I am doing the final assembly on a 93 LT1 long block. What should be used on the gaskets for the oil pan, valve covers, intake manifold, timing chain cover. sealants or silicone and which sides should they be applied to?

 

I just got done assembling my '97 LT1 last week. I used Permatex ultra black RTV on most of the places where I needed to seal things up. On the timing cover, I put it on both sides of the gasket. On the oil pan gasket, just use a dab on each of the four corners. On the intake manifold, use about a 3/8" bead along the front and rear valleys, making sure to put a little extra up on the four corners. Water pump gaskets use this on both sides. The intake manifold gaskets you can go dry or put some "brush tack" on them. My engine builder says that's what they use, so that's what I put on mine, on both sides of the gasket, only around the intake ports. It works really well. However, in the LT1 engine rebuild manual I bought, it says not to use it on the gaskets. I guess whatever makes you feel better. Put a little black RTV on the oil dipstick tube. Valve covers don't need any RTV, they are a sticky silicone gasket, shouldn't leak a drop. You can use ultra black or almost any other color, I like the black because the orange really sticks out like a sore thumb. Hope this helps.

 

• GM LT1 intake gaskets are installed dry.
• On the front and rear of the intake(on the block surface), used a good sized bead of "the right stuff". Here is the pattern to use....go 1/2" to 3/4" up the heads as shown.
  http://www.permatex.com/products/Aut...sket_Maker.htm
  
• On all paper gaskets, I put a very light coating of Permatex #2. (Rear main seal housing, timing cover gasket, water pump gaskets....)
  http://www.permatex.com/products/Aut..._2_Sealant.htm
• On the ends of the oil pan gasket, I put a small bead of the right stuff(on the block surface and gasket surface...ie..before I put the gasket on the block, I lay a small beat on ends, put the gasket on....then lay as small bead on the gasket ends..). This is overkill, but I've had it leak before without doing that. At the very least, do the below....I go over the round part as well...
  
• Use Permatex High Temperature Thread Sealant on the head bolts, intake bolts, oil fittings, water bolts, etc...(clean the bolts and holes with a thread chaser set...not a tap or die!)
  http://www.permatex.com/products/Aut...ad_Sealant.htm