Reusing gaskets?

[Sackett2]

Auto repair is my business. I almost always use a new gasket .., but if it's not possible to get one quickly I'll use "Right Stuff" gasket maker, the best I've found. (as a couple guys already mentioned) http://www.permatex.com/products/Au...uto_Permatex_the_Right_Stuff_Gasket_Maker.htm

I'm glad someone agrees!

 

[Scooby074]

I'm glad someone agrees!

Right stuff is great stuff.

See post 14

 

[SPYDERLK]

[[[I can't seem to think of a GOOD argument AGAINST using new gaskets where possible.]]]

You want new needles at the doctors office right? heck.. could save money and clean the old ones in bleach and chlorhexadine, and be 99.9% safe... it's that .1 % that causes the problems!

Any profesional engine rebuilders here that reuse old gaskets when you rebuild and sell your engines? ???

soundguy

Try: Waste of money and time.

Certain gaskets need to be renewed because they are performing an extremely demanding function where one compression cycle wears them out. Second use of such will give degraded function. Others do not need replacement unless they are damaged in disassembly. This damage is usually because the gasket has stuck equally to both sides.

When I rebuild and see a gasket that has remained cleanly on one side of a joint I will not scrape that gasket off to put on a new one. Doing so damages the surface, along with the waste of time and money, and introduces the further risk of mispositioning a new gasket. Instead, on assembly I will apply a patina of silicone sealer to the exposed surface before reassembly. As a result of viscous flow in clamping, this extremely thin coating seats the joint well, aiding duplicate registration and filling the slight voids inherent in imperfect achievement of original registration. The coating is so thin that you can barely see a hint of extrusion as the joint is clamped. The minimal residual oil on the parts prevents the zero thickness layer of clamped sealant from bonding as it cures. It essentially acts as a filler and release agent. You have a perfect low pressure seal and that gasket will always remain stuck on the original side on subsequent disassembly. When circumstances demand replacing such a gasket I will use silicone sealant on only the side I do not want the gasket to stick to. That way the equipment is always a pleasure to work on. Were I rebuilding to sell I may not do this because it would rob a subsequent owner, doing exploration or maintenance, of the necessity of scraping off a fragmented gasket and the pleasures and risks brought on by doing so.
larry

 

[Soundguy]

Waste of time / money? seems like that's the result of trying to reuse an old gasket and then having to re-fix whatever you just fixed again.. thus wasting time doing it twice, and possibly money for new consumables like oil or shop supplies.. or new parts that may have been damaged or are 1-use items, since you tried to save a buck the first time.

I like my stuff.. I even cut new gaskets for the drain bungs on my 50-60 year old ford tractors..

1, that way i don't have to tighten them like a gorilla to keep them from leaking

2, that way they don't leak on on the concrete or my pasture

3, so that I don't constantly loose oil!

soundguyConsidering the time it takes to take some equipment apart.. I'd not even consider not using new gaskets or orings.. many times it's hours to get into it.. ours to get out of it.. and 5 minutes with the thing apart where the gaskets and orings are accessable. why waste hours on hours of possible work for what is likely a cheap part?

again.. I've seen no 'good' reason not to get new gaskets on critical parts, unless you simply have no other choice.

soundguy

 

[Scooby074]

Larry, good points.

Reusing a oil pan gasket isn't what i'd call a "critical" instillation. Properly done (using a bit of sealant) there should be no leaks. Saying that if you use a new gasket, it wont leak, is bogus. New gaskets can leak just as easy as using an old one if not installed properly.

Comparing a slow leak, like a seeping gasket, to a major leak, like a broken oil line is a bit of a stretch.

For some things, like head gaskets, then use new. Low pressure should be fine with at least one reuse.

 

[Soundguy]

I've seen plenty of old gaskets with oil on them.. especially rubber ones.. that will push out to the side when re-used with some sort of gasket goo applied to them.

If you send in soemthing to get it rebuilt and are paying for it.. you want new gaskets and seals? or reuse the old ones? .. might save 50 bucks on an 1500$ engine rebuild.. that seems worth it right?

soundguy

 

[David-Davies]

Soundguy. Don't use permatex for gaskets. Back when their wasn't anything else, ya, but with all the new stuff out their. Don't use permatex. It get's hot, melts, runs all over the place, plugs up the oil filter. Paper gaskets that are waxed do not require sealent. If using silicone, be cheap, RTV only, If you use too much silicone it will plug up your oil pickup. Be carfull when tighting up the bolts, not to squeze the gasket out, [cork is really bad for squezeing out] tighten only enugh to set the gasket, let dry over night, then tighten up all the bolts.

 

[Soundguy]

Soundguy. Don't use permatex for gaskets. Back when their wasn't anything else, ya, but with all the new stuff out their. Don't use permatex. It get's hot, melts, runs all over the place, plugs up the oil filter. Paper gaskets that are waxed do not require sealent. If using silicone, be cheap, RTV only, If you use too much silicone it will plug up your oil pickup. Be carfull when tighting up the bolts, not to squeze the gasket out, [cork is really bad for squezeing out] tighten only enugh to set the gasket, let dry over night, then tighten up all the bolts.

I think you are addressing this message to the WRONG person.. I'm not advocating using gasket goo.. I'm saying get a new gasket.. there are others here that like goo-ing up an old gasket and re-using it...

I've rebuilt plenty of carbs and hyds that had rtv stuck in ports.. as well as teflon tape. that's why i'm not a fan of using stuff like that.

soundguy

 

[Sackett2]

Soundguy. Don't use permatex for gaskets. Back when their wasn't anything else, ya, but with all the new stuff out their. Don't use permatex. It get's hot, melts, runs all over the place, plugs up the oil filter. Paper gaskets that are waxed do not require sealent. If using silicone, be cheap, RTV only, If you use too much silicone it will plug up your oil pickup. Be carfull when tighting up the bolts, not to squeze the gasket out, [cork is really bad for squezeing out] tighten only enugh to set the gasket, let dry over night, then tighten up all the bolts.

Don't confuse Permetex RTV with Permatex Right Stuff- two different products that work much differently. Many truck rear ends do not have gaskets, rely on just a sealant. RTV can/may/will leak, right stuff will not.
On my 1950 F1, the bottom of the oil pan has a access point. When I rebuilt it years ago I had to cut my own gasket. it has had a seep ever sense. Now that rightstuff has been invented, I'm looking forward to redoing it and knowing the leak will be stopped.
If you get around a auto shop, ask a tech if they have some and put a dab on your finger. you will me amazed.

 

[DieselPower]

Don't confuse Permetex RTV with Permatex Right Stuff- two different products that work much differently. Many truck rear ends do not have gaskets, rely on just a sealant.

They also don't use Right Stuff. Rear differential housings on OTR trucks are sealed with Locktite 518, a flange sealant. Great stuff for flange applications like drop out differentials.

 

[canoetrpr]

Decided to resurrect this thread from the past with some new findings. While I checked for leaks after I put the pan back on and before I put the propeller shaft on, it turns out I did not check closely enough.

I figured that a leak meant a drip drip drip leak. There was no such leak and so I finished up the job.

After parking my tractor after using it for a a while, I have noticed what looks mysteriously like a little bit of oil on my shop floor. Originally I ignored it as I figured it was left over stuff from a previous oil change / slight spill. Now I know without a doubt that I have a small leak somewhere around the front of the oil pan.

Lesson learned. ALWAYS REPLACE GASKETS!!!!! If the dealer does not have them in stock, WAIT for one to be ordered in.

Not looking forward to pulling the pan again. Especially to taking the propeller shaft off. On the bright side, the memory is still fresh and it should take me a fraction of the time this time around since I have roll pin punches! I'll also order spare roll pins when I order the gasket in case one comes out looking bad.

I am now happy that I followed the shop manual and greased the splines that the propeller shafts coupling slid onto

It is not leaking THAT much. I've checked the oil level everytime I have used the tractor and cannot tell a noticeable drop in oil level. As a result I will probably let it be until my next oil change. Until then, it will drive me insane!

 

[Scooby074]

Sorry to hear about the leak. That can happen. A new gasket may not have made a difference if proper technique wasnt used. Ive seen plenty new gaskets fail, mostly due to improper installation. When you change the oil, dont go with a paper gasket, but use the Permetex Right Stuff as myself and others have recomended, it truly is the best gasket out there.

Just curious but did you torque the pan bolts, or just go by feel? Did you use any type of sealent? Was there any damage to the pan flange in the area of the leak?

 

[woodlandfarms]

I am wondering about using permatex in an application. I have a 94 F-150 that is leaking around the oil pan. To replace the gasket you basically have to unbolt the engine and remove.. I was thinking about just dropping the pan as far as I can and putting in some gasket seal.

Thoughts?

 

[canoetrpr]

I torqued the pan bolts to spec. It didn't seem tight enough since I had to take them off origionally with an impact wrench. I did not over tighten regardless.

The pan seemed to be in excellent shape. I did not take the gasket off - it was stuck to the engine. I did not use any sealant or goo since it was a rubber gasket.

I'm thinking that the Permatex is what I should use then since it will fill out any imperfections between the surfaces? Will this be advisable over ordering a new OEM rubber gasket?

My not terribly experienced brain tells me that it will be more likely that I screw up alignment of a rubber gasket.

 

[Soundguy]

A nice soft gasket will fill suface imperfections as well. last pan gasket I did on my tractor i used ome permatex on the beefy cork gasket.. holding up nicely so far.

also.. as to needing an impact wrench to remove pan bolts.. yikes.. that may be why they leaked the first time.. overtightened covers like valve covers and pan gaskets can cause leaks too.

soundguy

 

[Scooby074]

Canoe, like Soundguy says... i wonder if the pan wasnt damaged originally? The pan bolts sounded aweful tight. Is your pan a heavy cast pan or a stamped pan?

Ive had great luck with the Right Stuff, both at work and home. I'd stay away from plain old RTV because TRS is that much better. Its a pretty good gap filler if the pan is a little warped. I havent had a leak with this stuff yet (knock on wood).

 

[canoetrpr]

The pan seemed like it was in pretty good shape to me. The pan is a light pay made of some sort of alloy.

 

[Soundguy]

Might check it on a straight edge after seeing those pan bolts so tight..

might be why gaskets were leaking....

soundguy

 

[gengine]

I am wondering about using permatex in an application. I have a 94 F-150 that is leaking around the oil pan. To replace the gasket you basically have to unbolt the engine and remove.. I was thinking about just dropping the pan as far as I can and putting in some gasket seal.

Thoughts?

Its been my experience that just gooping the seal is a bad idea. Its better to replace the seal and add goop if you feel you need it. I personally like to add goop. Anyway, too much torque on an oil pan or even valve covers lifts the areas between bolts creating a gap. I also like lock tite on those bolts, just because it doesn't feel like enough to me either.

 

[wincher]

Gaskets cheap! Rework sucks! I feel if the surfaces are in good shape, prepared correctly then no goop should be needed unless it was oringaly intended to be their.