I threw away the factory foam type gasket awaw that came in the HL kit.I work in an auto shop so I used Permatex Ultra-Black to seal the shield,it's a h.d high temp rtv sealant.We use it all day long at the shop on cars and trucks.Alot of the newer cars and trucks use rtv instead of oil pan gaskets,valve covers,trans pans and thermostat's.This type of rtv does not blow out or leak,the key is to use a 1/4 inch silicone bead as the sealant and assemble fast and let it dry for a couple hours before adding fluids.My 04 foreman 450 with only 10 hours had alot of water signs inside the factory pullstart unit.The kit work good to eliminate water entering the lower end of the engine.Hope I could help,good luck!!!!!!!