hydraulic lift top cover gasket sealer?

ratface

Member
Hi, I am replacing my cylinder and piston in the top hydraulic cover and was watching the Rachael Gingall YouTube video on
servicing the top half. She uses a red gasket sealer on one side of the top cover gasket. Searched the archives and it seems
most say not to use any sealer because the high pressure will ruin it anyway, which is correct? I did see that Permatex #1 was
recommended on the cylinder bolts because oil flows there, is that correct?
 
I probably got the following information from someone on this forum but my memory fails me as to the exact source: Paper or cardboard gaskets are never to be "glued" to either mating surface. The reason is if you glue the gasket to the metal surface with modern gasket material it eventually fails due to the paper pulling apart between the two layers of cured gasket material, (It needs to move). The only two products recommended for paper/cardboard gaskets are either shellac or Permatex 2. The shellac just holds the gasket in place for assembly, same as grease. The Permatex 2 does not cure and it stays pliable. I personally used the shellac on all new gaskets. I did try the Permatex 2 in one place, with new gaskets, on the valve side covers just because the fit was not the best. Thought I needed a little "filler" to help seal the oil leaks. Time will tell how well the Permatex 2 works.
Joe
 
(quoted from post at 08:44:08 04/01/20) Permatex Blue is fine. What high pressure is there?

As Dean said, the lift cover gasket seals hydraulic pressure between the stand pipe and the top cover. The N series does not use an O-Ring there, as does the later series tractors.

There really is no need for sealer anyway. There will never be oil around the mating surfaces, other than some splash. If you're concerned about water getting in there, it won't through the mating surfaces. You could use some sealer on the threaded portion of the outer bolts if wanted, but again, not really necessary.
 
I used just grease to hold the gasket in place. I must say getting the old gasket off was a bear, don't know what they used on it but it was on good. Getting the top lid cover back on was also challenging as I tried too use an engine hoist to slowly lower it in place using some cut off bolts to aim for. Didn't work so good as it got hung up on the bolts. It also didn't help that I was alone, luckily a neighbor stopped by at just the right moment to work the cherry picker jack. Replacing the cylinder, piston and relief valve solved my issues and now they stay up overnight instead of leaking down immediately. I think the best way to get that lid back on is most likely with five hands as someone has to guide that lever into it's hole down below.
 
(quoted from post at 16:50:15 04/03/20) I used just grease to hold the gasket in place. I must say getting the old gasket off was a bear, don't know what they used on it but it was on good. Getting the top lid cover back on was also challenging as I tried too use an engine hoist to slowly lower it in place using some cut off bolts to aim for. Didn't work so good as it got hung up on the bolts. It also didn't help that I was alone, luckily a neighbor stopped by at just the right moment to work the cherry picker jack. Replacing the cylinder, piston and relief valve solved my issues and now they stay up overnight instead of leaking down immediately. I think the best way to get that lid back on is most likely with five hands as someone has to guide that lever into it's hole down below.

As you say "putting the top lid back on is challenging"- I'll go along with that, especially when your by yourself. I used a chain fall hanging from a beam in the barn and this bracket bolted to the lid to center the weight in both directions. Still wasn't easy.

mvphoto51836.jpg
 

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