Gasket non-stick coating

[Beck]

I'm putting an aluminum 4 cylinder competition motor together. I know it's going to have to come apart again for service. The timing cover is cast aluminum. I am trying to figure out something to coat the paper gasket with so it won't stick, but won't leak either. I'm trying to avoid scraping those aluminum parts. It is difficult without scratching the surface.

I have used silicone spray on carb gaskets before. Luckily I've never disassembled one that I did that to, so I'm unsure if it works.

I have heard of several applications of Vaseline, or I have some silicone grease. Spray Pam for the kitchen?

Any ideas?

[kb426]

I used regular lithium gun grease for most of my 20 years of racing. I can't say it will work for you but that's what most of the supercharged fuel burners did. My stuff was apart every week.

[Digger]

We ran a injected fuel dragster in the sixties and used Goodyear Plybond or Plyobond on the headgaskets  not sure how to spell it anymore or if it is still available.It was a rubber based adhesive that you could just peel off. That was a trick I learned from Pete Robinson, I imagine some of you will still remember that name.( was never bothered by anymore leaks ).

[Beck]

Digger,
Pliobond is the name I found. It is available in 3 versions 20,25, and 30. I don't know what the differences are or which you used.

Motors like mine have a reputation of blowing head gaskets. I doubt this would help that problem.

[Beck]

I used regular lithium gun grease for most of my 20 years of racing. I can't say it will work for you but that's what most of the supercharged fuel burners did. My stuff was apart every week.

Hopefully mine won't be apart any more than once a year. I have a tube of white lithium here. Thanks for the input.
I have become partial to some silicone grease I have a tub of. This was used to lube O-rings during large pump rebuilds. It is nearly clear. Paint doesn't like it.

[kb426]

I should add that I used the thick grease that you use to grease farm implements and such, not thin assembly lube like 105. I used solid copper gaskets for the heads. I annealed them after every week end and always sprayed them with copper coat before using. These were all oringed also. If you're planning on using them for a year, I don't think reusing them make work out well. It's a shame that everything we use isn't oringed.

[Digger]

Digger,
Pliobond is the name I found. It is available in 3 versions 20,25, and 30. I don't know what the differences are or which you used.


Motors like mine have a reputation of blowing head gaskets. I doubt this would help that problem.

I don't remember the number or even if there was more than one back then. For what its worth I ran a 392 Hemi with 14&1/2 to one pistons with 354 heads giving almost 18 to1comp.. Broke lots of parts but never a head gasket.

[Beck]

We push the copper head gasket out regularly in a big block John Deere diesel pulling tractor. We look at it after every run and see how far it moved. It is getting new head studs this winter. We feel the old ones have been stretched to many times. This motor has what they call "fire rings" which are glorified removable O-rings that fit the cylinder liner. We had to replace them mid season last year. 640 cubes, 3" turbo inlet, and 3000 rpm limits in the class. Lots of black smoke.

[Beck]

I would like to try the same no-stick treatment on the cork oil pan gasket.

This motor is weird enough that the only way to get some of the gaskets is to buy a whole set. There is an upper and lower set at about $100 each. The head gasket and valve cover gasket are the only 2 common ones. I'm cheap, so if I can keep from ripping them up during disassembly, I would like it.

I don't want it leaking all over the trailer floor though.

[Bruce Dorsi]

I often use Indian Head Gasket Shellac to glue the gasket (not head gaskets, though) to the removable parts, such as valve covers, oil pans, side covers, front covers, water & fuel pumps, diff covers, etc.

Once the gasket is adhered, a film of grease on the engine side of the gasket allows disassembly & re-use.

It is easier to remove a gasket (if necessary) from a part held in your hand, than trying to scrape something off an in-place engine.

[Rrumbler]

Not automotive, but a similar application: big four stage air compressor that made 3Kpsi, air cooled, finned aluminum cylinder barrels and heads with steel gaskets - we used regular old anti-seize grease on both sides of the gaskets.  These things generated really high temps, and came apart at annual overhaul without ever a hitch.

[Beck]

I had a can of anti-sieze here, and used it. We did the same thing Rrumbler commented on with big equipment gaskets. As he said it normally worked well.

[Harry]

I remember seeing a mechanic tying pan gaskets on with thread.

[Ohio Blue Tip]

I have a can of anti-seize, but I can't get the top off!

[UGLY OLDS]

I have a can of anti-seize, but I can't get the top off!

Ah.....Righty Tighty ,Lefty Loosey..... :?  

Bob..