I was a blue silicone lover when I was a teenager. Now, just about any engine I build/work on (unless it's been scored/scratched/ruined by a meaball) I rarely use any silicone at all. Silicone works great on threaded tapered connections like your air compressor fittings. Aside from that, I only use it when I see a screwdriver gouge on a side case cover.

I'm a big fan of using grease on my gaskets (aside from the head and cylinder base gasket) and I like using 3bond or Yamabond on all my rocker boxes.........

OT - But, one of the biggest mistakes is when people use silicone on automatic transmissions during an oil and filter change which require the pan to be dropped. If ANY of that silicone breaks loose, it gets in the valve body and thats the end of that transmission.

Silicone has it's place, just not at MY place, Happy New Year guys!!