Oil Pan Gasket - Leak

[MotorMouth93]

RSX (K-series) oil pans are not comparable to NSX oil pans, they have an aluminum pan with a machined flange that does not use a gasket and just uses a bead of Hondabond HT.

If you want to use the Permashield all over I wouldn't use Hondabond with it, just apply a thin coating of Permashield to both sides of the gasket, wait the appropriate time per the directions, and install, it should take care of sealing the seams.

 

[Old Guy]

RSX (K-series) oil pans are not comparable to NSX oil pans, they have an aluminum pan with a machined flange that does not use a gasket and just uses a bead of Hondabond HT.

The pan on my son's RSX is definitely stamped steel (magnet test confirmed that). I think the engine in the type S has the cast aluminum pan. However, it appears that even the steel pan is 'glued' directly to the block since there is no pan gasket listed by Honda for the more pedestrian engine. That bit is perhaps academic. My comment was more about whether the sealant on the RSX was Hondabond 4. In fact checking the TSB indicates that it would not be Hondabond 4 because Honda specifically calls out not for use on gasket-less surfaces. The product that Honda calls out for use specifically on its gasket-less oil pans is ultra flange

https://www.bernardiparts.com/Honda-Ultra-Flange-Sealant-II__08718-0009.aspx

Based on our RSX try to remove the pan in situ episode, if somebody used this on their NSX it could be a bad choice for use on the NSX if you wanted to have easy separation in the future. I only bring this up because I thought somebody asked about the product that Honda was using on its later vehicles.

 

[Honcho]

Going to be doing my oil pan shortly here. I was thinking of using Permatex Hi-Tack sealant instead of the Hondabond HT at the 4 seams. Just a light wipe on each area. Thoughts?

 

[Big McLargeHuge]

I used Permatex Permashield like Old Guy suggested and my pan has been perfect since then. After that I even removed the rear main seal holder which exposed one side of the gasket again, and the sealant was pretty easy to wipe off and reapply and still no problems afterward, you can be pretty liberal with it too as long as it doesn't squish out into the oil. Also used blue threadlocker on the pan bolts and retorqued them after a while. So far I'm happy after a few months.

High Tack seems like a similar product that might be more robust since it requires lacquer thinner to remove, but then there's also Super High Tack which has a different formulation but for the same purpose, so who knows. Use all 3 just to be sure? Lol

 

[nis350]

Is 'Permatex Permashield' the exact name of the product?

Do you apply to both sides of the pan gasket or just the side that mates with the bottom of the engine?

Is the round metal exhaust gasket on the front exhaust manifold pipe reusable?

Thanks....

I used Permatex Permashield like Old Guy suggested and my pan has been perfect since then. After that I even removed the rear main seal holder which exposed one side of the gasket again, and the sealant was pretty easy to wipe off and reapply and still no problems afterward, you can be pretty liberal with it too as long as it doesn't squish out into the oil. Also used blue threadlocker on the pan bolts and retorqued them after a while. So far I'm happy after a few months.

High Tack seems like a similar product that might be more robust since it requires lacquer thinner to remove, but then there's also Super High Tack which has a different formulation but for the same purpose, so who knows. Use all 3 just to be sure? Lol

 

[Big McLargeHuge]

Is 'Permatex Permashield' the exact name of the product?

Do you apply to both sides of the pan gasket or just the side that mates with the bottom of the engine?

Is the round metal exhaust gasket on the front exhaust manifold pipe reusable?

Thanks....

Yes, the full name would be "Permatex 85420 Permashield Fuel Resistant Gasket Dressing & Sealant", or Permashield for short.

I applied to both sides of the gasket. It's more of a tacky dressing-type sealant with a solvent carrier rather than an RTV or other gasket maker that hardens fully.

I would say the stock exhaust gasket is reusable as long as it's not damaged and there's no obvious stains from escaping exhaust gases. I removed & reinstalled my lower manifold pipe a few times before replacing the headers completely and never noticed a leak from the reused gasket. That said, if you have no plans to replace the stock exhaust in the future then I'd just go ahead and replace it, why not?

 

[MotorMouth93]

I've put 5000 miles on my car since doing the oil pan gasket, I just cleaned everything really well and used Hondabond HT on the corners and torqued all the bolts in a couple stages up to 60 inch pounds. Zero leaks. I don't see any reason to try to reinvent the wheel personally but other products would probably be fine as long as you're clean and torque everything properly.

Some BMW guys I know like to use 85420 on M62 valve cover gaskets which are notoriously leaky and it seems to work for them but I've never needed it, they coat the entire gasket with the stuff, let it flash off a bit, then install it.

The exhaust gaskets are basically tubular rings that crush when you torque the bolts down. You can probably reuse it like suggested above but its only a couple dollars so might as well replace it.

 

[nis350]

Did you apply the sealant on the entire gasket on both sides or just those 4 specific spots?

Yes, the full name would be "Permatex 85420 Permashield Fuel Resistant Gasket Dressing & Sealant", or Permashield for short.

I applied to both sides of the gasket. It's more of a tacky dressing-type sealant with a solvent carrier rather than an RTV or other gasket maker that hardens fully.

I would say the stock exhaust gasket is reusable as long as it's not damaged and there's no obvious stains from escaping exhaust gases. I removed & reinstalled my lower manifold pipe a few times before replacing the headers completely and never noticed a leak from the reused gasket. That said, if you have no plans to replace the stock exhaust in the future then I'd just go ahead and replace it, why not?

 

[Big McLargeHuge]

Whole thing. Would not do that with a Hondabond or RTV-type product though, it would be hard to clean off. Up to you to pick which sealant you want, I don't mind experimenting a bit. My old pan was leaking even though I found old Hondabond on the corners so I wanted to try something else. Using no sealant didn't go well.

 

[nis350]

thanks....

 

[nis350]

Just wanna check how is the oil pan gasket holding up so far? Thx.

Yes, the full name would be "Permatex 85420 Permashield Fuel Resistant Gasket Dressing & Sealant", or Permashield for short.

I applied to both sides of the gasket. It's more of a tacky dressing-type sealant with a solvent carrier rather than an RTV or other gasket maker that hardens fully.

I would say the stock exhaust gasket is reusable as long as it's not damaged and there's no obvious stains from escaping exhaust gases. I removed & reinstalled my lower manifold pipe a few times before replacing the headers completely and never noticed a leak from the reused gasket. That said, if you have no plans to replace the stock exhaust in the future then I'd just go ahead and replace it, why not?

 

[Big McLargeHuge]

Perfectly dry so far, including when I had to remove and reinstall the rear main seal holder with the same gasket installed. I will say before I had a leak from the front head oil passage orifice plug that dripped down the front mount and was blown back towards the oil pan so that contributed to some of the leak I was seeing before.

 

[nis350]

that's with the "Permatex 85420 Permashield Fuel Resistant Gasket Dressing & Sealant" on the oil pan gasket? Did you use the Honda pan gasket or aftermarket?

Perfectly dry so far, including when I had to remove and reinstall the rear main seal holder with the same gasket installed. I will say before I had a leak from the front head oil passage orifice plug that dripped down the front mount and was blown back towards the oil pan so that contributed to some of the leak I was seeing before.

 

[Big McLargeHuge]

Yes, that sealant, both sides. With a Mahle gasket from Rockauto.

 

[nis350]

Thanks.

Yes, that sealant, both sides. With a Mahle gasket from Rockauto.

 

[nis350]

Just got the sealant. Instructions indicated to allow ample of time to dry.... How long do I have wait before installation? Should I spread out the sealant to a thin layer on the gasket surface before letting it dry?

Yes, that sealant, both sides. With a Mahle gasket from Rockauto.

 

[Big McLargeHuge]

I waited a few minutes for the solvent carrier to flash off. You can test it out beforehand to see how the properties change, it turns from a goop into more of a squishy chewing-gum consistency. Yep, spread it out as a thin layer on the pan flange and top of the gasket, wait a bit, then sandwich it together. I'd wear clean gloves to protect your hands and the gasket from contamination. Acetone and brass brushes on the pan flange and bottom of the engine to fully degrease them and remove any other contaminants before bolting the pan back up. Don't get acetone on the gasket itself.

 

[nis350]

Thanks.

I waited a few minutes for the solvent carrier to flash off. You can test it out beforehand to see how the properties change, it turns from a goop into more of a squishy chewing-gum consistency. Yep, spread it out as a thin layer on the pan flange and top of the gasket, wait a bit, then sandwich it together. I'd wear clean gloves to protect your hands and the gasket from contamination. Acetone and brass brushes on the pan flange and bottom of the engine to fully degrease them and remove any other contaminants before bolting the pan back up. Don't get acetone on the gasket itself.