sablesurfer,
As long as you asked...no goop! If the surfaces are clean, dry and flat then the seal is 99.9% mechanical. I use HIGH TACK aerosol. It's a contact adhesive which holds the gasket where it belongs and adds the .1% goop factor to seal things like cork gaskets.
If you application calls for a gasket then it probably doesn't call for a glob-o-goop too!
Dirty mating surfaces with 'pooched' bolt holes and overtightened fasteners are the cause of leaks most of the time.
A dab of goop here or there is OK, but not hanging out of every crack like hemorrhoids.
Stuart
