The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Motor oil soak on cork gaskets?

I was just curious if any of you guys still use this method of installing cork gaskets and how effective was it.
I was reading in my 55 thru 59 assembly manual last night and it said the proper method was to soak the sending unit cork gasket in 10w motor oil for 2 hours and drain before installation.
??? any comments
Thanks

It used to be common practice to soak a dried-out cork gasket in hot water for a time to soften it and restore some flexibility before installation, but I don't recall ever oil-soaking one. Rope seals for crankshafts got the oil soak treatment pretty regularly. I've been tinkering with cars for about 50 years so far.
Jerry

Hotrod Lincoln,
What would be the modern method for installing a sending unit cork gasket: 3M yellow weatherstrip sealer or just dry?
Thanks

I regularly use oil on paper gaskets. I don't think it would hurt cork.

I have always felt that untreated cork gaskets were sort of porous and would weep oil. I always spray mine with Hi-tack...it not only sticks them onto their intended surface, but seems to coat and seal them from weeping.

Stuart

I was taught to soak cork gaskets or even apply a generous layer of chassis lube so that the gasket wouldn't stick to the clean metal surfaces. That way you could pop the valve cover to adjust the valves without the cork gasket destroying itself.

Scraping a "stuck" cork gasket off the valve cover seating area could result in pieces falling into the internals. On the pan gasket, we used "permatex #2 to seat the gasket on the pan and greased the seating side with chassis lube to get the same effect. We didn't have a parts house on every other corner and it just made good sense to save the gasket. A broken gasket could be salvaged with a dab of #2 Permatex and you could get a new gasket for the next scheduled maintenance.

Dave

Good suggestions, all! If the gasket is fairly flexible, I'd install it "as is". If it's dried out and brittle, a good soak in hot water, with a little dab of RTV rubber sealer on both sides might be a good idea. Don't overdo it on the RTV, a little goes a long way, and you don't want any excess falling into the gas tank.
Jerry