Beating the Sealant Clock
 

I am getting close to the point where it will be time to mate the two case halves for my 3.6 rebuild. Since I will not have a helper to carry out this task, I am concerned about the short time one has to torque down the case bolts once the sealant has been applied.

Since the sealants are anaerobic and cure in the absence of oxygen, I have about 45 minutes to get everything together and torqued down.

Are there other products out there that have a slower cure time that would allow me to take my time assembling the cases in say and hour to an hour and a half?

Loctite 574 seems to be the benchmark for these types of sealants. Has anyone used Loctite 573, which is supposed to be a slower curing anaerobic sealant? If so, what has that experience been?

Any guidance would be appreciated. I have done a search and am aware of the alternate sealants currently in use to replace the Loctite but I would prefer to use the 574 or 573, unless there is a product that is easier to handle.

Ernie,

Don't sweat the clock.

It takes ten seconds to fit the left case half once the sealant is applied.

Anything requiring more time than that can be prepared in advance. You should set everything up and literally do a dry run, make sure you have your through bolts, through-bolt o-rings, through-bolt nuts, through bolt Dow Corning 111, wrenches for both sides, torque wrench, torque wrench setting, etc. For the case perimeter, are all your studs in perfect condition? Do you have your M8 DIN 985 lock nuts (or whatever you are using) along with all the washers, etc? Are your chain props and everything else ready?

You get the idea. Everything for the operation should be laid out so it is literally within reach, you might even go so far as to make placards identifying what you have placed where for easy, no-brainer reference.

574 is anaerobic meaning it only cures in the absence of air-- so you have way more time than you need. However, it will skin over at some point, so I don't recommend applying sealant to the left case half and then going for a Starbucks. But if you plan ahead, lay everything out, and rehearse your moves a couple times, you will be fine.

I just did mine. One thing I did was install the through bolts without the seals, then I went back the next day and removed each bolt and installed the seals one by one. That way I wasn't rushing the install of the seals. I used the Viton seals (green ones) with Dow 55 as a lubricant. The seal install went great.

i use dirko. it won't skin over for a long tme. i'll never use 574 again.

I'm with our moderator. If you are ready, it just isn't a big deal. Same with putting the cam carriers onto the heads.

One advantage of 574 over some sealants is that it does not have to be all cleaned off after you have disassembled parts sealed with it. Porsche in one of their manuals points out that new sealant will soften any old stuff. Naturally, one knocks off hardened blobs and big beads. But the thin layer where the sealing is done needn't be carefully cleaned off. Of course, you may want to do that anyway.

hi John. which Dirko product number? I'm not a fan of 574 myself. only use it now on the bearing saddles, nowhere else.

I think Elring Dirko is the complete product description, it's an RTV silicone. Only in the hands of a true lover of the marque as John Walker would I allow the words "RTV Silicone" and "sealant" to appear.

I have read where a concern with RTV's is worms breaking off and potentially plugging a restrictor or similar oil passage. But what is the concern with 574? Why don't you guys like it?

To the OP: if loctite says that 573 is the same as 574 except longer cure time, i would believe that. Doing a dry run or two is a great idea. If practice doesn't leave you with a warm fuzzy with regards to timing, i would try the 573.