In a message dated 9/3/05 8:07:19 PM, lauterba@BELLSOUTH.NET writes: << Disagree. When I installed crossover tube on new 1.9L long block, fitting in question got a new O-ring as well as plenty of the copper-colored Permatex. >> I see this misinformation on the List so often that I have to wonder just where it came from; it must have rolled down from the Great White North a la the RTV King of Canada. An o-ring seal is not meant to have anything applied to it except some assembly lubricant. Using RTV on an o-ring makes the user look like a dilettante, at best, and, at worst, the RTV can cause a failure of the assembly. The only catastrophic failure I ever experienced in a Vanagon cooling system was whenever the small flanged stub on the rear of the right head of a 2.1L blew out. I found that it had been assembled with a copious amount of RTV in addition to the o-ring. Judging by the amount of the stuff which is sold, this country must be suffering some kind of RTV fetish. While RTV has its place, it is not the cure-all most people think it is. There are better sealants available even for architectural applications, but when a Happy Homeowner walks through the doors a Home Depot, he makes a beeline for the aisle and a half of RTV products. George |
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