Form a gasket question

[mshel]

What with all the different types of sealants out there, what would be the best type to seal a gearbox housing? I won't be using a gasket, just the sealant.

Mike

 

[jeff...]

Me personally I would go to Napa and buy a sheet of gasket material and cut my own with an exacto knife.

 

[Gofor]

With or without a gasket, permatex has always worked for me.

Go

 

[TracyP]

A properly formed gasket will seal better than form a gasket. A formed paper or cork gasket does not typically squeeze out under torque as form a gasket can. If you use form a gasket apply a thick enough bead to seal but not thick enough to ooze into the gear oil in the gearbox. JMTCW

 

[Travis Porter]

If I was definitely not going to buy or make a gasket, I would go with permatex. Wicked stuff, but seals excellently. Be sure to wear gloves as it is tough to get off your hands. DAMHIKT.

 

[erasmussen]

Indian head gasket shallec, unless you might want to take it apart at some point of time

 

[mshel]

Me personally I would go to Napa and buy a sheet of gasket material and cut my own with an exacto knife.

You know, this might not be a bad idea. I think I have an old gasket I could trace around. I really don't want to take this thing apart again so I may as well go the whole nine yards.

MIke

 

[junquecol]

Take it apart, and clean all surfaces. Use some oil base paint to paint mating surfaces. While paint is still wet, use cover to print pattern on gasket material. While gasket material is drying, clean paint off gear box cover. Repair holes in cover. Cut out print, and use transfer punches to locate holes for bolts. Use hollow punch to punch out holes for bolts. See how easy that was?:rotflm: Remember, it doesn't have to be pretty, only functional. You might want till after assembly to use an exacto knife to trim outside of gasket.

 

[jeff...]

Take it apart, and clean all surfaces. Use some oil base paint to paint mating surfaces. While paint is still wet, use cover to print pattern on gasket material. While gasket material is drying, clean paint off gear box cover. Repair holes in cover. Cut out print, and use transfer punches to locate holes for bolts. Use hollow punch to punch out holes for bolts. See how easy that was?:rotflm: Remember, it doesn't have to be pretty, only functional. You might want till after assembly to use an exacto knife to trim outside of gasket.

nice trick with the paint I'm going to try that next time for sure. I do it the midevil way just outline with a sharpie and start cutting - lay the cover and gasket material on a piece of pine insert the bolts in the holes and whack them hard enough with a hammer to get a hole outline on the gasket material. Then cut an X and trim the holes with the knife. Your right it don't need to be pretty just good enough to seal.

 

[LeftyTom]

An alternative to cutting: lay a piece of gasket material over what it will cover. Tap around the outside and inside edges with the round side of a ball peen hammer. Gasket will be the shape you need. What you cannot tap with the hammer, cut with a knife.

 

[pcooper]

I'll throw one in here, being from the automotive industry, I've found that an actual gasket of some sort is best over any kind of silicone or other gasket makers that are in a tube. The place for those is corners where gaskets meet, or in instances where the finish on the two metals is so good that an anaerobic sealer is ok. I've never used silicone with a gasket as the silicone is slick enough to cause the gasket to squeeze out with pressure from the bolts. The indian head sealer is good with a gasket, acts more like a glue and will be difficult to take apart later, I'd only use it if it has lots of heat and tends to have movement between the two bolted together parts. In your situation I doubt that is the case. The napa gasket material and ball peen hammer trick or paint marks would be my method, put together dry.

 

[JimmyC]

An alternative to cutting: lay a piece of gasket material over what it will cover. Tap around the outside and inside edges with the round side of a ball peen hammer. Gasket will be the shape you need. What you cannot tap with the hammer, cut with a knife.

I agree with you Tom, I spend years working the power generation field cuttin gaskets this way, just do two bolt hole first for pin placement and the gasket won't move. Permatex is unequivocally the nastiest sealant that I've ever used, but it works best.

Jimmy:mrgreen:

 

[GeorgeL]

What with all the different types of sealants out there, what would be the best type to seal a gearbox housing? I won't be using a gasket, just the sealant.

Mike

Mike,

First, I have a few questions before I can provide an accurate response.

What is the gearbox attached to?
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What type of fluid is in the gearbox? Hydraulic oil, gear lube, transmission fluid etc.
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Did the original application use a gasket?
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What is the gearbox housing and cover made of?
​

Sealants are a science, there is no one size fits all solution. There are dozens of variations of Permatex sealants, each with a specific intended application.

Oh and BTW, go to CARQUEST, not Napa :wink_smil CARQUEST world headquarters is right here in Raleigh.

George