1986 2m4
Just bought a rocker cover(top pan) cork gasket and it is the wrong one, I waited 3 weeks for that one. Can I use silicone or should I use a gasket?

You'll get people that will tell you that gasket is the way to go, and RTV, and both. Any one of the three will work if it's done right. Personally I've always used a gasket with a small amount of RTV and never had a leak. Depends on what you're comfortable with.

Like he said, its personal preference. Just dont over torque the bolts. As tight as you can get them wont work. Newer cars use RTV everywhere. I dont know if there are any gaskets on my Sebring except the head gasket. I never found one yet.

I've always found that cork gaskets and RTV are a bad combination. The RTV makes the gasket slick and it gets squeezed out from between the faces of the joint.
Last time I did my oil pan I used some black rtv like stuff, forget the exact name though, something like permaseal maybe. Seems pretty good.

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Anything I might say is probably worth what you paid for it, so treat it accordingly!

Dave

www.ltlfrari.com

for the 4 cyl, I found that use of permatex high tack sealant and a cork gasket worked best. The cork gasket had a metal center and was made by Victor Reinz. Anything else would leak over time. Also, make sure your valve cover is flat (mounting points) and let the sealant cure before starting the engine.