Removed Oil Cooler and filter housing to replace gaskets and install new oil cooler. I see mixed feedback online regarding the use of RTV on the gaskets and have read many positive reviews on Yamabond.

I would like to get the install right first time, I have all torque specifications so my questions are would you use a sealer like Yamabond sparingly or just install and torque new gaskets with no sealer? Or would you grease the gasket at all to perhaps seat it better and hopefully prevent it pinching?

 

Do not use anything - the gaskets are designed to work without any additional sealant.
In fact, using RTV (or yamabond) incorrectly can cause pieces of cured RTV to come loose and clog oil galleys which can destroy the engine. Not saying it's guaranteed to happen, but it can happen.

 

Cheers thanks for the advice, I was very hesitant on the RTV and hope the slow leak will be resolved although I noticed another small leak today from the cam sensor.

 

Are leaks in this area common? My '05 MCS has just started leaking around here, and I'm thinking that its the oil cooler as I have no oil around the filter housing (the one that holds the filter itself). At 193k miles things are starting to fail one by one , as soon as I get one thing fixed, another pops up.

 

It is common. The gaskets for the cooler are a little fiddly but not too difficult to replace.