Sealing Case Halves Ray Greenwood Style!

[clintonddk]

Yep!

[vanapplebomb]

I have had some spare time to play around with applying RTV Rays style. I'm suprised how well it works and how little RTV is actually used. A pee sized dab is enough to roll out on glass to do one entire case halve, and only a fraction of that rolled out pee sized drop of RTV ever makes it onto the case halves. It goes on super thin, even, and fast. With the studs out of the case, you can just zip around the perimeter with a roller in less than a minute. When I rolled it out, I used a mirror as a flat surface. The ultra copper shears out so thin you can see reflections in the mirror through the RTV. It goes from the roller to the case even thinner than it rolls out on the glass surface. You can see the machine marks in the case through it. The aluminum appears slightly orange tinted when finished applying it...almost had an anodized look to it. After it Sets up it forms a really really thin skim of sealant that is just enough to fill in the surface imperfections where oil can seep through. It also rubs off with your thumb when you want to take it off after the RTV has set. Interesting. Very interesting. Very very interesting.

Fun experiments. I'm looking forward to playing around with it more on different surfaces. I'm told it is the way to go on paper gaskets. Roll it on and assemble after the RTV has set.

Well, enough playing around for the time being. Time to drop the case at the engine machinest tomorrow to get steam cleaned so we can do the real deal later on.

[rwk]

That process looks unique,dont believe VW factory used anything on new engines, just tore down brother in laws 75 or 6 he had since the 80s not a trace inside of sealent just the paper gaskets under the barrels and oil pump maybe the factory did something similar but not with silly. Wish it had leaked, wouldn't have the corroded oil drain cover area, the water would have drained out that accumulated over 10 years he didnt drive it!
I am working on a cnc program to cut an o-ring groove around the case half, should limit the amount of sealant needed,should work good on all the warped, used cases out there,will offer it when I do case decking and boring, will fixture to that surface so case split will be parallel.Have got the stroker clearance program all tweaked in,time to try something different!
RWK

[vanapplebomb]

There was a thread on TheSamba a while back about cutting the case for that reason, but I personaly think it isn't worth the time. There are many good sealants out there that will do the job well. In my opinion, if angthing more drastic than that is needed to seal the case, it should probably just get tossed into a nice bonfire. Invite your friends. And enjoy the show!

Also, I personaly do not use the paper gaskets under the cylinder barrels. They compress overtime, break down, and weep oil...or at least that was my experience. I just use the metal shims to set deck and coat them with either Permatex aviation or thier copper RTV. Both worked. If using RTV, use the absolute least you can possibly use to do the job. More is not better.

[vanapplebomb]

Just for anyone interested in the result. Permatex Ulta Copper, just super super thin. RTV is a great sealer when it comes to oil resistance, but the directions on the package are for gasket making, not flange sealing. RTV turns into a nightmare when you follow the instructions for a gasket maker and then bolt the case halves together. RTV everywhere...total disaster. It needs to be applied differently to be any good for a flange sealant. That's why you roll it out on glass quickly to thin it out until you can see through it, then use the roller to transfer it from the glass to the case. You can see the stains and machine marks on the case clearly through it. There's just enough to give the surface a slight copper tint. No more.

Once it is one each case half, let it dry completely. The finely textured surfaces of the set up sealer compress into eachother to make a oil tight flange seal when the case halves are bolted together. Quick and easy. A lot less messy than the Permatex Aviation I used last time, and a heck of a lot cheaper to buy than Loctite 574 flange sealant. I don't think I'll be going back to the Aviation sealer any time soon. This was a lot cleaner.

[MadMike]

Yepper Brian,Good stuff, I seal MX bikes with it and no air leaks on the lowerend/crankcases,some are like vw's no gasket on the cases