Oil pan sealant

I purchased a 40K mile motor out of a wrecked '99 Cav (2.2) that sat for about two years. After a compresssion test (all cyls within a few pounds of 175#), I decided to pull the oil pan and look at the bearings. Pulling the pan was a nightmare. I assume the pan had previously been R & R'd, as there was no gasket. The sealant used seemed denser than any silicone RTV that I have ever seen. It also smelled more like rubber than silicone. It was not very pliable. It was a war to get the pan off. Now I have found this stuff in the front crank hub. Is silicone recommended for the crank hub?

Could this be the GM version of silicone that I have read about on other threads or perhaps some form of epoxy? What a pain.

Thanks,

That may have been the factory seal. A GM dealer should have the sealant in parts inventory. It now comes only in metal tubes instead of the older style 11 oz. caulk tubes.

Do you use a sealant rather than a gasket? I'm going to do my oil and filter change in the trans in a couple of weeks. I thought it was a gasket?

Most V-8 timing covers from GM since 1995 have no gasket, only sealant. Some oil pans and most rear axle housings are the same way.