Diff gasket sealant

[parisian62]

What sealant do you guys use when putting a new gasket for the diff?

Permatex seems to be the go but which one...

http://www.permatex.com/products/Automo ... alants.htm

Stewart

[ek61]

i found this one good

http://www.permatex.com/products/Automo ... _Maker.htm

[FB MAD]

G'day Stewart,

For ease of manufacturing assembly and speed,as far as I know didn't Holden use diff gasket sealant and would only use it if a warranty claim was submitted for a leaking diff.The original gasket was about half as thin as the ones sold now aftermarket.

There are a lot of recipes out there for gasket sealants, most do a good job.Steer away from Perkins Paste and Clag, they're only good for schoolwork .

Permatex has been around for years and is a good choice among the ones available.

In recent years a lot of vehicle manufacturers don't even use a gasket and simply smear a bead of heat/oil resisting silicone based sealant and torque up the mating parts.

Years ago I re-bigendbearinged ( < if that is a real word ?? ) my 4 AGE AE86 twin cam Corolla. The sump on it didn't use a gasket at all (by factory design ) , and was simply sealed up with the same/similar silicone type sealant that was supplied over the Toyota parts counter.Over 15 years later and not even a hint of oil weep from this sump.

If using silicone based sealant I find that if you "nip" up the mating parts using just the torque that using one hand would amount to,and then let the sealant cure overnight. Then torque/tighten the mating parts up a tad bit further the next day/s/week/month.

Seemed to work for me.

I asked Darren Pender at this years "Pour"tell Nats ,what he used on Muriel for engine gasket sealant as it seemed to be doing an excellent job.

Darren said it was basically a seam sealer available at panel beating/paint supply shops.He did tell me the name of it but can't bloody remember it now

Ther's a couple more ideas.

If you've already bought Permatex, stick with it, it is good stuff.

Hope that helps.

[parisian62]

Thanks Dave and Terry.

In recent years a lot of vehicle manufacturers don't even use a gasket and simply smear a bead of heat/oil resisting silicone based sealant and torque up the mating parts.

yep rang a diff place and that's what they recommended.

From reading the prematex website there seems to be 2 choices. The silicone based goo - no gasket required. And the sealant type goo used for gaskets.

[Mick]

i've changed ALOT of diff centres usually just use a gasket with a smear of silastic on both sides nothing fancy, have done no gasket just silastic and also done just gasket no silastic

[parisian62]

Thanks Mick. Seems like real no right or wrong answer with this one.

[Devilrod]

I did mine before the nats with the black Permatex gasket maker silicon.

One trick is to put a nice even bead around the centre, then tighten all bolts upto the same tension with it just tight. Leave it for half an hour or so then tighten fully.

[parisian62]

Thanks for tip DR.

[STANLEY]

Best stuff you can get is called 3-Bond.
It sets very elastic, goes off quickly & I have even used it to stop a Triumph engine leaking oil.

Its available almost everywhere, most manufacturers have their own version of it too.

Dave.

[parisian62]

Thanks Dave.

[reddo]

If you are using any form of sealant as a diff housing gasket . Keep the oil out of the housing .. away from the sealant for 24 hours and allow to cure after bolting the 2 surfaces together before adding the oil.
May sound a bit crazy but diff housings do pressurise a bit at speed .. and.. the oil definitley does get hot. enough to test any sealant .

Dont even bother with a gasket just do as FB Mad has suggested and ya cant go wrong... unless some goose has used a screwdriver between the housing and the diff when seperating the gasket on removal and bent the housing surface .. hey.. the the housings are only made of thin metal and the mounting face can be easily distorted between bolt holes.
Reddo