Silicone for Gasket Material Instead of Paper (1 Viewer)

[Capitalguy]

I have a Canadian 3b, I am in the process of installing a turbo, I have replaced the original housing (oil filter faced up) that the oil filter spins onto, with a downwards facing one, which was taken off a used truck.
Prior to installation I cleaned both mating surfaces and used a new toyota paper gasket. When I started it up I got an oil leak dead center between the two top bolts, bolts are tight and I don't want to risk over torquing and possibly snapping something.
If I take it apart and remove the paper gasket, clean and reassemble using the proper silicone only, and in moderation, will this suffice or does it have to be a paper gasket only in this application?
Or am I just worried about nothing?

 

[kbushnz]

I don't particularly like silicone for gasket material. Especially on machined flat surfaces.
Normally factory gasket should suffice. However I have and use Loctite products with no issues to date with no gasket.

Loctite 574, 510, 548, 515, 518 Gasketing

Case in point, put a diff in and used High Temp RTV on faces.
Within two trips it had spat out the silicone and was leaking.
Diff breathers were clear.
Pulled it out, cleaned and reassembled with Loctite 510 from memory.
Been in 4 years plus, no leaks.

 

[Capitalguy]

Thanks for that, kbushnz, I'll go with an appropriate Loctite product to make up the gap, I just wanted to make sure there wasn't something mandatory about paper gaskets being used in this application.

 

[pradocruzer]

Your just worried about nothing. Silicone is fantastic stuff. I think the biggest fault is that the surfaces have to be completely clean of oil ect if not it tends to weep. It's like painting, all about the prep. I use a non oil based cleaner that leaves no residue like intake cleaner or brake clean(read the bottle) I have been using silicone for many years now some of the new styles of silicone are seriously intense. I like the permatex ultra black, grey gold ect. Don't use the cheap ones. There is a time and place to use a gasket instead of silicone. Sometimes a gasket is used for a shim and a sealer where as the silicone will squish too much. Silicone dose not like to be in contact with fuel. For your application silicone will work fine. Silicone dose well to flexing and vibration. Major down fall is the person applying it and if you put to much on it can squish and block off orifices that shouldn't be blocked off. More isn't always better but put enough to do the job. Most of the major manufactures these days all use silicone.
my 2 cents

Take Care

 

[Estancio]

Doubling up on paper gaskets also works sometimes.

 

[Capitalguy]

Thanks for putting my mind at ease guys, the older I get the more of a hypochondriac I become when it comes to my LC