MGW Shifter-Cobra Bob gaskets??
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helty
some Ukrainian's enjoying a handjob via my credit
rtv works fine and comes with the shifter, no need so blow $5 just for a gasket you'll have to wait for.
DoubleONegative
Active Member
LOL.
Not to sound like a jerk, but why did you even bother asking if the gasket was worth it, if you were going to disregard the responses you got? Every single person in this thread except one person said don't bother, and you ordered it anyway?
Welp, congrats on the shifter anyways.
Not to sound like a jerk, but why did you even bother asking if the gasket was worth it, if you were going to disregard the responses you got? Every single person in this thread except one person said don't bother, and you ordered it anyway?
Welp, congrats on the shifter anyways.
I had people on other boards say to get them (socalstangs.com), and there is a thred with like 10 pages of compliments on svtperformance.com from satisfied customers. He has sold over 1800 sets. Now Im not loaded with money, but Ill take the chances on it being worth 6 bucks (shiping included!). So I didnt disreguard your inputs, just trusted the hundreds of others.
YardSpecial
New Member
Gasket is always better then RTV, too much RTV can and will do lots of harm.......
Most are to young to know why RTV was used in the first place................
RTV is not used properly 98% of the time.
Most are to young to know why RTV was used in the first place................
RTV is not used properly 98% of the time.
forpit2000gt
Founding Member
Cavallo said:
Please elaborate. I don't think it's always better, per se, as there are not gaskets made for every application, whereas RTV is free-form to its application.
YardSpecial
New Member
RTV is used for big gaps, like corners of the intake.
For RTV to work proper it needs to set up.
For flat machined surface a glue and gasket is better. Like thermo housing and water pump come to mind.
The MAIN reason RTV was used in the first place was chevy Valve covers from the factory. RTV conformed better to the cheap azz tin covers and huge end gaps on the intake where the stock rubber gaskets would squeeze out and leak.
I use High Tack and gaskets for years with zero leaks.
FYI
The big cause for leaks is excessive blow by, think about it.................
The Mechanic
For RTV to work proper it needs to set up.
For flat machined surface a glue and gasket is better. Like thermo housing and water pump come to mind.
The MAIN reason RTV was used in the first place was chevy Valve covers from the factory. RTV conformed better to the cheap azz tin covers and huge end gaps on the intake where the stock rubber gaskets would squeeze out and leak.
I use High Tack and gaskets for years with zero leaks.
FYI
The big cause for leaks is excessive blow by, think about it.................
The Mechanic
Cavallo said:
Thank you for the input!
You mention for it to work properly, it has to set up. I let mine (shifter installation) set up for over 36 hours. I have not noticed any issues, so I think it works fine. Should I expect issues in the future?
If so, Ford didn't use a gasket the first time, but they probably don't care so long as it lasts 36K/3 years.
helty
some Ukrainian's enjoying a handjob via my credit
i think it all boils down to convenience really. i mean think about it, would you rather take your time, and patiently spread the RTV in a neat little zig-zag pattern, then wipe off all the excess that squeezes out after you intall the shifter, then wait for it to cure before you go test your new toy? or would you rather slap on a gasket and be done with it?
i personally used the RTV, cuz im patient and it came with the shifter. i dont think one works better than the other. the only problem with RTV is if the person applying it does a crappy job and misses a corner or something.
i've been an aircraft mechanic for the USAF for the past 4 years, and let me tell you, there are a LOT of jobs we do that require gaskets and/or sealant. nothings worse than working a late night, getting ready to finish a job, and come to find out there arent any more gaskets in supply, and you have to use that god awful sealant ( the crap we use is little different than rtv
) its messy, and you have to tape the area off, then wait for it to cure before you can do an ops check on the part you just fixed. honestly, i would much rather slap on a gasket and get it over with. but i'll tell you, that sealant holds up just as well. and many times since you're dealing with such high psi applications (3000+ in many cases) you end up with a blown gasket and have to do the damn job all over again.
anyway, for anyone else thats considering the MGW, i say just use the RTV unless you're one of those people that needs the extra comfort of knowing theres a nice little gasket sitting between your shifter and tranny
i personally used the RTV, cuz im patient and it came with the shifter. i dont think one works better than the other. the only problem with RTV is if the person applying it does a crappy job and misses a corner or something.
i've been an aircraft mechanic for the USAF for the past 4 years, and let me tell you, there are a LOT of jobs we do that require gaskets and/or sealant. nothings worse than working a late night, getting ready to finish a job, and come to find out there arent any more gaskets in supply, and you have to use that god awful sealant ( the crap we use is little different than rtv
) its messy, and you have to tape the area off, then wait for it to cure before you can do an ops check on the part you just fixed. honestly, i would much rather slap on a gasket and get it over with. but i'll tell you, that sealant holds up just as well. and many times since you're dealing with such high psi applications (3000+ in many cases) you end up with a blown gasket and have to do the damn job all over again.anyway, for anyone else thats considering the MGW, i say just use the RTV unless you're one of those people that needs the extra comfort of knowing theres a nice little gasket sitting between your shifter and tranny
forpit2000gt
Founding Member
for the shifter , it requires very little sealant. it is more to keep dirt and dust out than to keep anything in. The gasket with an aftermarket shifter may take a little bit of noise or vibration transferred through the new shifter out. That is all.
Every shifter I've done has had a thin coat of sealant, set the shifter on, tighten up , puty hte boot back on and try it out. Never had any problems because of gasket or no gasket.
Every shifter I've done has had a thin coat of sealant, set the shifter on, tighten up , puty hte boot back on and try it out. Never had any problems because of gasket or no gasket.
hotrodnut
Member
In a lot of places gaskets are the best route for sealing fluids from leaking but for a shifter I would tend to lean towards they may not be. The reason is mostly because for a shifting mechanism there are forces that are not in plane with the surface every time a shift is made. This is mutiplied when hard speed/power shifts are done.
Think about this, if there are no bolts holding the shifter in every time a shift is made it would lift out of its mounting position on the opposite side of the shifting direction. So, when bolted in place the shifter is still trying to move out of its mounting position. The bolts on the opposite side of the direction of the shift is preventing it from lifting. With the bolts preventing it's movement out or off of the mounting surface it acts as a lever and forces the other side of the mounting plate to compress against the surface towards the direction the shift is being made.
A gasket is made of materials that compress, regardless of how much it compresses it still is a plyable material and can compress even more, especially over time and many many shifts. Add in the heat/cool, heat/cool everytime a car is driven and that will also take its toll on a gaskets thickness and plyability. All the time the gasket still retains a certain thickness on one end or the other that differs from the section of gasket that is in the center of the force in the direction it is applied. This may cause a loss of only a few thousandths of an inch on the ends being forced against but it is possible to spur up a leak from the differences.
Now, the RTV is plyable also, but the big difference is, when using RTV and the shifter is torqued down, the shifter mounting plate is pressed against the transmission mounting surface and at points all around that mounting area there are actual metal to metal surface contacts. The RTV only fills in the low spots thoughout that mounting surface preventing any leaks from occurring. The metal to metal contact surfaces will not allow any movement or compression of the transmission surface or the shifter mounting plate from being shifted so therefore over long periods of time leaks will not occur.
Some may never have a problem from using a gasket especially if always granny shifting but in my view I will take the extra insurance of using RTV in hopes that I will never have a leak and a more solid surface for making those hard power shifts more solid.
Think about this, if there are no bolts holding the shifter in every time a shift is made it would lift out of its mounting position on the opposite side of the shifting direction. So, when bolted in place the shifter is still trying to move out of its mounting position. The bolts on the opposite side of the direction of the shift is preventing it from lifting. With the bolts preventing it's movement out or off of the mounting surface it acts as a lever and forces the other side of the mounting plate to compress against the surface towards the direction the shift is being made.
A gasket is made of materials that compress, regardless of how much it compresses it still is a plyable material and can compress even more, especially over time and many many shifts. Add in the heat/cool, heat/cool everytime a car is driven and that will also take its toll on a gaskets thickness and plyability. All the time the gasket still retains a certain thickness on one end or the other that differs from the section of gasket that is in the center of the force in the direction it is applied. This may cause a loss of only a few thousandths of an inch on the ends being forced against but it is possible to spur up a leak from the differences.
Now, the RTV is plyable also, but the big difference is, when using RTV and the shifter is torqued down, the shifter mounting plate is pressed against the transmission mounting surface and at points all around that mounting area there are actual metal to metal surface contacts. The RTV only fills in the low spots thoughout that mounting surface preventing any leaks from occurring. The metal to metal contact surfaces will not allow any movement or compression of the transmission surface or the shifter mounting plate from being shifted so therefore over long periods of time leaks will not occur.
Some may never have a problem from using a gasket especially if always granny shifting but in my view I will take the extra insurance of using RTV in hopes that I will never have a leak and a more solid surface for making those hard power shifts more solid.
hotrodnut said:In a lot of places gaskets are the best route for sealing fluids from leaking but for a shifter I would tend to lean towards they may not be. The reason is mostly because for a shifting mechanism there are forces that are not in plane with the surface every time a shift is made. This is mutiplied when hard speed/power shifts are done.
Think about this, if there are no bolts holding the shifter in every time a shift is made it would lift out of its mounting position on the opposite side of the shifting direction. So, when bolted in place the shifter is still trying to move out of its mounting position. The bolts on the opposite side of the direction of the shift is preventing it from lifting. With the bolts preventing it's movement out or off of the mounting surface it acts as a lever and forces the other side of the mounting plate to compress against the surface towards the direction the shift is being made.
A gasket is made of materials that compress, regardless of how much it compresses it still is a plyable material and can compress even more, especially over time and many many shifts. Add in the heat/cool, heat/cool everytime a car is driven and that will also take its toll on a gaskets thickness and plyability. All the time the gasket still retains a certain thickness on one end or the other that differs from the section of gasket that is in the center of the force in the direction it is applied. This may cause a loss of only a few thousandths of an inch on the ends being forced against but it is possible to spur up a leak from the differences.
Now, the RTV is plyable also, but the big difference is, when using RTV and the shifter is torqued down, the shifter mounting plate is pressed against the transmission mounting surface and at points all around that mounting area there are actual metal to metal surface contacts. The RTV only fills in the low spots thoughout that mounting surface preventing any leaks from occurring. The metal to metal contact surfaces will not allow any movement or compression of the transmission surface or the shifter mounting plate from being shifted so therefore over long periods of time leaks will not occur.
Some may never have a problem from using a gasket especially if always granny shifting but in my view I will take the extra insurance of using RTV in hopes that I will never have a leak and a more solid surface for making those hard power shifts more solid.
One thing to add to your good post--RTV also adds some flexibility and elasticity in high stress situations, varied temperatures, and uneven surfaces.
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