intake manifold gaskets: dry, or with sealer?

[pcrussell50]

I have a 2.0L Merc and a V4 crossflow Evinrude and they both have leaks between the manifold and block (thanks to me greasing the gasket for easy removal in the future, a mistake I will not make again). But now I'm paranoid about leaks. When I re-do these things, do I do them dry? Or use some kind of sealer?

-Peter

[FORBESAUTO]

I've always installed dry with no problems.

[pcrussell50]

I've always installed dry with no problems.

That's two votes for "dry". Thanks.

(I asked the same question embedded in another thread about something else)

-Peter

[Dave Strong]

Dry.

Dave

[RSWORDS]

Dry

[mach351]

I've always sprayed my intake gaskets with a non stick cooking spray. Never had an issue. They always come off and are usually reusable. That's just me though I guess lol.

[mn808gade]

Gasgacinch is the only other thing I would ever use besides a dry install,dont know why you would ever want to reuse a gasket anyway.buy two and save a trip-th

[W2F a V-King]

I use a lite coat of Vaseline. Not to re-suse the gasket, but to hold it in place and have it come off later without any trouble.

If you sucked in a gasket, chances are the two mating surfaces were not true and flat in that area, or it was loose.

[luv2gofast]

I always use white grease and have never had a leak. They never stick and I keep the old ones for an emergency...but I always seem to have a new one when I need it. I just rub it into the gasket, don't leave any sitting on it or built up.

[pcrussell50]

Thanks all. Going in dry this time. I don't want another air leak.

The sucked in section of gasket did correspond to BOTH a low spot on the intake, and a wide span of narrow gasket. This was a brand new, NOS manifold from eBay. My machinist neighbor is going to make it dead flat. I have a used spare I bought off eBay that isn't dead flat, either, though not as bad as the new one. Don't know what it is with 2.0L intakes and being not dead flat? Either they are warping from use (without seeing much heat or stress), or they are within tolerance for flatness and every now and then you get right at the limit of flatness at the exact worst spot. But that would be a guess.

-Peter

[King Dad]

I've always used a film of OB oil on intake gaskets. Force of habit, never had any concerns. If anything gets into the re-circ valves, it'll be ......ob oil!

[Umassot50]

I use Hytack spray sealer. Light coat on both sides. Let it tack up. No problems after that. It is difficult to remove if you take the intake off at some point. It will tear the gasket which you just scrape with a razor after.

[pcrussell50]

Well, I put it on dry yesterday. Using the used intake I bought off ebay, stock reeds and all. Fired right up and into a no-leaks idle. When I get my "new" intake back from my machinist neighbor, I will put the CCMS reeds back in that and swap that over and be done with it. But in the mean time, I'm up and running... a little nervous about stock reeds after being a CCMS user, but at least I'm not grounded.

-Peter