How to Put Vaseline on Head Gaskets

Gaskets are designed to make a tight fit between two metal structures that aren't directly attached, preventing leaks from any hydraulic systems traveling through the metal joint. For internal combustion engines, head gaskets help seal the small gap between the cylinder head and housing flange to discourage any coolant leaks. If coolant leaks appear in an engine cylinder but the head gasket is not blown, a one coat application of Vaseline to your head gasket will help the gasket adhere to the cylinder head and further improve coolant leakage protection.

Instructions

Let your vehicle sit for at least three hours without operating to ensure that the engine will be cool when you begin work.

Remove fixtures from your vehicle until you can access your vehicle's engine. Reference the vehicle's service manual to find model-specific instructions about accessing the engine. Head gaskets are used in many different styles of engines, and different vehicle styles will have different engine access procedures. Make sure you have some common hand tools available for removing fixtures, such as a socket wrench with a set of wrench bits or a pair of pliers.

Isolate your engine's filter by operating the proper isolation or cutoff valves on the engine filter.

Open your engine's drain valve and drain all of the engine oil into an oil drain pan. If your engine has a vent valve, open that to vent the engine's interior. Allow the interior to vent for about 30 minutes.

Dismantle your engine until you reveal both the cylinder head and the housing flange. Reference your vehicle's service manual for instructions about revealing the engine cylinder. This may involve removing a variety of bolts, nuts and fixtures such as belts or hoses. Use appropriately sized wrench bits; you may need to contact your vehicle's manufacturer if you require a specialty socket bit.

Loosen all bolts securing the cylinder head to the housing flange. Remove the bolts and the cylinder head to reveal the head gasket.

Place a small amount of Vaseline on the tip of the index finger on your dominant hand. Apply a light coating of Vaseline across the top of the head gasket.

Replace the cylinder head atop the housing flange and secure it in place with the bolts you removed.

Replace all fixtures and metal fasteners that you removed when dismantling your engine. Make sure to work backwards through the steps so that all fixtures are reattached in the proper order.

Shut off all drain and vent valves on your engine. Open the oil cap on your engine and fill the engine with fresh engine oil. Open the filter cutoff valves that you closed.

Replace any fixtures removed from the engine area of your vehicle. Again, work backwards through the process to remove fixtures, referencing your vehicle's service manual if necessary.

Close the car hood. Operate your engine in a neutral gear for a few moments before the next time you drive to help the engine oil disperse throughout the engine.