Home made Oil pan gasket.

[thstone]

Modern RTV is much more stable, durable, and flexible than the old rubber/cork gaskets. Thus it works over a much wider range of conditions and is generally impervious to engine fluids. A rubber/cork gasket will work but it won't work under all of the extreme conditions that RTV will. Of course, both types can seep or even leak but usually for different reasons.

Please note that the recommended bolt torque may change when going from RTV to a different type gasket because a rubber/cork gasket needs to be compressed a certain amount (and not more than that certain amount) for it to seal properly whereas this is not the case with RTV.

[911monty]

You are not making an oil PAN gasket. You are making a cover gasket. The pan as on V-8 engines will hold, with some leakage, the entire capacity of oil in the engine even if it becomes loose. Where as a loose cover on the boxer engine could allow the entire oil volume to leak out. How many times have you seen a valve cover with the bolts finger tight? IMHO not a good idea.

OH and not to mention altering the highly important Oil pump pickup to sump clearance.

[SilverSSS]

Originally Posted by 911monty

You are not making an oil PAN gasket. You are making a cover gasket. The pan as on V-8 engines will hold, with some leakage, the entire capacity of oil in the engine even if it becomes loose. Where as a loose cover on the boxer engine could allow the entire oil volume to leak out. How many times have you seen a valve cover with the bolts finger tight? IMHO not a good idea.

OH and not to mention altering the highly important Oil pump pickup to sump clearance.

This is something to think about. think i will go with RTV. The problem with RTV is simply ease of installation. Reassembly on your back in a cramped space is not fun. Not to mention the gooping into the pan problem.