I too use Permatex #2 on most gaskets.
I'll lay the gasket on a piece of cardboard or masking paper, apply a thin line around the whole gasket, and then smear and pat it on the gasket evenly, somewhat like stucco. Flip over and repeat, don't really have to worry about messing up the first side when you turn it over, it'll be fine. The goal is to apply just enough so a very small amount squishes out around the edges once the part is installed, clean that up right then with some alcohol so the paint looks better when you get that far.
For a valve cover gasket I generally only stick it to the valve cover, so you can reuse the gasket after valve adjustments, a contact adhesive works great for that, Caterpillar sells some good stuff, gasket adhesive they call it, "cat glue" as most people call it, like rubber cement.
Grigg
P.S.
I'll add that I use to use black rtv silicone, and I thought it was good, untill I started to use the #2, no more silicone for me, at least not for gaskets.
I would use a very little, same method as I now use the #2, but it did not seem to seal as good, and sometimes it's really hard o remove the part again, I really had to fight with my oil pan after the silicone tretement.
Last edited by Grigg; 12/23/2007 5:03 PM.
