Date: Thu, 25 Jan 2007 06:22:27 EST
Reply-To: RAlanen@AOL.COM
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Frank Condelli <RAlanen@AOL.COM>
Subject: Re: Head sealants??
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
In a message dated 25/01/2007 12:05:50 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,
LISTSERV@GERRY.VANAGON.COM writes:
So I'm (hopefully) a day or 2 away from reassemling the heads on my '88.
after reading every relevant message in the archives about this, I've decided
on the Permatex Ultra Copper RTV sealant for the head gaskets and not the
Dirko stuff that comes with the busdepot engine seal kit. What I'm still in the
air about is sealing all the other stuff. benplace.com (thanks so much for
that page Ben) says to use loctite 518 on the pushrod tube seals and the black
cylinder O rings, but I've searched every FLAPS and hardware store in the city
and nobody has this stuff. I'm also wondering if I should be putting
something on the case-end threads of the new head studs I'm installing as well.
would the yellow stuff that came in the kit work?
I guess what I'm wondering is, would it be a really bad no-no to use the
Permatex copper stuff on everything I just mentioned, or should I wait and get
the said and tested stuff online somewhere?
Elliot, the Ultra Copper is good. Loctite's "The Right Stuff" is BETTER.
I'm now using it exclusively. For the push rod tube seals, no sealant needed
as long as the tubes have been elongated slightly and have good tension when
installing. I use the yellow sealant that comes in all the gasket sets to
seal the cap bolts & washers on the studs where needed. It works well. The
RTV sealant is not the correct sealant for this application. I also coat all
studs & threadeded connectors with anti-seize but you must be careful to
keep it off the surfaces where the yellow sealant needs to be. All sealant
surfaces must be flat & absolutely clean, I use lacquer thinner and blow dry
method. Surface of the heads where the head gaskets seal should be roughed up
with 120 grit sandpaper, this gives the sealant something to bite into and
hold. I use an orbital sander to accomplish this task.
Cheers,
Frank Condelli
Almonte, Ontario, Canada
'87 Westy, '90 Carat, '87 Wolfsburg (Forsale) & Lionel Trains (_Collection
for sale_ (http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/trainsal.htm) )
Vanagon/Vanagon Westfalia Service in the Ottawa Valley
_Frank Condelli & Associates_ (http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/busindex.html)
_Vanagon Stainless Steel Exhaust Systems_
(http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/stebro.htm)
_BusFusion_ (http://members.aol.com/BusFusion/bfhome.htm) a VW Camper
camping event, Almonte, ON, June 07 ~ 10, 2007
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