Gasket sealant?
- Thread starter Toothy
- Start date
CTripps
Active Member
Welcome to the forum, Toothy.. without knowing what type of engine you're working with, it's hard to give advice. If it's a HT/China Girl type, your best bet might be to look at a gasket package for it from one of the ads on the sides of the page, like Sick Bike Parts (for example).
mapbike
Well-Known Member
Go to auto parts store like Auto Zone and over where the have th gasket sealers and such look for a spray can of a gasket sealer called Copper Coat or Copper Koat, cant remember how it's spelled for sure but that is a very good product that can be used on all the gaskets on the china girl engines, just hang the gasket up on a piece of wire and give it a light to medium coat and let it dry over night or at least for a few hours, its a great product and will take the heat without burning off, I been using it for 30+ years on all sorts of surfaces and gaskets and it just plain works.
Map
Whatever product you plan to use, first read the label to see if it is compatible with gasoline. Many silicone gasket sealers will tell you on the label that they are not intended for contact with gasoline. All of the gaskets on a 2 stroke engine are exposed to fuel. Many silicone sealers are meant to be used on automotive engines, valve covers, oil pans, timing case covers,etc. These are subjected to oil, not gas. Read the label!
Tom
Tom
I don't use gasket sealant on most gaskets for my China girls, only if I feel that the surface may not be perfect. Then I use gasket sealant on one side only, so that it allows for easy reuse on disassembly.
For example I may use gasket sealant on carb side of intake manifold.
I only use Loctite 3 aviation gasket sealant. as it is slow drying and allows for disassembly for a period of time if necessary with out ruining gasket.
For exhaust a little muffler putty is not a bad idea.
Silver paint is also good for head gaskets if you are worried about it not sealing perfectly.
As a Volkswagen mechanic, I would use silver paint to seal case halves as they have no gasket.
Never use silicone Gasket Sealant, except maybe on an exhaust. Or if you can not get a sump gasket and you never expect to have to remove sump again (engine is a POS) as it is hard to get it all off, and can block oil galleries.
I have been a mechanic for 25 years.
For example I may use gasket sealant on carb side of intake manifold.
I only use Loctite 3 aviation gasket sealant. as it is slow drying and allows for disassembly for a period of time if necessary with out ruining gasket.
For exhaust a little muffler putty is not a bad idea.
Silver paint is also good for head gaskets if you are worried about it not sealing perfectly.
As a Volkswagen mechanic, I would use silver paint to seal case halves as they have no gasket.
Never use silicone Gasket Sealant, except maybe on an exhaust. Or if you can not get a sump gasket and you never expect to have to remove sump again (engine is a POS) as it is hard to get it all off, and can block oil galleries.
I have been a mechanic for 25 years.
Last edited:
mapbike
Well-Known Member
I have used silver paint as well, Copper Coat spray is very similar to the aviation sealer which I also use, permatex makes a sealer that is very messy if your not careful with it, its a dark burgandy color aviation type sealer that never gets hard and seal a lot better than silicone which I do not use on gaskets, sometimes silicone creates more issues than it solves, , another great gasket sealer is called Seal All, oil gas and most all chemicals will no break it down with ecception to maybe acetone, I also use it for some things.
My solid simple and easy go to sealer hands down though is the copper coat spray for all the gaskets on the china girl engines, its easy, inexpensive and I works, gaskets are also easily removed and reused afterbeing peeled off, just respray the gasket let it sit for a little while then reassemble and yyou're good as new.
Map
My solid simple and easy go to sealer hands down though is the copper coat spray for all the gaskets on the china girl engines, its easy, inexpensive and I works, gaskets are also easily removed and reused afterbeing peeled off, just respray the gasket let it sit for a little while then reassemble and yyou're good as new.
Map
GearNut
Active Member
My go to sealants are Hylomar and Copper Kote, mostly Hylomar.
Hylomar never gets hard, will not plug up oil passages and if you over apply it and it gets into gears or bearings it will pulverize and dissipate into the oil supply rather than muck up the works. The only solvent I have ever known that will affect it is Acetone.
Hylomar never gets hard, will not plug up oil passages and if you over apply it and it gets into gears or bearings it will pulverize and dissipate into the oil supply rather than muck up the works. The only solvent I have ever known that will affect it is Acetone.
Thanks for the input. I bought some of the copper sealant and will also use some silver spray paint to finish the job. I should get most of the build done tomorrow. It has taken quite a long time to get all the bits and pieces ready...too much to list. Got some BMX style handle bars yesterday to replace the cruiser ones and man does it feel so much better. I'll be lucky to get this ting running. 