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Carb rebuild: Gasket goo, or not?
VWCOOL - October 14th, 2009 at 08:48 PM

When installing new float bowl etc gaskets into carbs, should gasket goo such as Permatex be used?

1303Steve - October 14th, 2009 at 09:01 PM

No, spray them with WD 40 makes them live longer

colonel mustard - October 14th, 2009 at 09:12 PM

If you use a seal correctly why do you need glue?? Not having a go or anything, it just annoys me when people do it.

68AutoBug - October 15th, 2009 at 04:13 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by VWCOOL
When installing new float bowl etc gaskets into carbs, should gasket goo such as Permatex be used?


You can use permatex after it has dried..
but as the gaskets are so thin I wouldn't worry..

if they leak later on You could use it....

I always use it on the manifold gasket - both sides.

cheers

LEE

vw54 - October 15th, 2009 at 05:28 AM

no dont use goo

but make sure there flat you make need to use a very fine file to remove dags or bumps or linish on a piece of glass and 1200 wet n dry with kero to lubricate

also scrap any old gasket from the surfaces the gaskets are designed to crush and seal

VWCOOL - October 15th, 2009 at 06:07 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by colonel mustard
If you use a seal correctly why do you need glue?? Not having a go or anything, it just annoys me when people do it.


tell me about it! I replaced the water pump on my Nissan V6 recently and someone had used rock-hard sealer... It took about one hour, leaning into a deep engine bay, to scrape the front of the block clean. All the time I was thinking 'i wish this was air cooled...'!

Yep Dave, you are right about the window glass and sanadpaper trick, the throttle body and top cover were both slightly warped so I 'machined' them flat

Steve - interesting on the WD40. Anyhow, I assmbled the carb 'dry'

alien8 - October 15th, 2009 at 09:48 AM

I would usually not use Permatex anywhere near the carb but,,
out of curiosity I touched up the top mating halves of my Bocar with 800 wet or dry on a sanding table before a new carb kit install and tuned it as normal.
Ran the car around the block a few times and rechecked settings.
Then I took the top half off the carb with it still in the car being careful not to disturb anything else and painted both halves with a thin coating of Permatex just around the very outside edge of the flats making sure not to get any goo anywhere near any passages.
Then put on the same gasket. Rechecked settings and took the car back out a few times around the block.
Then rechecked the settings again. Nothing was adjusted.
There was a twenty minute difference between the two runs and operating temps were similar.
There was a 150rpm increase at idle on both checks after the Permatex was used.
I am not claiming anything as there is many more variables involved but there is indication there that the Permatex MAY have helped keep unwanted leaks out of the system .
But its is a Bocar!