951Dreams

So, I'm finding all kinds of opinions and ways of doing this out there, but I'm getting ready soon (I hope) to start slapping stuff back on the block, so I need some input. I'm replacing pretty much every gasket there is, so what goes on dry, what needs sealant, and what types?

Oil Pan - Heard dry if you use studs, also heard just some stuff in the 4 corners.

Head Gasket - ?

Cam tower to head Gasket - ?

Gasket on the rear of Cam tower - ?

Water pump Gaskets - ?

Oil cooler gasket - ?

The two water connections on the head - ?

Any major ones I'm missing?

I know the exhaust, and intake gaskets are fine dry.

If it's suggested to use stuff, what stuff? Not doing the oil pump or main bearings, so those surfaces are NA for this rebuild.

Also, where to use loctite? Any fasteners that need it? Rod nuts? Head nuts? Cam or intake bolts? WP Bolts? Roller bolts?

CrookedRacer

I quickly found some of these on Clarks garage, for example...

The cork seal on the rear end of the cam tower gets "a thin coat of bearing grease [applied] to both sides"

I am about to replace my valve springs so I will be watching this thread.

951Dreams

I've seen the clarks stuff, and normally I'm a big supporter. But I've also discovering that as processes evolve that new ways are being found to do stuff, and what used to be done isn't done anymore, or there are new "better" ways to do it. I'm fishing for some of that stuff, I hope!

Most of the post I'm finding are 10+ years old, while it's helpful, I'm looking to see if people have found "new" and "improved" ways.

An example is the dry oil gasket using "studs" you cut off the heads of like 10 bolts, use them as studs to guide the gasket and pan on, put in the bolts to the non-stud holes, then replace the studs one by one with bolts. No need for anything on the gasket, or so the story goes.

That's kind of what I'm fishing for. Seeing what's the latest on people's minds.

wingnut

I am a bit old school on this sealant subject: Aviation Permatex Liquid. Been around for a looong time. Never gets completely hard so is a bit flexible, isopropyl alcohol is a solvent for thinning and removal. Thinning is helpful when you need to fill in some fine scratches and just need a very thin, almost transparent coating, or just some sticky to hold the gasket in place. Not for things like head gaskets, but I use it for most things.

Choose your Locktite judiciously; some need heat for removal.

Noahs944

I don't install cam gaskets without extra sealant anymore. At least on one side to help take up irregularities... but you must be very picky about what you use & how you apply it IMHO.

Tiger03447

Still can't go wrong with the 574? Locktite..Just follow the WSM and you'll be fine..or so I'm told.

audi49

When i did a whole bunch of my seals 6 months ago, i went dizzy trying to find consensus on the forums, etc. So here's what i did...

-for any seal or o-ring that was 'contained' so that it would not slip out of place, i used Curil T.

-for the gasket on the rear of the cam tower I ended up not even using the gasket (based on a website suggestion). I just used Permatex® Anaerobic Gasket Maker without the gasket.

-for all other gaskets (e.g. water pump, cam tower) i just put the seals on dry.

Hope this helps.

Van

If it's rubber and has to move around to seal and/or might be in danger of tearing, get it wet with oil first (e.g. o-rings, seals, oil pan gasket, oil filter gasket, etc.).

If it's paper, plastic, cork, or fabric, put it on dry, clean, flat surfaces.

It it's a metal-to-metal gasket (oil pump, girdle, balance shaft covers) use Loctite 574.

951Dreams

Aviation Permatex Liquid and Curil-T look very similar. Also seen Yamabond(?) thrown around here and there. I'm all over Loctite 574, if I do the parts you mentioned Van (I'm not).

ok, so head gasket. Noah on your 2.0L I saw you smeared something red all over it (Loctite?). What's the general wisdom on the stock NON-MLS head gaskets for these 2.5L?

The Curil-T mentioned head gasket use, as well as the head nut washers, that was an interesting thought on the washers.

I'm intrigued by the different approaches to the cap on the rear of the cam tower, seems there's as many ways to do that as there are people doing it. Also, of interest, one of my bolts were missing, but it wasn't leaking. What's of interest is I've read about 2-3 other threads where people reported that bolt was missing as well. Where is that 3rd bolt going?

951Dreams

Also, been thinking of something to do with the collars all the front oil seals ride on. I haven't pulled most of them yet, but the cam tower collar had scratches where the seal sits. I've heard if they are scratched, they will leak even with new seals. They are light scratches, but scratches none the less.

Is there a "spec" on how deep is too deep???

I've been thinking about something to either fill the scratches, or polishing the scratches out. However, I fear polishing them out will decrease the diameter just enough to leak anyway. As for filling the scratches, there's the old JB weld trick that works on cylinder bores. But that works when you fill the scratches and then hone the bores. (Wouldn't work right on our blocks, but I'm not advocating that) But then I'm seeing issues with it of course wearing quickly, and how to get it down level with the surface without messing up the surface. I guess, for the price, it might just be best to get new collars.

Why does this car demand me to do it RIGHT at every corner??? Right = $$$. I know what it is, and I know what they cost. I knew I was getting into a money pit when I bought it. But I've worked on cars for 20+ years, and I've never had one I wanted to do things the "RIGHT" way so often as opposed to just getting it done. The getting it done way is just slap new seals in and call it a day, sure it might leak some in 2-5 years, but it won't be buckets. The RIGHT way is to replace the collars and the seals, and it might leak again in what? 15-20 years? So... yeah, all my other cars get new seals and done, the Porsche get's new seals and $180 in collars because they have small scratches and might leak in a few years.... ugh, this car!

She's like a Diva!

Van

Welcome to the wonderful world of Porsches. If it's too much for you, I suggest you get out sooner rather than later.

To answer your question about the seal collars: you know the answer - of course you have to replace them, that's why they come in the seal kit!

951Dreams

No, I budgeted big! LOL Really, it's not the prices, it's the fact for some reason I'm wanting to Zero Time everything I touch. If it's getting removed, it's getting rebuilt or replaced. This seems to be including nuts and bolts. I'm not trying to do a show car, but it seems I'm OCDing on this car worse than any before it. I mean I'm your normal redneck, duct tape and baling wire if it works, shade tree, mechanic. Even my race cars, unless it was something that could kill me (or someone else) if it let loose, I just did it to a "hey, it works." Level.

This darn thing I can't seem to do that. But, I guess, when I'm done, it will be mechanically 100k miles newer all told. Most of the spinning things, firing things, and air moving things will be new, or rebuilt. Or at least tested to be in spec.

Sigh, labor of love... that's what we tell ourselves right?

ramius665

Van has some really good first-hand experiences with putting these engines back together and I agree with pretty much everything he says above with one caveat. In the past I have used a thin layer of Yamabond on both sides of the oil pan gasket to help ensure a good seal and it hasn't let me down yet. Doesn't matter if you stud the oil pan or not. There's a guy on ebay selling an oil pan stud kit, I picked one up but I haven't installed it yet on my new motor. A good friend did it on his 944 Turbo but the engine isn't back in the car yet to provide feedback. But it does make getting the oil pan gasket properly mounted a breeze compared to trying to get the bolts to seat while stretching the gasket.

Humboldtgrin

I use water pump or high tack sealant only on the water pump side. And use a small amount of black RTV around the cam and ballance o rings for the housings. I use hi-tack sealant on the rear cork cam gasket. I use locktite 574 for the ballance shaft housings. And small daps of black RTV at the seams for the oil pan gasket. I locktite every nut and bolt after they are properly cleaned. As long as all the sealing surfaces are like new the gaskets can go on dry if need be. It really depends on the condition of the sealing surface thou. High-tack is great but remember it is what it say's.

951Tom

The only way I could get my new water pump to not leak was by using Permatex's water pump rtv sealant on both sides of the gasket. I cleaned the block using a 3M roloc disk on a 20k rpm die grinder. Just smear a little bit on with your finger. Held 15psi for 2hrs without a drop.