Performance Engineering showed us this trick for installed rear main seals. He uses The Right Stuff between the seal and journal and staggers the seal end gaps so they aren’t aligned with the main cap gaps. Seals must also be generously lubricated with assembly lube because a dry start will damage seals. Once damaged, they will leak.
7 Oil pan end gaskets are...
7 Oil pan end gaskets are difficult because they don’t always fit properly. Most seem to be too long. But actually it’s a matter of gently working the gaskets into place. Do not load these end gaskets with tons of sealer, which will only make the problem worse. A light dressing of sealer between gasket and contact surfaces will do it. Gradually tighten pan bolts in a crisscross fashion.
8 Gaskets need a form of...
8 Gaskets need a form of adhesion so they won’t move. JGM Performance Engineering uses a simple gasket spray on oil pan rail gaskets, allowing it to tack off (get sticky) before positioning the gaskets.
9 The Right Stuff or a good...
9 The Right Stuff or a good Permatex RTV sealer is used where rail gaskets meet rubber end gaskets.
10 Intake manifold end gaskets...
10 Intake manifold end gaskets have fallen from grace over the years because they leak. If you’re going to use manifold end gaskets, use a spray adhesive on both sides along with The Right Stuff in the corners. Use a very light amount of The Right Stuff around cooling passages. When you use too much, you risk blocking passages. If surfaces are pitted, repair them. Do not load them up with excessive amounts of sealer.
11 Marvin McAfee offers us...
11 Marvin McAfee offers us good advice when it comes to freeze plugs. Always use brass freeze plugs, never steel. Marvin uses JB Weld to secure freeze plugs, never sealer. This keeps plugs secure and leak free. Brass freeze plugs will never rot through, especially if you take care of coolant replacement on a regular basis.
12 We’ve run into screw-in...
12 We’ve run into screw-in rocker arm stud coolant leak issues on numerous occasions. JGM Performance Engineering uses a special Teflon sealer along with proper torque settings. Not all types of Teflon sealer perform well in this application. You can also use The Right Stuff or High-Temp silicone on stud threads. Not all cylinder heads have studs that enter the water jacket.
13 Fel-Pro Print-O-Seal head...
13 Fel-Pro Print-O-Seal head gaskets are the best thing going for street engines. Fel-Pro also acknowledges its new Permatorque steel sandwich head gaskets, which require only one torquing and you’re finished. Permatorque head gaskets, as well as other types of steel sandwich head gaskets, call for special head and block milling technique according to Mark Jeffrey at Trans Am Racing. For street applications, Fel-Pro’s Print-O-Seal gaskets work best.
14 Bolt holes and threads...
14 Bolt holes and threads can be sources for leakage. Sparingly use Permatex’s Form-A-Gasket #2 non-hardening on bolt threads to prevent leaks.
15 J-B Weld is a remarkable...
15 J-B Weld is a remarkable two-part epoxy resin, cold-weld compound designed to bond or fill. Use it on pitted iron or aluminum surfaces, then work smooth once it cures. J-B Weld has even been successfully used on cracked blocks and heads by following instructions to the letter. Use J-B Weld to salvage damaged castings. It is waterproof, heat resistant (up to 500-degrees F), chemical tolerant, workable for 30 minutes, and will cure fully in 15-24 hours.