Push rod tube seals, any sealent required? Options

[914rat]

I pulled my heads and will replace the tube seals was wondering if there is anything I should put on the seals besides some oil?

[Jake Raby]

I have applied them in the conventional manner as mentioned here, but have also applied various sealants to them during install.

In some applications I have found the necessity to use sealant and my choice for this is Loctite 565 as it remains flexible and is a super slippery Teflon based product.

I use this for engines that will be operated in very adverse conditions, or where the tube could become dislodged during operation, creating a leak. I have also used it as simply an added bit of insurance during the assembly of both street and race engines.

I have found this sealant to be VERY helpful when using fully synthetic oils that have a tendency to weep by the pushrod tube seals when installed as prescribed without sealant.

I did this to the engine in my 912E and after 160K miles its still bone dry and has used synthetic oil since day one, with as much as a 23,000 mile drain interval. I've never changed the oil in that engine at less than 10K miles and it still doesn't leak. The oil thats in it now has been there since 2008 :-) Bone Dry.