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MG MGB Technical - Gasket Sealant

Just wondering if any gasketsealer or shelac is used for the paper gasket between the engine block and the front plate?
Bruce Cunha

Bruce. I was taught to use Hi-Tack some 40 years ago and have used it with success since then.

Les
Les Bengtson

Bruce, when I first started my apprenticeship we used "Red Hermatite". Then Hylomar came into common usage and I have used it ever since.
john wright

Don't use any silicone sealant, they tend to 'skin' too quickly when applying to a large area, which adversely affects their ability to seal. Non-setting like Hylomar Blue or Hermetite Red is the way to go.
Paul Hunt

Red Hermatite is good but dont use it on cork gaskets. You will live to regret it when you have to clean it off.
john wright

Thanks all. I am sure hoping that I do not have to take this one off for some time. I have typically used a brush on gasket shellac like Permatex Indian head, but was not sure if any is needed with the thin paper gaskets. Will give the Hylomar a try.
Bruce Cunha

If my memory serves me, Hylomar was something that Rolls
Royce came up with. So it must be good.☺
john wright

Ok, looking up Hylomar, it appears there are a few formulas. The original Blue. An M formula (old racing formula) and an advanced formula. (they also make an aircraft formula).

Anyone used any of types other than blue? Here is he information sheet.

http://www.hylomarsealant.com/_resources/_html/products.html
Bruce Cunha

From the descriptions the M sticks to the surfaces better, and the advanced has the opposite effect i.e. it offers more 'slide'.

Can't see any reason to use other than the standard on an MGB, especially if the others are more expensive. They are all non-setting, which is the main objective.
Paul Hunt

For the US folks. I went looking for Hylomar blue today. None in any of the leading auto shops (Auto Zone, Pep Boys, Advanced, Car Quest, Napa) have it.

Of note Permatex made a sealant with Hylomar in the name. Apparently there was an issue with the Hylomar company because now all there is is a Permatex Permashield. It says on the package "Compares to Hylomar"

Hylomar blue is available on Amazon, but I did not want to wait on the shipping. Will see how the Permashield works.



Bruce Cunha

Been in the trade for 35 years and have always used Wellseal, which I always thought was originally developed by Rolls?



Got a big tube in the shed somewhere, good stuff.



Red hermetite means one thing the trade...............bodgery!
SR Smith 1

peter burgess recommended wellseal to me. i used it and it did the job.
G
Graham Moore

Hi Graham

We use Wellseal on head gaskets, Blue Hylomar or silicone sealant on paper/rubber/cork gaskets.

I was told the basic blue Hylomar is the same as the areograde one from someone in their lab. However, when we used the aerograde it seemed more liquid but we had a problem in separation of liquids in the tube so non blue clear liquid tended to come out first. This poor shelf life lead us back to the basic Hylomar formula. The areograde did spread much easier though.

Peter
Peter Burgess Tuning

In the late sixties and early seventies, if we ever used any gasket sealant, we would use hylomar that came in a aerosol spray can,which gave you much more even application, before that we would put it on with a brush, we mostly only used it on mini gearboxes,the rest of the time we would either glue the gaskets on or hold them in place with grease, On my B i havent used anything, apart from gluing the rocker gasket to the rocker cover, and i dont have any oil leaks. A.T
andy tilney

"a problem in separation of liquids in the tube"

That's what I've experienced with Hermetite Red unless a new tube, making the 'red' part very stiff, lumpy and difficult to spread. Time will tell if that happens to Hylomar Blue. Wellseal for head gaskets here too, recommended to me by Roger Parker particularly for the V8 steel shim gaskets.
Paul Hunt

Paul

I think Rog and I learned the trick from Mick Richards who campaigned a TR8 rather successfully in the early 90s.

Peter
Peter Burgess Tuning

This thread was discussed between 16/01/2015 and 01/02/2015

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