EightyEight
Member
- Joined
- Feb 28, 2018
- Posts
- 30
- Reaction score
- 15
- Location
- Phoenix Arizona
- First Name
- Tony
- Truck Year
- 1988
- Truck Model
- V30
- Engine Size
- 454
My only relevant experience with silicone is Permatex. Overall, there's good and bed techs wherever you go, doesn't matter the shop name or the "rating" of the shop, a lot of the techs at my GM dealer sucked TBH and I feel that way about most stealerships. I'm a perfectionist to say the least, my 454 doesn't leak a drop of oil, not the intake gasket, not the valve covers, not the front cover, not the front or rear main seals, not the oil pan, and not the drain plug. I use grey silicone on most things, anaerobic on others, no black though lol. It's been my experience from using both basic black and ultra black, no matter how it's installed, when it dries it is too rigid and doesn't hold up to the hot and cold fluctuations of the engine as well as the vibrations of the engine. Maybe it's the climate, idk? I've noticed scraping that junk off it isn't very flexible once cured, so it can't keep a good seal when the different metals flex through hot/cold cycles, thus creating a "seep" or a "wet spot".
I don't follow manufacture specifications hardly ever, I use what works, I've sealed thousands of manifolds and engine builds from bare block up. I go for grey every single time, because it works. Just like when I reseal a trans pan on a th400, I don't just throw a pan gasket on like half the grease monkeys out there. I will actually lightly belt sand the gasket surface of the pan until fit, straight, and flush. Then apply Permatex high tack to both surfaces and throw the pan up with new gaskets. I do this not because I got it out of a ******** DIY handbook, because it works.
I flagged almost 4000 hours last year, and it damn sure wasn't because I was going back and scraping off that ultrashit black. It works, don't get me wrong, but for how long? I work in what you might consider an "elite" shop, we are part of a network of about 10 similar shops in an area of 200+ miles who are held to a higher standard of inspection, diag, and repair. Our customers hold us to this and if they see a wet spot, they'll be back trust me. I like Permatex products, but they have far better options on their own line of products than Black, I personally believe the only reason they sell it anymore is because it sucks and the manufacturers "recommend" it most of the time. Seal it however you want, doesn't affect me at all, this is just my .02 cents from the many miles under my belt. I'm not the only one who feels this way
It's all preference at the end there's not a right or wrong silicone to use honestly, it can't hurt much unless you get all squeeze happy in the valley.
