leaking cam box gasket - and only done 150km!

[dllubin]

Form-A-Gasket has been around since the beginning of time. It's one of those sealers in the shellac family like Indian Head and Copper Coat. It dries very slowly, but when it hardens it entails lots of scraping to get all the gasket material off but the residue that's left is easily removed with acetone. Still a mess nonetheless. Most shops use it for coating the bore on core/freeze plugs prior to installation.

I think that the last time I used my can of Form-A-Gasket (bought in the 70s when rebuilding my 429 Cadillac engine) was to install the freeze plugs on my 1300. I probably should have not bothered as the leak was small and the engine was destroyed a few weeks later by a disintegrating timing belt tensioner. Still have the can and the stuff still looks good.

 

[Dr.Jeff]

Form-A-Gasket has been around since the beginning of time. It's one of those sealers in the shellac family like Indian Head and Copper Coat. It dries very slowly, but when it hardens it entails lots of scraping to get all the gasket material off but the residue that's left is easily removed with acetone. Still a mess nonetheless. Most shops use it for coating the bore on core/freeze plugs prior to installation.

Full disclosure: I've used Form-A-Gasket in the distant past and already knew the answer to my question (post #18). But I was trying to be diplomatic about pointing out that it is difficult to remove.

 

[jimmyx]

Full disclosure: I've used Form-A-Gasket in the distant past and already knew the answer to my question (post #18). But I was trying to be diplomatic about pointing out that it is difficult to remove.

I had a feeling you did - nobody can ever forget that brown tar like substance with a smell that lingers for days!

 

[myronx19]

when it hardens

ah, this version I use does not harden. It stays soft. I did my thermostat and water pump 25 years ago, it's still soft

 

[Dr.Jeff]

There are a few versions of "Form-A-Gasket" from Permatec. I recall at least one is labeled as "non-hardening", maybe more. So it might depend on which version you use. I know from experience some of them will harden. But we may also have a little difference in terminologies; I guess it does not "harden" so much as gets very thick, dry, extremely difficult to separate/remove.

 

[Dr.Jeff]

nobody can ever forget that brown tar like substance with a smell that lingers for days

Indian Head is the worst in that respect.

I recall when I was about 8 years old and progressed from working on bicycles to mini-bikes and engines. In our garage there was a variety of half used tubes of various sealants, lubes and other products that had been around for ages. Left over from when my dad had worked on stuff in the past. Some of them had separated inside the containers, some had leaked out of the tubes, others could not be opened because the caps were permanently glued on, some rock hard inside. But I managed to open a couple that were still somewhat usable. And the smell hit me as the brown goo oozed out. Like @jimmyx said, you will never forget that.

 

[speedy fiat]

I haven't tried that particular sealant so I don't know how it compares. But I have used most of the ones in the kit linked below:

Porsche Supertec Performance Case Sealant Kit SPTC SUP CSK 001 SPTCSUPCSK001 SPTC.SUP.CSK.001 | Pelican Parts

Supertec Performance Case Sealant Kit InStock Ships Today!. Call (310)626-8765. May Qualify For FREE SHIPPING. Parts# SPTC SUP CSK 001 SPTC.SUP.CSK.001 SPTCSUPCSK001. Taycan, Spyder, Panamera, Macan, Cayman, Cayenne, Boxster, 968, 944, 930, 928, 924, 914, 912, 911, 718, 356SC, 356C...

www.pelicanparts.com

The ones that really seal well are also the ones that are almost impossible to separate and remove later. They are glues more than dressings. And some are "permanent". If you don't expect to be removing the cam box again then they will offer a great seal.

How is "Wellseal" in this respect?

Its a semi setting compound. It has the consistency of thick, very sticky, treacle when first applied (you can't put it on in a thick layer as it will slump, but then if you need it that thick you have other problems) and then sets to a semi solid very firmly attached to whatever it is applied to.