Starter sealing compound?

[meowdmucker]

Bentley's says to 'apply a good sealing compound around the starter opening in the clutch housing'. Do others do this and if so what do you use please?

 

[noddy]

Hylomar is a good general purpose sealant but domestic silicon should work in this application.

 

[meowdmucker]

Thanks for that but what purpose does the sealant have I wonder? The starter I took off didn't appear to be sealed?

 

[Cali_bay]

Put a new starter on my bus the other evening, the old one was a bit 'will she won't she start'.

Anyway I used the Bentley manual and wondered the same thing. The only thing I could think of was to stop water getting in. So I just used some Stag Wellseal, also great for engine seals.