What brand is everybody using for the timing cover gasket? I had a coolant leak about three years ago at the left side of the cover, so I used a Mahle gasket from Rock Auto. A year later, it was seeping coolant again so I replaced it with a Fel Pro gasket. When I removed the cover, the gasket (Mahle) was literally disintegrated and I blamed it on a garbage gasket. When I replaced it last time, with a Fel-Pro gasket, I actually torqued the timing cover, which is a first for me and I used Permatex pipe sealant on the bolts that go into the water jackets. Today, after two years, it's leaking again. When I removed the cover, the gasket is falling apart and saturated. When I replaced it both times, I used Indian Head gasket shellac on both sides of the gasket, no other sealer. I use Prestone green coolant, 70% water and 30% coolant. Over the tears, I've replaced many Buick timing covers and on every one of them, the gaskets were hard and brittle and they came off in little pieces. Are the gaskets made out of a different material that is not compatible with the old green coolant?
I used the Fel Pro set on mine, when I did it back in March. So far-so-good. The only thing I did different was to spray both sides of it with the copper gasket sealant. I hope it doesn't meet the same fate as yours did. I also used the green antifreeze, on in a 50/50 water mix.
On paper gaskets like this, I use loctite anaerobic sealer. Put sealer on your fingers and pull the gasket through, creating a thin coat on both sides of the gasket. Used it with antifreeze water mix, with water wetter no issues. On my Oldsmobile for 10 plus years.
Since your in Ohio have you talked to Cometic ?? Part # C5050 for the Timing cover gasket set or Part # C5777-018 (.018 thick) for just the timing cover gasket, On Summing they add CGT prefix to the part number but Summit shows March 14 2023 as a delivery date.... Summit's description of the CGT-C5777-018 shows it as Nitrile Rubber Coated gasket...Mmmm.... Cometic's website prices are a little more than Summit but do they have them in stock ??? I like using the Loctite Anaerobic sealer of maybe even Spray Copper on this...Good Luck...
I like these better than the Felpro I was using. https://www.summitracing.com/parts/sce-17100/make/buick
I've always used felpro and put them on dry. Skip the rtv crap and let the gasket do it's job. I might use a little adhesive to hold a gasket in place if needed but i never smear a layer of sealer on either side of the gasket.
Long thread about timing cover sealant (or not) and also touches on the different brands of gaskets too: https://www.v8buick.com/index.php?threads/uhhh-timing-cover-leak.360985/
Over the years, I've had the best successes using the Right Stuff on both sides of any paper-type gasket (obviously excluding Buick oil pump gaskets). We're not talking one or 2 times, but 100's. A very small amount is all it takes. It will fill in any compromised surface and helps keep the lousy quality gaskets from disintegrating.
Exactly ^^^,....on new un pitted surfaces,..sure dry is or just spray with wd 40 and go,....on a 50yr old block and timing cover ,..yea no thanks I'll do what I know will work and won't leak causing me time and money lost on redoing it
When I did my timing cover gasket, my main concern was getting the same one that was on there from TSP. JW couldn't remember, and it was important for the roller cam end play. Using a thicker gasket was a no no. When I took things apart, it was easy to see that it was a Felpro, so that is what I used. There was another gasket I had, that was quite a bit thicker.
Has anybody ever just used anaerobic sealer instead of a gasket? I am thinking about using it and installing the cover and letting it set up,. then removing the cover to see how the contact was. I can remove the correct amount of shims from the cam button to compensate for gasket thickness. I've used anaerobic sealer on engine and transmission parts per factory service manual over the years, but that was always on precision machined aluminum parts.
Anaerobic INSTEAD of a gasket. RTV Silicone INSTEAD of a gasket. If you're using a gasket, either put it on dry, or use a gasket sealer, NOT anaerobic, NOT RTV. Many anaerobic products require both the absence of air, AND the presence of an "active" metal. Aluminum is not an "active" metal. Iron, steel, stainless steel, and brass are "active". So an anaerobic might set properly on an aluminum timing cover since the block is iron, but--for example--an aluminum water pump bolted to an aluminum timing cover may only set properly at the bolt holes due to the steel bolts. There are aerosol products that can be sprayed onto the joint before the anaerobic material is applied, to clean and "activate" aluminum or other metals. Example: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002KKTSG/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I like to use Permatex High Tack on that gasket. But, as seen throughout this thread, there are many methods and opinions. What ever method is used, I think the time needs to be out in to clean clean clean! Not the funnest part, but worth it in the end.
True! I’ve used red “High tack” spray, light coat of RTV, Indian Head gasket shellac, ( not all together lol) This last time I slapped it on dry. The gasket IS the seal, unless the surface is pitted.
"Iron, steel, stainless steel, and brass are "active" ... Apparently Stainless Steel in 'Inactive' according to the lit on the link page.
