To gasket or not to gasket

[XJkid]

I am doing the 1st gear fix on my xj and want to minimize oil leaks. I have used "form a gasket" and other variations with mixed results. Do these machines do better with actual gaskets or liquid? Of course I'm talking about side covers, oil pan, and the like, nothing that holds compression.

[DiverRay]

You can use a product called THE RIGHT STUFF, or the non-hardening permatex. I would NOT use a silicon based RTV, as it can "string" and get into oil passages.

[motoman]

I am doing the 1st gear fix on my xj and want to minimize oil leaks. I have used "form a gasket" and other variations with mixed results. Do these machines do better with actual gaskets or liquid? Of course I'm talking about side covers, oil pan, and the like, nothing that holds compression.

Deciding myself to not replace oil pan gasket, clutch cover gasket nor shift cover gasket, I got those areas super clean of any petroleum film and smeared a light film of Permatex brand of High Temp Grey silicone(light film so as not to have silicone squish out to inside as Ray stated). That was some 9yrs. ago, and since, not so much as a weep,seek nor leak.....plus I still have all those necessary OEM gaskets still in their original packaging.

[skids]

Deciding myself to not replace oil pan gasket, clutch cover gasket nor shift cover gasket, I got those areas super clean of any petroleum film and smeared a light film of Permatex brand of High Temp Grey silicone(light film so as not to have silicone squish out to inside as Ray stated). That was some 9yrs. ago, and since, not so much as a weep,seek nor leak.....plus I still have all those necessary OEM gaskets still in their original packaging.

I have done the same with the clutch cover. Just a thin bead, let it partially cure. Personally, I use a gasket for the valve cover. It is too difficult not to mess it up!

[MPittma100]

Gasket or No Gasket

I have done both. I've used the Ultra Grey RTV with much success. I've also used a gasket sprayed on both sides with Coppercoat spray adhesive with same good results. Ultra Gray RTV sealer works well, but makes future cover removal difficult.

[TopCatGr58]

I don't know if Ultra Gray RTV is similar to YamaBond/ThreeBond or not. ThreeBond is also GREY/White, but it's not like RTV in it's consistency. Have used it for ALL of the gasket surfaces on my machine, Oil Pan, Clutch, Shift, even the Valve Cover, no drips/runs/errors.

T.C.