Topic: Engine Build Advice - Sealant, Thread Locker, and Anti-seize.

[Kickstart]

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Head gaskets - Nothing but a THIN film of grease to hold it in place
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Wouldn't the grease prevent the gasket from properly mating with the metal surface? 

I was wondering about holding the head gasket in place, as I'm using +1mm pistons and the openings in the head gasket are just barely large enough that I have to perfectly position the gasket.  If it moves during assembly the inside edge of the head gasket will stick out over the edge of the cylinder wall (above the piston).   - I was thinking I might use some copper coat spray, just to help hold it in place.

[Maksimum Hops]

Here's one explanation for grease use:

http://www.dansmc.com/gaskets.htm

I use grease on all new gaskets except the ones that come from the factory with a special coating already put on. The grease serves several functions.

It will hold the gasket in place as you put the two pieces together.
It allows the gasket to move around a bit as you put in the screws.
It starts the swelling process that the oil will finish.
It allows you to disassemble things easily if an error is made and allows you to reuse the same gasket after you fix that error. Not that I ever make errors... well... I did once. I thought I had made an error, turned out I hadn't !
It allows easy disassembly in the dim, dark future.

[iron_worker]

I asked Ken at Cycle X what he recommended for his MLS type head gaskets...

His reponse: Dry !!! No sealent!

Well that solves that I guess. ha

Btw, what is Hylomar?

IW

[Kenzo1979]

Sorry, I just read this now.  Hylomar is a blue gel looking gasket cement sealant something or other.  From what I read online they use it on Rolls Royce cases.  Either way, it's easy to take apart and put back together while steal bonding itself every time.  All I can say about it is a lot of people recommended it, they had it at pep boys, it worked wonderfully, haven't had a leak, and now I use it on other parts and think it's pretty awesome stuff.