A little help please

Max41

Member
I am assemblying my engine. The book I am using states to grease the gasket prior to install. The gasket is the cork oil pan gasket.....grease it, with what? Is it necessary to grease it? What type grease? Thanks
 
Pig fat.. Whale.. Perhaps.. A light film of wheel bearing grease is fine.. Makes the gasket easier to come apart. Permatex no.3 works ok.. Don't get to hung up about it.
 
Basically there are 2 reasons to use grease on both sides of the gasket. First, as Talkwrench mentioned, it makes the removal of the gasket in the future easier. Verses a glue type gasket sealer. Second, the two metal surfaces it is sealing will contract and expand due to heat at different rates. This allows them to have a little movement and stay sealed.
Two suggestions: You might have to soak the cork gasket in warm water to get it fit as you desire. Second: Do NOT get greedy and over tighten the bolts. Find the tork speck for the bolt. You might go to VAN PELTS site to find the imformation you need.
have fun
 
bluardun,
Thanks, great guidance. I have teat fit them already, alignment looks good. Torque specs in hand ready to go. Thanks again,
Max 41
 
When I was a young lad I would help my uncle work on cars and trucks. He was a mechanic in the army during WWII. He greased just about every gasket with chassis or bearing grease before installing it. I do the same.
 
Van Pelts website has a lot of handy links:

http://www.vanpeltsales.com/FH_web/flathead_servicelinks.htm

If you're rebuilding an 81A, I did this mod to the heads to help with overheating:

Repair-pg36.jpg
 
Do it on carb gaskets too. When ever I change jets (this is on a 4 barrel) very lightly do the bowl gaskets even the metering block, the threads on the bolts etc .. Very lightly. I can take them off time and time again..
 
Regular chassis grease on all paper or cork gaskets. Works great. Learned it from an old mechanic when I was just a pup. Now I'm the old mechanic - still doin' it.
 
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