thread sealant for a 69

[Greg L.]

What would be the proper thread sealant to use on the various pipe thread fittings like on the water pump, intake manifold and oil pressure port?

I assume that teflon tape is wrong so that's out. Would that thick dark permatex sealant be right or is there a white thread sealant that would be better?

Just trying to make it the way it was.

Greg Linton
#45455

[Dick W.]

Re: thread sealant for a 69

Personally I use Loctite PST. It is a teflon paste. Just a dab on the first thread or two. Wipe off any excess so that it does not show.

[Tom D.]

C1 C2 283 327 How about for head bolts? *NM*

[John H.]

Re: C1 C2 283 327 How about for head bolts?

Tom -

Permatex #2 or ARP Thread Sealer.

[Greg L.]

Re: C1 C2 283 327 How about for head bolts?

Thanks Dick.

So I guess any quality thread sealant would be okay then as long as it doesn't show. For some reason I thought that it wasn't uncommon to see trace amounts of a dark or white colored sealant where the fitting enters the hole but maybe I'm wrong.

If these trace amounts were typical then that would be the look I would be going for but if the fittings had a nice clean appearance then that's even better.

[John H.]

Re: C1 C2 283 327 How about for head bolts?

Greg -

No sealants were used in production on pipe thread fittings ("Dryseal" threads in GM parlance); that's why you don't want any to show.

[Greg L.]

Re: C1 C2 283 327 How about for head bolts?

Oh I didn't realize that. Thanks John.

I guess that would explain why the steel fittings were such a bear to get out of the alumunum intake!

[Donald M.]

Re: C1 C2 283 327 How about for head bolts?

Greg, you do not want to use any thread sealer on the coolant sending unit. It will insulate the body of the sending unit and give a false reading or none at all. A clean surface is necessary for proper grounding of the sender to the manifold.
Don

[Greg L.]

Re: C1 C2 283 327 How about for head bolts?

Thanks a good point Don and thanks....I never even thought of that.

[Norris W.]

Re: thread sealant for a 69

Not correct but not very noticeable:

My '68 427 Biscayne has an aftermarket alum. waterpump that I couldn't make stop leaking around the bipass hose fitting in spite of trying most eveything that's worked for me before. I was whinin' about it at O'Rilley's and a guy standing there showed me some silver silicon type stuff that's branded water pump and thermostat sealer. It's the best damn stuff I've ever used and works MUCH BETTER than the RTV Silicon or plumbers sealer with teflon added that I've also used.

Since it's silver in color it doesn't show nearly as much as a contrasting color.

[Paul J.]

Re: C1 C2 283 327 How about for head bolts?

My new head bolts (felpro) came with teflon on them I think, anyway it is white.I just bought some Permatex pipe sealant with teflon to put on the bolts because I had to remove the heads and some of the coating was gone. Heads had not been torqued yet. Has anybody used this or would Permatex #2 be better?

[Joe L.]

Re: C1 C2 283 327 How about for head bolts?

Paul-----

Permatex (Loctite) pipe sealant with Teflon will work well. I use it all the time. It's even sold under a GM part number, but it's the same as you can buy in an auto parts store.

[Paul J.]

Re: C1 C2 283 327 How about for head bolts?

Thanks Joe. I also have some Oatey pipe joint compound that I used on some air compressor fittings that worked much better than tape and is rated for liquids to 10,000psi from -50* to 500*F. Do you think the Oatey is the same as the Loctite? Is all teflon pipe dope the same? The loctite has not been opened and is still returnable.

[Joe L.]

Re: C1 C2 283 327 How about for head bolts?

Paul-----

I doubt that the Oatey is the same as Locktite, although I think it will work ok.