So I bought a gasket but the more I think about it the more I think I'm not going to use it. Nissan calls for rtv. I have a new pan and it has a nice groove for the sealant. (I like the gray) The flange on the upper pan has a few dings in it, another reason I think rtv will work better. The manual specifies a large bead, 4.5-5.5 mm. What do you all do? There must be some other backyard people out there? Weather has been beautiful this week in Schuylkill County.

Just don't use regular RTV. We use genuine Nissan gray death at the dealership, but that's pricey and only comes in large tubes. Permatex Ultra Gray is what I use at home, it's almost identical in performance and much cheaper.

Permatex Ultra Gray is what I have. Gray death? Does that refer to it's performance efficiency or it's "known to cause cancer in California" properties? Good name though. Thanks for sharing your knowledge, I appreciate it. Waiting for a breather hose to arrive for the pcv valve then I can get the collector back on and hopefully next week I can get it running and I'm hoping for the best.

schuylkill wrote: ↑

Fri May 21, 2021 3:43 am

Gray death? Does that refer to it's performance efficiency or it's "known to cause cancer in California" properties? Good name though.

If you don't oil the opposite mating surface, then once it sets you'll be using explosives to remove it. Or scraping till you die.

PS - Plain tap water and American money are both known to cause cancer in California. You don't need chemicals for that.

If you don't oil the opposite mating surface, then once it sets you'll be using explosives to remove it. Or scraping till you die.

Explain this please. Do you just put a light coating of new motor oil on the non rtv mating surface? Do you do this with the Permatex also?

schuylkill wrote: ↑

Sat May 29, 2021 7:37 pm

Do you just put a light coating of new motor oil on the non rtv mating surface? Do you do this with the Permatex also?

Exactly. Doesn't have to be motor oil, it can be ATF, white lube, even vaseline. Anything to film the surface so the RTV conforms to it but can't adhere. Then you won't be scraping and nicking the block side mating surface if it ever needs to come off again.