Use RTV or not to use RTV

[Grayle]

My timing chain cover started leaking coolant last night and was wondering If I should use rtv sealant? My brother is a tech at a ford dealer and he says that he "never uses that stuff". "Thats what gaskets are for." So should I use it around the gasket on the chain cover and on the two gaskets on the water pump or not? Thanks.

 

[Max Power]

I don't use it except to hold gaskets in place during assembly. Also, when doing a cam or chain, I use it to seal the corner where thos little pan gaskets meet the cover.

 

[Ronstang]

I hate RTV with a passion....it is the Chevy answer-all but that is a different story. The only place I will use it is for the end seals on the intake. Clean your timing cover really well and sand it flat on a whole piece of sandpaper to get it flat and smooth and then use the gasket and your sealer of choice....but not RTV. It beads up on the inside (because most use to much) and sometimes breaks off and finds its way into the oiling system....a glob plugged up a port once on a friend's car and we lost the whole valvetrain.

 

[LanceMach]

My Brother-in-law is also a Ford Tech and he hates the stuff too! I always follow his advice: make sure both surfaces are clean and just use the gasket. There are times where he'll use some type of sealer, but never RTV.

 

[jikelly]

I usually use the RTV to hold the gaskets in place since it fills inperfections and helps the gaskets stick. There are places on the block that require the use of RTV, like the intake, oil pan, water pump, and some bolts. The times when I listened to my friend who "Hates that stuff" and just used the gaskets during an engine assymbly; I got to pull the engine apart later to fix all the leaks. Hey they make the stuff for a reason.

 

[Clark]

I think you read earlier the reason for "Hating the stuff" is because most people do not know how to use it. I personally use it on almost all my gaskets, some good reasons were also mentioned, it holds the gasket in place and will help the gasket seal. If you want to use it with gaskets the key is to make it thin, not just a bead, but thinnnnnn! by using a tonque depresser or a moist finger and spread it out. I have never had to go back and fix a leak yet.

Oh yea, I forgot the most important part, if you ever want to remove one of these parts the gaskets com e off clean without all that scraping!

 

[1320stang]

A buddy of mine is a former Mopar mechanic. He was helping me with something and I pulled out a new tube of Permatex, he told me to put it away and got out a tube of Mopar black RTV. He said the stuff works WAY better than anything you can buy in a parts store. Anyway, where I go to buy it, the same owner owns a Ford and Chrysler dealership right next to each other, the Ford techs are always coming over and getting the Mopar RTV from the Chrysler Techs. The stuff works great, it doesn't feel as "siliconey" as the stuff you get in the parts store. It drys a little firmer, yet is still pliable. I've been using it ever since and have NEVER had a problem with it.