[64speed]

What dissolves it for easiest cleanup?

[NeighborsComplaint]

Acetone or lacquer thinner.

[25stevem]

Well it will not outright dissolve it but once you scrape the bulk of it off applying the thinner will expand and weaken the bond of what’s left and then one more scrap pass will remove the rest.

[Murf]

+1 cheap lacquer thinner works good.
Murf

[Goatracer1]

gasoline also

[geeteeohguy]

The bright blue and red RTV silicone sealer that smells like vinegar are the two sealers to NOT use.

Stick with the ultra grey or black stuff and you'll have less leaks and no clogged oil galleys.

[PunchT37]

I use brake cleaner and clean cotton rags prior to new silicone/re- assembly.

[Dragncar]

Blue is the worst one.
Taking it off, a scrapper made from a chipper blade makes short work of it.

[64speed]

Yes blue is by far the worst and I did not know that till this debacle.

[MatthewKlein]

Can I ask what gasket you are using silicone on?

[Dragncar]

I stopped using RTV for most things after it let me down at the track. You have to let it dry and its not really intended for what most people use it for.
Permatex is and I use #2 for water pump and timing cover gaskets now.
You can use it on your thermostat housing and immediately go make a run.
About the only thing I use silicone on is where a big space has to be taken up or no gasket situations.
My Steffs pan has double scrappers so I could not use a gasket and used The Right Stuff only.
I would like to try using #2 and cork gasket with a stock pan. Bet it would work fine.

[Sirrotica]

For all the guys that scoff at using RTV, The engineers at Pontiac were one of the first manufacturers to use RTV.

In 1973 I bought a 69 GTO with a broken push rod, and disassembled it to reinstall the lifter in the bore, and replace the pushrod, as well as retrieve as much of the broken parts as possible from the top. I used to work at a Pontiac dealership while still in an auto mechanics Vo tech course on the Co Op program before graduating in 1970. I bought all my engine gaskets through the parts department so I only got the gaskets I needed, and not a lot of parts in a set that just got thrown in a drawer. It was much cheaper to buy GM gaskets you needed, than keep buying gasket sets, only to store all of the extra parts that you seldom needed.

When I got the attendant gaskets from the parts manager, he handed me a tube of black RTV with GM printed part number and label. I asked him what that was for? He tells me that Pontiac has superseded the valley cover gasket, and replaced it with this new fangled RTV stuff. That was my first encounter with RTV, and I liked the way it worked much better than the cork gaskets I was used to. Even if I have a valley cover gasket in the gasket set, I'll use RTV for the valley cover, I much prefer how it seals over the twisted up cork gaskets. that tend to slide, even when they're glued down. Also much easier to remove from the valley cover if you have occasion to remove it again.

Shortly after the RTV introduction, Pontiac/GM also started selling the neoprene valve cover gaskets, instead of the cork ones. Seems their engineers were looking at newer materials to seal their engines.

[Kenth]

This would be "the right stuff" RTV replacing the valley pan cork gasket!

[Sirrotica]

The early GMS was black, and later on they made another version that was red/orange color in the early 1980s with the advent of CCC (computer command control) that didn't foul the O2 sensors. The earlier formula didn't play well with O2 sensors.

[JSchmitz]

Never liked the blue RTV. Too hard and cracks and splits. Ultra Black all the way for me. I haven't given the grey a chance yet. Always heard good things about it.

[hurryinhoosier62]

Originally Posted by Sirrotica

For all the guys that scoff at using RTV, The engineers at Pontiac were one of the first manufacturers to use RTV.

In 1973 I bought a 69 GTO with a broken push rod, and disassembled it to reinstall the lifter in the bore, and replace the pushrod, as well as retrieve as much of the broken parts as possible from the top. I used to work at a Pontiac dealership while still in an auto mechanics Vo tech course on the Co Op program before graduating in 1970. I bought all my engine gaskets through the parts department so I only got the gaskets I needed, and not a lot of parts in a set that just got thrown in a drawer. It was much cheaper to buy GM gaskets you needed, than keep buying gasket sets, only to store all of the extra parts that you seldom needed.

When I got the attendant gaskets from the parts manager, he handed me a tube of black RTV with GM printed part number and label. I asked him what that was for? He tells me that Pontiac has superseded the valley cover gasket, and replaced it with this new fangled RTV stuff. That was my first encounter with RTV, and I liked the way it worked much better than the cork gaskets I was used to. Even if I have a valley cover gasket in the gasket set, I'll use RTV for the valley cover, I much prefer how it seals over the twisted up cork gaskets. that tend to slide, even when they're glued down. Also much easier to remove from the valley cover if you have occasion to remove it again.

Shortly after the RTV introduction, Pontiac/GM also started selling the neoprene valve cover gaskets, instead of the cork ones. Seems their engineers were looking at newer materials to seal their engines.

Brad, I have never used a lot of RTV. It does have its advantages over traditional gasket sealants, but I have always used Hylomar, Indian Head for and Gasgacinch with good results.

[Sirrotica]

Since I worked in a few GM dealerships, we line mechanics had little choice because in the 80s GM practically eliminated gaskets with RTV. Engines and transmissions only used GMS, and when we warrantied the cars, the parts department handed you a tube of GMS, not gaskets. When you do comebacks the second time for free, you learn to use RTV correctly. GM relented, and cut back on their use of RTV in their assemblies, and the gaskets made a comeback, mostly they replaced them with the crushproof steel core gaskets that limited how much torque can be applied.

Most people don't use it as per the directions, and when you don't follow the directions you can have a bad experience. Back when I first started twisting wrenches for pay (1969) there was no silicone sealers, and I've used all the other sealers you've mentioned too, that proceeded RTV.

I guess since I had to use RTV almost exclusively for a few years of twisting wrenches, I don't have the aversion to it, that some people do.