paper gaskets

[jayguy]

i am performing an overhaul on a recip compressor. i have heard people say to lightly oil the gaskets to soaking the gaskets in a bucket of oil over night to installing them dry. i have never seen a factory compressor appear to have oiled their paper gaskets.

what are your thoughts/stories?

[supertek65]

I have always lightly lubricated the gaskets.
Never had a problem.
Frank

[jogas]

I've always oiled them with the type oil used in the compressor I'm working on.
If you clean the surfaces and torque properly, you should have no problem.
Always use new gaskets.
jogas

[rimek]

I've never soaked them overnight, right when you get to the jobsite and are setting up, just put some of the system oil into the plastic pouch they come in and smoosh it around to get all the surfaces oiled, and then start disassembly and cleaning. By the time you're ready, so are they.

[absrbrtek]

I have always been under the impression "A dry gasket is a happy gasket". However on certain gaskets I will use never seize. I have never oiled gaskets unless the manufacturer specificaly stated it in the instructions.

[turboskull]

I have always oiled my gaskets,the one time I did not was on a Carrier 5H120 compressor and I had to pull off all 6 heads,discharge manifold etc,because of leaky gaskets,lesson learned.

[hands]

I always oil gaskets, I keep a small spray bottle with refrigerant oil in it and spray it on the new gaskets. When I was in Upgrade school, one of the instructors who was a chiller tech with York said that he always uses a oil and graphite mixture that he mixes himself. I have also heard of guys using Never-Seize, even on refrigeration gaskets.

[jogas]

I always oil gaskets, I keep a small spray bottle with refrigerant oil in it and spray it on the new gaskets. When I was in Upgrade school, one of the instructors who was a chiller tech with York said that he always uses a oil and graphite mixture that he mixes himself. I have also heard of guys using Never-Seize, even on refrigeration gaskets.

I don't understand the use of never-seize. If you coat the gasket with oil, it will reduce it sticking to the metal. This is why I never put my gaskets on dry, they end up baking to the metal surface and there is a lot more scraping involved when they are replaced. Also, I'd be concerned if any never-seize got into any device, like a diaphragm operated solenoid's porting or an unloader mechanism. I think oil is the safest, IMHO.
jogas

[dutchcool]

i am performing an overhaul on a recip compressor. i have heard people say to lightly oil the gaskets to soaking the gaskets in a bucket of oil over night to installing them dry. i have never seen a factory compressor appear to have oiled their paper gaskets.

what are your thoughts/stories?

OIL,
will keep the gasket better on its place, and once you need to remove it it [ hopefully ] will be less sticky. Howe ever be careful with contaminating the compressor oil !



http://www.hvac-talk.com/vbb/showthr...=gasket+cutter

[absrbrtek]

A never seized gasket will pull right off after years of being in place, no scraping is needed. I usually put the never seize on, then wipe it down with a rag so its just a slight coating. I have never experienced the never sieze creating any problems within a system. JMHO

I don't understand the use of never-seize. If you coat the gasket with oil, it will reduce it sticking to the metal. This is why I never put my gaskets on dry, they end up baking to the metal surface and there is a lot more scraping involved when they are replaced. Also, I'd be concerned if any never-seize got into any device, like a diaphragm operated solenoid's porting or an unloader mechanism. I think oil is the safest, IMHO.
jogas

[jayguy]

i would think that the anti-seize would show up in the oil analysis and/or refrigerant analysis. i have heard of some types of machines where a tear down was almost performed because of some anti-seize on a bolt that got into the machine. it made them think that some excessive wear was happening. i know that many (most?) anti-seize chemicals have aluminum, copper, zinc, etc. in them just like the machine. have you ever experienced this happening?

[fordrules]

I usually soak the gasket but if I'm short on time i'll take and apply oil on both sides so it soaks in. I've never had a problem. Make sure to use the same oil in the system and remember that most oils are hydroscopic.

[chiller mekanik]

I prefer to coat garlock type gaskets with Dow Corning 111 vacuum grease.

Its clean & somewhat tacky, holds a vertical gasket in place very well.

Also allows for removal of gasket later with less fuss.

If I don't have vacuum grease, I'll just use grease.

My only problem with the oil coating is containment.
In other words, the vacuum grease goes only where I put it.

I've been using the grease for many years with no problems.