Best Gasket Sealers To Fix That Leak

Once in awhile, your car gasket head will blow up and cause leakages when left unattended. Worse yet, this may occur when you don’t have the money to replace it with a new one or buy a new engine. Well, don’t worry. The market is filled with hundreds of gasket sealers that will provide a temporary but equally powerful solution to help prevent leaks from your gasket head.

Using the right gasket sealer will help protect your head from heat and corrosive substances which helps extend the life of the gasket head. When deciding which direction to go when it comes to gasket sealers, you have to carefully examine different categories of sealants and establish which one will meet your needs best.

We have brought you a comprehensive review of some of the best gasket sealers in the market from some of the most reputable brands out there. These products will go a long way in preventing leaks in your engine and help extend the life of the gasket head.

Top 10 Gasket Sealers of 2020 Reviewed

1. Fireblack 125 High Temp Black Gasket Seal

Best Self Stick Tape

If you need a great sealer for your smoker gasket then look no further than the Fireblack 125 gasket seal that measures a ½ by 1/8. The high-temperature gasket is designed to hold tightly even in high temperatures. It comes in a roll that measures 15 feet which provides you with enough self-stick adhesive for your smoker. So sticky is the adhesive that you will need a pair of scissors or a razor blade to cut the adhesive off from your gasket.

2. Permatex 81160 High-Temp Red RTV Silicone Gasket

Best Value

The Permatex 81160 RTV Silicone is designed for all your heavy-duty needs. It comes in 3 Oz tube and is designed for high-temperature applications. You can use it to replace cracked gaskets or cover pre-cut gaskets to increase reliability. It sets in nicely to form a gasket which can resist cracking and shrinking.

It works well in a temperature range of -65F and 650F. It boasts of great properties such as strong resistance to oil, awesome torque retention and sensor-safe properties. Some of the suggested applications for this gasket sealer is on valve covers, oil pans, water pumps and on the thermostat housing. It’s easy to use and takes about one hour to set.

3. Lavalock High Temp Nomex BBQ HT gasket smoker seal

Best BBQ Gasket Sealer

With the ability to withstand extremely high temperatures, this gasket seal will provide your head with the necessary protection even when it heats up. It’s made of High Opsy blended fibers that are flame retardant and denser compared to others found in the market. It boasts of a thick self-adhesive stick that holds tightly and doesn’t peel off. The grey self –stick comes with a warranty and instructions to guide you on how to use it. The self-stick adhesive is rated to withstand high temperatures of up to 800F.

4. Genuine Toyota Fluid Gasket Seal

Best Easy Set Sealer

The sealant is designed to easily set forming an elastic body that doesn’t get weakened by vibrations or impact. Once formed the elastic seal provides a sealant that can withstand an operating temperature of between -76°F and 482°F. The rubber body will also provide your gasket with protection against strong chemicals, engine oils, and coolants.

The sealant can be used on water pumps, valve covers, engine heads, and thermostat housing. It also boasts of a 5-minute tack free time. It comes in a 3 Oz tube which has enough liquid to form a substantial rubber body.

4. LavaLock Adhesive Gasket Sealer

LavaLock brings you this smoker seal that is designed to provide protection to BBQ gaskets. The gasket and adhesive kit measures ½ and 1/8 with a self-adhesive tape that is super sticky and holds tightly without peeling. The kit contains a 15 feet self-stick tape and a 3 Oz RTV which can withstand high temperatures of up to 650F. For installation, you just need to press and stick.

5. Steel Seal Blown Head Gasket Sealer

To quickly fix your blown head gasket, this sealer from Steel Seal will get the job done. The best thing is that you can easily pour it yourself to seal any cracked gasket heads. It can be used to repair 8 cylinder engines. You can also use it form gasket leaks, freeze plugs and heater cores.

6. Happyupcity Self Adhesive Gasket Foam

These foam liners are waterproof and self-adhesive to help seal and provide resistance to gaskets. They are made of PS and foam material which is non-toxic and odorless. Each pack contains 100 pieces of self-adhesive liners which are white in color. They are designed to act as inner seals through exerting pressure on solid products.

7. J-B Weld 32925 Ultimate Copper Gasket Sealant

Best Copper Sealant

Copper sealants provide great sealing properties and the 32925 Copper Gasket Sealant from J-B Weld is no exception. It contains an RTV silicone material that works well in high temperatures of 550º F or 650º F. It works on a variety of surfaces even on moist surfaces where it forms a strong waterproof seal. It’s sensor safe and will resist cracking or shrinking. It’s also diverse in its use since you can use it in various industries such as the automobile, metal industry, exhaust manifolds and on oven doors. 

8. Bar’s Leaks 1111 Head Gasket Fix

Bar Leaks boasts of over seventy years of experience in helping car owners repair leaks from gasket heads in a matter of minutes. Their 1111 gasket fix is designed to help block leaks within one hour in one easy step. It combines an antifreeze sodium silicate that forms a strong seal.

The sealing solution is fast, cheap and highly effective. It hardens to prevent small particles to penetrate through cracks. The product has been developed by top-notch engineers who continuously work to input new technologies that will improve the product greatly to meet the market demands.

9. Permatex 81878 Ultra Copper Maximum Gasket Sealer

One of the most recognized names when it comes to gasket sealers is Permatex which has set high standards for gasket sealants. The 81878 Ultra Copper Gasket sealer is on a class of its own and is one of the brand’s high temperatures RTV silicone sealers. It works well on high performance or turbocharged engines. It has a temperature rating of up to 700 degrees with sensor safe properties.

It can work on a number of items including water pumps, timing covers, thermostat housings, valve covers, and oil pans. The silicone is said to be three times more resistant to fluids compared to the other available in the market. You can get it in a 3-ounce tube or a pack of 12 with tubes of 3 ounces.

How to Choose the Best Gasket Sealers: The Ultimate Buying Guide

Gaskets often blow up due to too much heat or due to a mechanical failure. Once this happens, you may get worried since replacing the gasket head or the engine all together doesn’t come cheap. However, you don’t have to worry about digging deeper into your pockets when the gasket blows up or cracks. You can easily and quickly repair it using one of the many types of sealers available in the market.

Types of Gasket Sealers

The market has a wide variety of sealants and you have to find out which one adequately meets your needs. Let’s explore some of the different types of sealants that you can find in the market.

Shellac

Designed to seal for thin paper or cardboard boxes, this type of sealant works best where there’s low temperatures or low pressure. It has resistance to engine fluids and is mostly used in mounting thermostats and differential cover gaskets. Please note that it won’t work well in temperatures above 350F. They are pretty easy to clean up since they aren’t resistant to the majority of the shop chemicals.

Copper Gasket Sealer

It’s available in a tube or aerosol form and is fast drying. It has a metal component that helps dissipate heat and ensure even heat transfer around the gasket area. You can also use it as a positive seal to help fill up cracked metallic areas. With a temperature rating of 500F, you can use it for cylinder heads and exhaust gaskets. It also cleans up easily.

RTV Silicone Sealants

It’s easily spreadable using a tube, aerosol type cans, and caulk-gun cartridges. You can use the silicone seal as a gasket itself at room temperature. Most have a rating of up to 500F but others can go as high as 650F or 750F. There’s also Ultra-RTV sealant which is specially designed for modern cars that are electrically controlled.

Form A Gasket Sealers

Here, there are two types where one comprises of fast drying and fast hardening sealants while the second type is slow drying and non-hardening sealants. Both types have a temperature rating of up to 400 degrees. Type one of these sealants is mostly used to seal applications that may never require your attention again. This second type works best with cork gaskets or oil pan gaskets.

High Tack

This is a non-drying sealant that is available in tubes and can hold well in temperatures of up to 500 degrees. It’s quite sticky and efficiently resists kerosene and diesel fuels.

Anaerobic sealants

Usually red in color, these sealants are designed to be used where external air may not be available to help with the drying process. Originally, they were created to meet the requirements of non-corrosive gasket makers, especially in metal to metal applications. They are extremely handy when it comes to by the roadside quick repairs.

Hylomar

This is the latest type of gasket sealer to hit the market and is composed of a polyester urethane-based compound which can withstand high temperatures of 500 degrees and doesn’t harden. If you are constantly making adjustments, you can opt for this type of sealant since it doesn’t set and is perfect for reassembly.

When stepping out to shop for a gasket sealer, you can pick from the above types the one that is most suitable for your needs.

Conclusion

Gasket sealers are handy things to have especially if you own an automobile. We hope that this review has shed some insight on the best gasket sealers available in the market. By understanding the different types available and picking the ideal one for your needs, you will never have to worry about a blown or cracked gasket again.