Permatex on dome when Rutland is on the base??

GoooDawgs

Hey Guys,

I installed Permatex Ultra Copper on the base with a Rutland Gasket courtesy of RRP.  The alignment of my dome & base is pretty flush on the sides, with maybe 1/5" underbite in the front.  

I now have a minor smoke leak in the back, and after working for a couple hours on my alignment again, having someone push down on the dome while tightening the bands, I'm wondering if I should add a line of Permatex on the dome between 10-2 in hopes that it will fill that space in the back.

Is that a bad idea? Has anyone else done that?   Here are the pictures to show the alignment 

Thanks for your help

Darby_Crenshaw

You can make a gasket of only permatex, so a small area is probably fine too

i'd put a bond break on the rutland, squeeze the permatex, and shut the dome and let it set, if i were gonna do that

but i would first try to fix it by adjusting bands/hinges

bhedges1987

Weird looking hinges... 

GoooDawgs

bhedges1987 said:

Weird looking hinges... 

It's an XL.   Do they not look like they're installed correctly?  

bhedges1987

GoooDawgs said:

bhedges1987 said:

Weird looking hinges... 

It's an XL.   Do they not look like they're installed correctly?  

I don't have an XL so I'm not sure. My large and medium have different hinges. Didn't know the XL looked like that. 

RRP

Just mark the area where you are having that leak so you know exactly where it is. Then take a thin flat bladed putty knife and carefully work it under the Rutland and lift it up just enough so you and squirt some more Permatex under the lifted gasket. Then place the gasket back into the wet Permatex and close your dome. That will still need 24 hours to cure, but it should have built up your low spot and stop your leak.

dougcrann

On our XL'S it is absolutely critical that both bands have EXACTLY 1" between the top/bottom of top/bottom band ALL THE WAY around. PITA but I take the dome off to get it right...

dougcrann

Pictures FINALLY loaded...upper band looks like it is off some...

GoooDawgs

Finally figured it out.... the side hinges were too tight at the 2 pivot locations.  Any newbies with dome issues make sure you tighten the right bolts and don't just crank everything down!  Some bolts should be tightened and then backed off a 1/4 turn so they can allow the hinge to swing...

Thanks guys,

Toxarch

Glad you figured it out. From the title I thought maybe you were going to try the permatex gasket like on the nakedwhiz website. They did a bunch of permatex without any Rutland or anything. 

GoooDawgs

I wanted to bring this thread back for an update and to get your suggestions on my next steps.   I've been able to successfully align the base and dome so there is no overbite, however I'm not doing too well on the dollar bill test.   It's pretty tight in the front half, but not that great in the back.   Here's what I've done and I'd appreciate any other ideas.

1) Per RRP's instructions above, I added additional permatex underneath the back half of Rutland.

2) Loosened the top band, put quarters on the front half of the dome on either side of the handle (thinking that would add more pressure to the back) and tightened it back up.

3) Lastly, I re-loosened, got a ratchet strap and really pulled the base and dome tight together and then re-tightened the bands.

The alignment is still perfect, but I'm having a slow leak that annoys me - especially given that I just ordered my FB200 and will be doing a lot of low n slows.

I'm debating putting a nomex gasket, or even just a BGE replacement gasket on the dome as I'm looking for just more mass vs function.   Even if it burns out it would probably do the job to just seal up the back half. 

Any ideas?  Is it time to add the top gasket? 

RRP

I know a few people who have installed a dome gasket because there is still some leakage. Just keep in mind that the smoke leaks actually contain particles of creosote and the more it leaks the more your gasket will fill in to stop the leaking in time. If you do add a gasket then you will need to once again adjust your dome so that the planes are again in line. Otherwise your back will be tight but your front will stand open.

GoooDawgs

Good call RRP.  Guess I'll keep it going awhile longer before I mess with it in hopes that it builds up.   Thanks for the help! 

Ragtop99

I've got some leakage on my XL too.  When I use the FB 200, I don't have a problem even at 180* with the leakage being too much.  Just close down the DW.