Timing Cover Rope Seal Revisited; Head and Pan Gasket Sealants

Posted by Gordon Biggar on March 15, 1998 at 18:45:24

Many thanks to those of you who have corroborated with me concerning the installation of the timing cover seal.
My final solution -- which worked (finally!) -- was a variant of the socket method for compressing the seal.I took a washer that was 5/16ths of an inch in thickness and 1.75 inches in diameter.(It was originally an AMC cam bearing spacer.) A few good whacks with a brass hammer were sufficient enough to compress the seal so that with the (gentle) use of a long-handled screwdriver I was able to position the cover for bolting.
I suppose that the thick washer was able to deliver a concentrated amount of compression that a socket was unable to accomplish.A frustrating exercise, nonetheless.
I also learned that all rope gaskets are not necessarily one-half inch in diameter.I had access to a number of them, which I miced (miked?), and found a variation of some .060".The one I used was also nearly .030" thinner in diameter than the one I started with. Every bit of clearance helps!
In reference to the oil pan gasket, is Permatex a more efficient compound to employ than RTV sealant, or doesn't it make any difference?
In reference to the head gasket, I have received just about all the advice that must exist on the subject!One says soak it in water overnight; another says to apply it to the block without using any gasket sealant whatseoever, etc., etc.Do y'all care to offer some advice on this one.Your previous thoughts have been outstanding to date.I might even get this animal back on the road by Easter...
I also have a write-up on this endeavor with black-and-white graphics for those of you who expressed an interest (I've already lost one address).(DJ's is in the mail, and South African coinage of the realm is not recognized in Texas, so your's is a freebee, too...)
Thanks for all of the ongoing help.It's really made a difference.
Gordon Biggar
Houston, Texas

Follow Ups:
Re: Timing Cover Rope Seal Revisited; Head and Pan Gasket Sealants DJ.Voyce March 17, 1998 at 00:23:39(0)
Pan Gasket Sealants Glen Weilbaker March 16, 1998 at 08:47:45(0)
Re: Headgaskets Joe March 16, 1998 at 07:58:20(0)

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