Creating a Good Seal
Gasket sealers and the like are great for emergencies, or if the mating surfaces are damaged, but are not usually recommended as a cure-all for the ever-present Rover leaks. Proper gaskets for these bits are very inexpensive, and can be had from any LR parts dealer. Quality is the keyword here - cheap gaskets are useless. This is one of the spots you may tend to buy original, as they tend to be made better than the after-market gaskets. That said, the gasket sealers are great for cementing the gasket onto the cover or sump, both for sealing and to hold it in place when reinstalled.
The secret to sealing a joint like this is here:
- Cleanliness will get you a good seal - thoroughly scrape all the mating surfaces of old gasket and sealer, then wipe them down with a solvent to remove small particles that might be left behind.
- A warped cover or pan will not seal. Make sure the cover or pan edges are not warped from over-torquing of the bolts. If so, a bit of gentle flat-filing with a fine file is in order to take the lumps down. If it's not flat, it won't seal. Use a metal straightedge to check for this.
- Don't' overtorque the fasteners. Tighter is not better with gaskets.
- A bit of sealer on one surface (usually the removable bit, not the block) is a good idea.