Installing heat exchangers

[Toolsntoys]

Well after searching threads and getting advise from you all, I cleaned my heat exchangers using the DD method. They came out sqeeky clean. Thank you. So now I'm cleaning and scraping gasket surfaces. The gasket kit that I ordered from deisel pro came with three of the large square gaskets, which is what the diagram in the manual calls for. However when I disassembled someone had used four gaskets. Two on the heat exchanger flange and two on the o-ring side. The manual only calls for one on the o-ring side. I assume that the o-rings seal the spacer to the cover. The Last person to do the job also used lots of silicon sealer. What a mess. Am I correct in thinking that the extra gasket didn't allow the spacer and cover to compress tight enough for the o-ring and then someone thought to use silicon to make a seal?
Pete.

 

[KPTIM]

Yep, you only need three gaskets. A lot of people think you need four. The extra gasket will reduce compression of the O-ring. Just make sure all of the surfaces are clean. You will only need a thin film of gasket sealer on the flat surfaces. On the O-rings, only use O-ring lube or a thin film of grease do not put RTV or gasket sealer on the O-rings.

Tim

 

[MikeP]

Silicone sealer is a tool of the Devil, which can totally Screw UP anything it's used on with the possible exception of your home bathtub.

The use of silicone is one of my favorite rants which I will forgo for the moment. To be fair, I will have to say that it's primarily the improper use of it that causes the problem, not the silicone itself. If you INSIST on using it on a gasket - although its primary function for that use is to glue the parts together and make them very difficult to disassemble in the future and...oops, sorry, there I go, starting to rant. BUT..IF you insist on using it, just put a very VERY thin smear of it on the gasket. However, I, prefer Nancy Regan's approach, and recommend folks Just say NO... to silicone.

There is no sealer required for gaskets in most cases. The only real use of dealers is to account for poor or porous mating surfaces. Properly truing/cleaning the mating surfaces will, in most cases. obviate any need for sealer. Of course, there are some specific manufacturer-based recommendations for certain sealers (including silicone) for specific applications and they should be followed. But good old Permatex #2 works well as far as traditional sealers/gaskets. Permatex Motoseal is "modern" excellent sealer that, like #2 is solvent based, NOT silicone. It can even make Norton Commando motorcycle engines leak proof; DD's are child's play in comparison!

 

[Toolsntoys]

Thanks for the info guys. I installed the heat exchangers the correct way with out using silicone No leaks. (Yet). Lol. Still not sure why someone would have done it that way.

 

[drburke]

It can even make Norton Commando motorcycle engines leak proof; DD's are child's play in comparison!

Impossible!

I was riding mine years ago and used to people going out of their way to admire it. A car pulled alongside on a big bridge and was honking and pointing, and I just waved and said "Sure, I know it's a cool bike--thanks."

They persisted and eventually I could hear them "You're leaking oil all over the road!" Sure enough, the hose to the oil reservoir had come off; oil was blowing everywhere!

(But I sure loved that damned thing! In spite of all...)

DAN

 

[oscarvan]

It can even make Norton Commando motorcycle engines leak proof; DD's are child's play in comparison!

Yea, but will it keep a Series Land Rover transmission/transfer case from "seeping" ?

 

[jim rosenthal]

Land Rover.... you're halfway there.

 

[oscarvan]

Land Rover.... you're halfway there.

A Series Land Rover...... 1964. Quite capable and resilient vehicles.