Looking at the archives, I see things are split pretty near 50/50 in the 'dry gasket' vs. 'use something on it' debate, where the water pump gasket is concerned.

Some people warn against using even a small amount of RTV. Unfortunately, I can't get any of the acceptable alternatives (aviation sealants, etc.) they mention locally. So I figured I would go 'dry' but then I found THIS:

Permatex High Tack Spray-A-Gasket Sealant, 9 oz. Aerosol Can - Caswell Inc

Worthwhile?

Comments? Advice?

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Mac
2002 e320 4matic estate│1985 300d│1980 300td
Previous: 1979 & 1982 & 1983 300sd │ 1982 240d

“Let's take a drive into the middle of nowhere with a packet of Marlboro lights and talk about our lives.” ― Joseph Heller, Catch-22

of the thousands of water pumps I've installed, I always use yellow 3m weatherstrip adhesive on the water pump body, and set the gasket in place, letting it dry, then lightly coat the other side of the gasket with axle grease. 30 years this way, never had one leak, never had difficulty removing the waterpump when the seals fail a decade later...

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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
1987 300TD
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

Partly it depends on how good the sealing surfaces.

I have never put one on dry. I favor gasgacinch (a rubber cement that is thin enough to soak into gasket paper) or Permtex Copper Kote.

I had a bad experience with Silicone Sealant on a water Pump (note on a Mercedes). I had only wiped down the block with a clean Rag and there was a film of Oil on the Block. I used the Silicone Sealant and 3 months later I had a leak under the Sealing area of the Gasket. Water had rusted under the Silicon Sealant and caused a leak.

I learned that to use the Silicon Sealant everything needs to be degreased. When that is done the stuff actually glues itself to the surface.

The old School brown hardening or non-hardening Permatex in a tube is extremely reliable even on slightly Oily surfaces. However, it is a mess to clean up and use.

The liquidy brown Avation Gasket stuff also works but I don't like it as it is too thin and runny.
The Gasgachinch is not easy to find around here. If you have a Paper Gasket you can paint the Gasket with the Gasgachinch and let it dry. It soaks into the Paper Material and after coating it and letting it dry several times you sort of have a rubberized Paper Gasket to use.
You can also use it to stick the Gasket on to one surface.

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

The last one I did, I scraped the mating surfaces with a gasket scraper, cleaned with a clean rag and brake cleaner, let dry, and then used RTV on one side to hold the gasket in place during installation. So far, so good.

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Whoever said there's nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes never had a cheap Jaguar.

83 300D Turbo with manual conversion, early W126 vented front rotors and H4 headlights 400,xxx miles
08 Suzuki GSX-R600 M4 Slip-on 22,xxx miles
88 Jaguar XJS V12 94,xxx miles. Work in progress.

Thanks for the input, all. That thumping you hear far away is me banging my head on the keyboard... none of the products you mention is stocked here in Kanuckistan.

I finally found this at my hardware store... Permatex says it's aviation-safe and it isn't RTV/silicone:

Gasket Sealants : Permatex® Form-A-Gasket® No. 2 Sealant

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Mac
2002 e320 4matic estate│1985 300d│1980 300td
Previous: 1979 & 1982 & 1983 300sd │ 1982 240d

“Let's take a drive into the middle of nowhere with a packet of Marlboro lights and talk about our lives.” ― Joseph Heller, Catch-22

For at least 20 years, on every mating surface and the bolts of every cooling system I have touched, I have used Permatex High-Tack. Never once have I had a leak, or any trouble disassembling anything later. Despite the fact that you need a big pair of pliers to get the darn cap to unscrew every time you need it, it's just plain good stuff.

I always use the bottle with the built-in applicator, as opposed to the aerosol version. It just seems less messy to me.

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- K.C.Adams

'77 300D Euro Delivery
OM617 turbo / 4-speed swap
404 Milanbraun Metallic / 134 Dattel MB-Tex

Current status:
* Undergoing body work

My '77 300D progress thread

I think that is the Non-hardening Permatex I was speaking of. It will work fine; same as My Father used back in the 1950s and 1960s when I used to Help Him and He may still use it.

That one or the Hardening one would be My choice if I was installing a Freeze/Core Plug.

It also works on the threads of Plumbing Pipes if they are assemble dry.

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel