I have seen conflicting info on whether sealant is applied between the housings. THe FSM says apply sealant, if so, what is the best to use? On the other hand, Ive heard from a couple engine builders I know they dont use anything. But I dont plan on building a race engine like they use them for. I asked a piston mechanic who knows nothing about rotaries and he suggested making mmy own gaskets with gasket sheets, but this is the first I hear of that. So what is appropriate for someone building a stock engine that will be a DD?

 

The atkins build video i have says to put a bead of hylomar sealant in the grooves to hold the coolant seals in place. Thats all i've heard about it though.

 

Let me clarify, aside from crisco or vaseline or whatever used to keep coolant seals in place.
Like silicone.

 

Vasoline and maybe even Crisco will cause the black coolant o-ring to swell and lengthen, Hylomar won't. Other than that, the coolant seals don't really need anything. For sealing the legs, use silicone, though some do use Hylomar. Make your own gaskets, absolutely not. That would lenthen the stack too much and I don't even know where one would even try to use it.

 

just to be sure

1. the water seals get a coat of vaseline/hylomar to keep them in the groove during assembly

2. the "legs" of the rotor housings get a little bead of silicon to seal them to the irons. the legs are basically the top of the oil pan, sucks quite a bit to have it leak there. use a little silicon, same stuff you use later on the oil pan.

 

I use silicone and have never had a problem with any engines I rebuilt. No leaks whatsoever.

 

I just put a small dot of vasoline about every 4 inches on the housings for the coolant seals. Very small dot, like just enough to make it a little tacky, but not enough to come out of the groove with the coolant seal in place.