linda_murphy•2mo agoProlific Poster

Finally got that old Detroit Diesel 8.2L to stop weeping oil from the valley pan

After three tries with different gasket makers, a thin coat of aviation sealant on the pan rails before the gasket finally did the trick. Anyone else have a go-to for those stubborn, low-pressure leaks?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_ben2mo ago

Aviation sealant, huh? Which brand did you end up using on the rails?

tyler_fox412mo agoTop Commenter

Tried the Pro-Seal PRC stuff. Made such a mess I think I sealed my own fingers together for a bit.

sandragonzalez10h ago

Aviation sealant on the pan rails is exactly the wrong move there. That stuff dries rigid and cracks under heat cycles, so you're just asking for another weep down the line. @the_ben probably knows what I mean, but everyone else seems to think it's magic. The real fix is a clean, dry, correctly torqued surface with a proper Victor Reinz gasket and nothing else. Permatex Right Stuff on the valley corners only if you must, but stay off the full rails. Half the leaks I see come from people slathering goop everywhere and thinking that's better than just doing it right once. Aviation sealant belongs on planes, not truck engines that actually get hot.