My motorcycle has a leaky oil sump. There is much debate about why this happens, but many have had success with liquid gaskets like "The Right Stuff" or Yamabond.
Thing is, often there is a certain amount of cleanup involved if you ever want to remove the stuff.
I was thinking, could I apply a thick bead of liquid gasket to my actual paper gasket, then apply anti-seize to the plate/pan, so the liquid gasket won't actually adhere to the plate/pan?
Yamabond works very well. You don't need a thick bead. I would not use the anti-seize. How often are you going to be dropping the pan?
wouldn't using anti-seize defeat the purpose of the liquid gasket?
I use Form-a-gasket. If it's something that comes off often, I only coat one side of the gasket and apply a thin layer of oil on the other surface. Otherwise coat both sides. It will be a pain to clean off later.
I've used Yamabond on engine case halves mostly, really good E36 M3 there. I'd use a thin coat of the black RTV sealer/ adhesive on the case and pan and both sides of the gasket, seals good and cleans off reasonably well. I've used anti-seize on upper side gaskets and only where there is good gasket clamping but might be hesitant using it on an oil pan.. might be worth a shot tho if the sealing surfaces aren't distorted.
If your going to be pulling it off use "Chap-Stick" on one side. Old drag racer trick for those dam metering block gaskets on Holley carbs. Or Make new gasket out of Teflon sheet stock. But I'd question why. Yama-bod both side and torque bolts to spec and re-torque ( not check torque, loosen bolt then torque) at 1st oil change
I don't know if I'm torquing enough or not. The bolts require 7ft/lbs, but I only have a torque wrench for lugs...that might be innaccurate at the low of a torque.
Some folks have had success with DIY cork gaskets.
I think the problem is there is not enough squish in the gaskets available.
Cork is a pain in the ass and leaks easly plus bits tend to end up inside. Viton sheet rubber is availible from McMaster. Park tools (bycycle stuff) makes nice low in/ibs and Ft/lbs torque wrenches.
