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Has anyone ever decided to get rid of the paper gaskets that you use for the oil sump and just use RTV? I have a hard time with getting the nuts on and tight with the machined cover. The studs are just simply too short for the whole stack. I stripped the first couple threads on the shorter stud. (the one that has a nut on the inside).

I found longer studs solved the problem. My local hardwaree store had the longer studs in stock. Mine were just screwed into the case.

That would probably be the best choice. I didn't know if the one with the nut could be changed without splitting the case. Maybe there is a way to hold it that I haven't figured out.

Heat up that 10mm wrench you found in the road a couple of years ago and make (yet again) a specialty tool you will probably use once.

RTV is a menace on any engine. Plenty of blown engines to prove it. Anaerobics, fine, they ONLY cure sandwiched between two metal surfaces and any excess washes away and dissolves. RTV, the excess flakes off and clogs your oil screen, oil passages, etc. On the sump, paper gasket plus Aviation Permatex, the non-hardening kind.

They make silicone gaskets you can buy for aircooled VWs instead of the paper gaskets. They work fine other than the stud length issue. Much cleaner than RTV.