I'm planning on opening up the valve cover to replace the rear Cam Seal/Cap.

I was told by a non swede lover that I should use blue gasket sealant on the new gasket when I put the valve cover back on.

I have no idea.
Inviting opinions.

Thanks,
--
87 245 -178K

There are 3 major types of sealants in my garage. I assume that the "goop" referred to here is silicone RTV (room-temperature vulcanizing). It's my understanding that this should be used IN PLACE of a gasket, like when you're in a hurry and can't get the part you need.

Thdn there's Gas-Ga-Cinch, a very thin, rubber cement-like sealant. I have used this successfully many times to hold gaskets in place during assembly, as on a 240 water pump. Only apply it to one side of the gasket and the surface that it mates to.

Lastly is the very useful black Permatex tar-like stuff that never hardens and that stands up to gasoline. If used sparingly, it won't break off in globs and clog something.

Phil Loizeaux '87 245 w ipd sway bars, 175K miles

There are 3 major types of sealants in my garage. I assume that the "goop" referred to here is silicone RTV (room-temperature vulcanizing). It's my understanding that this should be used IN PLACE of a gasket, like when you're in a hurry and can't get the part you need.

Thdn there's Gas-Ga-Cinch, a very thin, rubber cement-like sealant. I have used this successfully many times to hold gaskets in place during assembly, as on a 240 water pump. Only apply it to one side of the gasket and the surface that it mates to.

Lastly is the very useful black Permatex tar-like stuff that never hardens and that stands up to gasoline. If used sparingly, it won't break off in globs and clog something.

Phil Loizeaux '87 245 w ipd sway bars, 175K miles

There are 3 major types of sealants in my garage. I assume that the "goop" referred to here is silicone RTV (room-temperature vulcanizing). It's my understanding that this should be used IN PLACE of a gasket, like when you're in a hurry and can't get the part you need.

Thdn there's Gas-Ga-Cinch, a very thin, rubber cement-like sealant. I have used this successfully many times to hold gaskets in place during assembly, as on a 240 water pump. Only apply it to one side of the gasket and the surface that it mates to.

Lastly is the very useful black Permatex tar-like stuff that never hardens and that stands up to gasoline. If used sparingly, it won't break off in globs and clog something.

Phil Loizeaux '87 245 w ipd sway bars, 175K miles

There are 3 major types of sealants in my garage. I assume that the "goop" referred to here is silicone RTV (room-temperature vulcanizing). It's my understanding that this should be used IN PLACE of a gasket, like when you're in a hurry and can't get the part you need.

Thdn there's Gas-Ga-Cinch, a very thin, rubber cement-like sealant. I have used this successfully many times to hold gaskets in place during assembly, as on a 240 water pump. Only apply it to one side of the gasket and the surface that it mates to.

Lastly is the very useful black Permatex tar-like stuff that never hardens and that stands up to gasoline. If used sparingly, it won't break off in globs and clog something.

Phil Loizeaux '87 245 w ipd sway bars, 175K miles

There are 3 major types of sealants in my garage. I assume that the "goop" referred to here is silicone RTV (room-temperature vulcanizing). It's my understanding that this should be used IN PLACE of a gasket, like when you're in a hurry and can't get the part you need.

Thdn there's Gas-Ga-Cinch, a very thin, rubber cement-like sealant. I have used this successfully many times to hold gaskets in place during assembly, as on a 240 water pump. Only apply it to one side of the gasket and the surface that it mates to.

Lastly is the very useful black Permatex tar-like stuff that never hardens and that stands up to gasoline. If used sparingly, it won't break off in globs and clog something.

Phil Loizeaux '87 245 w ipd sway bars, 175K miles

There are 3 major types of sealants in my garage. I assume that the "goop" referred to here is silicone RTV (room-temperature vulcanizing). It's my understanding that this should be used IN PLACE of a gasket, like when you're in a hurry and can't get the part you need.

Thdn there's Gas-Ga-Cinch, a very thin, rubber cement-like sealant. I have used this successfully many times to hold gaskets in place during assembly, as on a 240 water pump. Only apply it to one side of the gasket and the surface that it mates to.

Lastly is the very useful black Permatex tar-like stuff that never hardens and that stands up to gasoline. If used sparingly, it won't break off in globs and clog something.

Phil Loizeaux '87 245 w ipd sway bars, 175K miles

There are 3 major types of sealants in my garage. I assume that the "goop" referred to here is silicone RTV (room-temperature vulcanizing). It's my understanding that this should be used IN PLACE of a gasket, like when you're in a hurry and can't get the part you need.

Thdn there's Gas-Ga-Cinch, a very thin, rubber cement-like sealant. I have used this successfully many times to hold gaskets in place during assembly, as on a 240 water pump. Only apply it to one side of the gasket and the surface that it mates to.

Lastly is the very useful black Permatex tar-like stuff that never hardens and that stands up to gasoline. If used sparingly, it won't break off in globs and clog something.

Phil Loizeaux '87 245 w ipd sway bars, 175K miles

There are 3 major types of sealants in my garage. I assume that the "goop" referred to here is silicone RTV (room-temperature vulcanizing). It's my understanding that this should be used IN PLACE of a gasket, like when you're in a hurry and can't get the part you need.

Thdn there's Gas-Ga-Cinch, a very thin, rubber cement-like sealant. I have used this successfully many times to hold gaskets in place during assembly, as on a 240 water pump. Only apply it to one side of the gasket and the surface that it mates to.

Lastly is the very useful black Permatex tar-like stuff that never hardens and that stands up to gasoline. If used sparingly, it won't break off in globs and clog something.

Phil Loizeaux '87 245 w ipd sway bars, 175K miles

Agree with 4Volvos.

I if I can locate a gasket without it falling out of place I won't use sealant. If I DO need to locate it, I'll use a small amount of permatex just to stick the gasket in place.
--
Norm Cook Vancouver BC; 1989 745T 200,000KM

I agree completely. Goop is not needed except for the rare case where a gasket won't stay in place while you are trying to get the fasteners on. And in that case, you need just a dot or two.

I helped a friend replace an engine in his 940 recently. The oil light came on and he kept driving (dumbass). When he bought the car just 1 month prior, it was leaking oil out of the pan gasket. I could tell that the pan gasket had been replaced because there was blue goop squishing out all around it. When we got the destroyed engine out of the car, I took the oil pan off and discovered that blue goop had come off inside the pan and plugged up the oil pump screen. So, not only did the goop not work as intended (the oil was leaking despite its use), it destroyed the engine by plugging up the oil pump. Obviously this is an extreme case because way too much goop was used, but the point is that it doesn't work, and using too much of it will cause big problems.
--
Matt L. -- Cary, NC -- '91 740 wagon

Ihad a customer that put so much on for his valve cover that the "residual" that squirted out actually plugged all but one of the oil drainback holes in the head.He must have used two tubes of that crap.He had an old B21 engine that used a half round rubber plug to seal up the back of the cover/head and instead of buying a new plug,he tried to seal it with silicone.I also saw a car that the owner tried to seal a new water pump WITHOUT the gasket,just using the goop,well to make a long story short that tube cost him about 4500.00.

Every once in a while I asked the right question at the right time.
(Before)

Thanks...no goop unless critical for placement and then very sparingly.
Got it.

Got my Black Clothes on
Headin out to the driveway now...
Pretendin to be a car Ninja.
--
87 245 -178K

NO! From the factory,there was a drop of black hi temp silicone in each corner of the front and rear cam saddle.All the blue stuff will get you is an oil leak,besides thats why the gasket is there in the first place. You cant believe the amount of problems that i have seen due to people using the blue silicone(and usually way too much of it)and it causes the gasket too squirt out of what it is trying to seal.

Use a smidgeon (technical term) of gasket sealer only where the camshaft rise makes it hard for the gasket to stay in place, otherwise it's all dry on a well cleaned surface. Gasket sealer should be applied in the same manner as cooking fish: just a little, to paraphrase Mao Tse Tung. chris in vermont, 244, 765, 945.