Gasket sealant...

[blktoptrvl]

So, what's the word?

When I was coming up we used gasket sealant on any two parts that were being mated with a cork, felt, or just about any other material (except metal with raised crush zones) in between - unless it had an O-Ring.

Now I read here and other places that some people do not use sealant on valve cover gaskets. And even in DIY threads for water pumps, valley pans, and other parts I see very little mention - if any on the subject.

So, what is your rule of thumb as to when to / not to use gasket seal?

[srmmmm]

I was always partial to Permatex Copper SPRAY-A-GASKET for any type of paper or felt based gasket, putting a light coat on each surface. On pushrod style engines, I would use weatherstrip adhesive to bond rubberized cork valve cover gaskets to the valve cover, then nothing on the gasket to head surface.

2002 X5 3.0 244,000 miles
2004 325i 109,000 miles

[JCL]

I tend to follow the instructions in the service manual, as they will vary with application, gasket material, and so on.

Valve cover gaskets were always glued on the cover in the old days, left dry on the other face so you could take the valve covers off without destroying the old gasket. Paper gaskets on water pumps were generally coated with a product that was thin, but helped seal.

I wouldn't trust those sorts of details in a DIY article by an anonymous person on the web, unless I knew it was written by a trained technician.

[X5SND]

Originally Posted by JCL

I tend to follow the instructions in the service manual, as they will vary with application, gasket material, and so on.

Bingo.

In places where I need to use a gasket maker, my go to choice is permatex's "the right stuff - gasket maker". Has yet to let me down!

[blktoptrvl]

Yes, I'm going to have to find the FSM... I bought the Bently, but it is almost useless where the N62 is concerned... But, I'll take a look to see what it says about analogous components on the M62.