valve cover gaskets sealant?

[lolo22]

I just got my valve cover gaskets in the mail today, im heading to autozone in the morning to pick up sealant, which one do i use red, black, and what do i seal with the sealant just the half moons, on the diy it doesnt mention to use sealant but from what i read its best too.

[Slow4]

I just got my valve cover gaskets in the mail today, im heading to autozone in the morning to pick up sealant, which one do i use red, black, and what do i seal with the sealant just the half moons, on the diy it doesnt mention to use sealant but from what i read its best too.

Do NOT put RTV sealant on your VCGs; your VCGs will expand and contract with the heat/cold....

EDiT:

Use the sealant that is supplied with VCGs (JHM sells it extra I believe)

[spyder101]

I just got my valve cover gaskets in the mail today, im heading to autozone in the morning to pick up sealant, which one do i use red, black, and what do i seal with the sealant just the half moons, on the diy it doesnt mention to use sealant but from what i read its best too.

Use this between the cylinder head and gasket, on the corners only. just a dab

[SpoolBus]

YES..use permatex "the right stuff" euro blend a bead around the entire gasket.
I've done this multiple times with leaks until I used it (friend recommended)

Wonder why they leak from the factory with no sealant, humm..no brainer sealant had been used on 99% of VC's for generations.

Tell ya what, do it without and once it leaks again use the sealant and let us know what you think.

[audi49]

Like above comment I put black permatex sealant at the half moons as instructed in manuals and a very thin layer all the way around. So far great after 2 years.

[lolo22]

Oh boy mixed opions lol. I guess it works either way. While im here will over torqueing the valley pan cause leaks. I dont know were my oil leak is coming from i figured valve gaskets or the vally pan gasket which i replaced 5 months ago while replacing oil jets, maybe i over tighted something.

[viridia]

Like above comment I put a black permatex sealant at the half moons as s

I use Permatex Black for everything. It's good stuff.

[luvsspeed]

Well I've had one dealer use sealant and had zero issues. I had another dealer not use sealant and had issues from day one.

[jr1415us]

Next time I do the VCGs I'm springing for some hylomar sealant instead of RTV.

[lolo22]

https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/s...YK-Xn&usqp=CAY
This kind?

[SpoolBus]

https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/s...YK-Xn&usqp=CAY
This kind?

No, this kind (get the grey- its for euro cars where bolts are closer, more pressure) Also doesn't F' up your O2's and can be driven immediately (no cure time)

http://www.permatex.com/products/our...he-right-stuff

[lolo22]

No, this kind (get the grey- its for euro cars where bolts are closer, more pressure) Also doesn't F' up your O2's and can be driven immediately (no cure time)

http://www.permatex.com/products/our...he-right-stuff

Cool thanks, do you run a small bead on the whole gasket including the coil pack holes and half moons

[2004B6S4]

the Audi service manual says to install without sealant. Obviously from this thread it seems like they have a high failure rate (which seems weird to me, I tend to trust the highly paid german engineers who spent a lot of time on these designs) when installed that way so it can't hurt to use the sealant. I think mine are actually leaking a little from the rear half moons and I installed them dry. The previous owner had installed lots of sealant which was a huge pain to clean off, if I was to do it again I would not seal all the way around I'd only seal the half moons and corners

Oh boy mixed opions lol. I guess it works either way. While im here will over torqueing the valley pan cause leaks. I dont know were my oil leak is coming from i figured valve gaskets or the vally pan gasket which i replaced 5 months ago while replacing oil jets, maybe i over tighted something.

you can definitely cause a leak by improperly torquing bolts. I'd recommend cleaning off the front of the engine real well (not easy even in service position I know from experience, but maybe you can use tools or a steamcleaner to get it done real well) and then watch. if the front gets oily again it would have to be valley pan or oil cooler o-rings, or front main seal. if you didn't replace the o-rings it's likely that, but if you didn't use a torque wrench on the valley pan then it's probably just as likely

[SpoolBus]

Cool thanks, do you run a small bead on the whole gasket including the coil pack holes and half moons

Those "high paid german engineers" as stated above is why 99% of the VC's leak. I've owned a pile of cars and only had VC's leak when sealant wasn't used. They were trying to save time & $.

Run a bead around the half moons, then a thin layer on the heads (rubb with you finger). It's a messy process but you only want to do it once.
No need to put any in the groove of the VC it's self as the lip is deep enough to seal (it's the smooth head, small surface area with small ribs on the gasket that just can't hold)

Also worth mentioning is the metal VC'a are exposed to so much heat for so many years I guarantee they are not true and no matter how much you torque down "properly" it's gonna leak again (might be why they went to plastic ;)

[audi49]

Maybe those 'high paid German engineers' should talk to the 'probably high paid Japanese engineers' to figure out why Honda valve cover gaskets don't leak. (Never had a leaking valve cover gasket on either of my two Hondas i've owned.

Like SpoolBus wrote, you only need a very thin layer around the whole perimeter to help.

[spyder101]

NO! Be on the safe side and use the OEM sealant. Use a small dab ONLY, ONLY, ONLY, on the corners of the valve cover gaskets gaskets, no where else!!!! This is as per Audi repair manual and 14 years of working on them, trust me on this.

[discoverdeath]

Going to say the same, just a dab. I also come from working on these cars for years, and believe it or not there is such a thing as TOO much sealant. The update to the black stuff is by loctite.... 5790 I think.

[SpoolBus]

I say just for laughs, don't use any but you have to update this thread when you do it a second time so some lessons can be learned

Plus I'm not sure why anyone wouldn't want the extra protection, in no way is (or could it be) a bad thing unless you globbed it on. Use a thin layer as stated and your good.

You could have sex without a condom (as our manufacturer states) but I'd rather have a seal, for piece of mind

[audi49]

You could have sex without a condom (as our manufacturer states) but I'd rather have a seal, for piece of mind

But in that case please do NOT use permatex.

[httuner]

I use the high temp rtv red sealant and it's holding up! 30k miles now and no leaks, I only did it for the half moon seals. You don't need that fancy euro stuff. You just need to do it right!

A very light small amount on the flat part of the half moon seals. It'll hold just fine as it has held for me.

[httuner]

The best stuff ever made and this is from 10 years of working with cars, is Hondabond!

It'll stick to anything, even if you got a bit of oil on the surface. Plus it drys in just 30 minutes to an hour and it holds forever, easy to clean when you need it off. Hondas got it right.