To Rtv Or Not Rtv

[mikestang63]

Curious as to what everyone's opinion is regarding intake gaskets and RTV.

Do you put

• No RTV on the head to secure the intake gasket
• RTV on the head to secure the intake gasket
  
• No RTV around the water part
• RTV around the water port on the head
• RTV around the water port on the head and also around the water port on the intake gasket
• RTV around the water ports and intake ports on the head

Again, just curious as everyone has there own methods. I'm old school andfor the last 30+ years have always put a very light smear of RTV around the water ports with no problems. Let's not turn this into a who's right and who'd wrong.

 

[Boosted92LX]

Rtv on water ports and ends on the block.

 

[Mustang5L5]

RTV on ends of block, around water ports and I use the cork gaskets. I also use two studs wit hthe heads cut off to guide the lower intake down onto the block. makes it so much easier.

 

[CarMichael Angelo]

What are you talking about? My gaskets are RTV.

 

[v8stang289]

I usually rub a thin coat of rtv around the water ports, I try to work it in to the surface of the gasket. For the china rails I like the silicone gaskets that felpro has over the cork ones or rtv.

I know one engine builder with 40 yrs experience that glues the intake gaskets to the head with yellow weatherstrip adhesive. It works really well and they dont move, but teardown sucks if you have to go back in one.

 

[CarMichael Angelo]

What is a China rail, and when did that reference start?

 

[v8stang289]

The rails along the front and rear of the engines valley. Don't know when it started. I've always heard them referenced as china rails/walls. I guess in reference to their visual similarity to the great wall of china?

 

[RangerJoe]

I have read that reference several times here lately.

Joe

 

[A5literMan]

I've used the rtv like you Mike(not mad Mike-he be crazy) in the past. My buddy only uses it at the ends and a little film around the water ports while using some adhesive on the head to keep it in place.

 

[MustangIIMatt]

I use Permatex gasket shellac on the heads, then set the gaskets in place, then a thick bead of black RTV on the ends of the block. I've never had one leak doing it that way.

 

[Chuckman]

i use a little spray gasket adhesive (Gasket Sealants : Permatex® High Tack™ Spray-A-Gasket™ Sealant) on the gaskets to keep them from moving (the 1250s3's dont have the tabs that lock into the headgaskets), and then ultrablack JUST on the end rails. rtv around the water ports will just make the sealing surfaces uneven there, and you want as FLAT, SMOOTH, and EVEN of a sealing surface as you can get.

use 4 pieces of all thread in the corner bolt holes to help center the intake so theres even less change of gasket squirm.

i use the same process on the pita timing cover and water pump gaskets. havent had a leak on any of em since i started using that spray adhesive (and i got a new, non-beat-to-hell timing cover).