Gaskets ... to buy or make?

So the OEM Kawasaki gaskets are apparently the best (which makes sense), but how do (this may be blasphemy, but hey) homemade gaskets fair in 80's Kawasaki engines? I'm talking about getting a roll of gasket material from napa or similar and carefully cutting out the replacement.

Will these work, or just leak like crazy? Are they suitable for some areas and not others?

A good copper/copper ringed head gasket is a must (obviously), but for everything else, I use gasket maker.

Base gasket Loctite 1194, Permatex black for everything else.

If you apply it very thinly (jsut enough to creat small peaks if you tap it with your finger) to both pieces being assembled, you will never have a leak through it, and it doesnt get into anywhere it isnt supposed to cause it dont ooze out everywhere.

You can use any ugly paper gaskets you like, jsut remember to apply a thin film of greese to the gasket first.

TeK9iNe wrote: A good copper/copper ringed head gasket is a must (obviously), but for everything else, I use gasket maker.

Base gasket Loctite 1104, Permatex black for everything else.

If you apply it very thinly (jsut enough to creat small peaks if you tap it with your finger) to both pieces being assembled, you will never have a leak through it, and it doesnt get into anywhere it isnt supposed to cause it dont ooze out everywhere.

You can use any ugly paper gaskets you like, jsut remember to apply a thin film of greese to the gasket first.

I'm sure you find that method works ok or you wouldn't do it or recommend it, but it sounds like a pain dealing with the gasket maker and old residue every time you pull a cam cover, ignition cover, cam chain tensioner, etc. I just use the normal OEM gaskets with no sealer, grease, or anything, I put them on dry, and the covers come off and go back on re-using the same gaskets no muss/no fuss. Been doing it this way for many years with no leaks. The only place I use sealer on the gasket is on the small area on the clutch cover where the manual recommends it. Ed

Actually, the liquid gasket when applied as I've mentioned has exactly the same reusability of the paper. Just pull them apart as needed. When re-assembling smear a thin bead of greese on the gasket and seal back up - no leaks!

If you feel the need to remove the old gasket - then simply grab one edge and pull the whole thing off like a rubber ring, then apply new gasket.

WAAAYYY easier to remove than old dried up paper gaskets, even after thousands of miles/many years of use.

I made a bunch of gaskets from the Auto Zone materiel which is "Interface Solutions" marked N8904 on the back. It's 1/32" thick oil resistant. You can use it for base gasket, oil pan, valve cover, side cover, etc. Use only a good OEM head gasket.

Some new car makers assemble engines/trans covers using only "RTV" type sealer, but it's a lot stronger than the typical gasket stuff in Pep Boys and they use a lot of it. I would never leave out the gasket because it may affect spacing/clearances.

I've made clutch cover, ignition cover, alternator cover, and valve cover gaskets from gasket rolls with no problems. If you put a super thin layer of antiseize on them, you can use them over and over.

Sweet

And in terms of technique for making gaskets? I've seen some websites detail a method that involves placing the material on the face and tapping around the edges with a hammer, cutting the outline on the sharp machined edge. Errrr ... I'd like to keep hammers away from the finely machined parts of my bike.

So what are the other options? Seen some which involve placing the paper on the face, making a pencil rubbing and cutting it out, others where the faces are coated with a tiny amount of used oil or ink and the paper placed on there to leave the outline and again cut out, etc.

Anyone got a good, non-destructive technique? Once I have the patterns, I plan to scan them and keep digital traces of the various gaskets. That way I can simply print them off in the future

I make my own gaskets from that bulk material all the time. Trace the sealing surface onto the gasket material with a sharp pencil. Cut the line with scissors/razor knife, and trim as necessary. I consider myself lucky that I inherited a handheld punch from my dearly departed father. It makes knocking out the screw holes a breeze. I usually order the correct gasket when planning for a project since I value my time, but in a pinch I won't hesitate to roll my own.

testarossa wrote: ...but in a pinch I won't hesitate to roll my own.

Did your mind drift off subject just a little there? :whistle:

:lol:

Before somebody decides to go with only the "gasket maker" stuff in the tube, be advised some of the stuff is bad. Even big name brands put out batches that don't cure. Over my life, I have gotten three tubes that did not cure regardless of what you do. It stays the consistency of wet chewing gum.

One was a tube of clear silicone rubber sealer to seal a leaking rear window on a hatchback. Spent about an hour squeezing it down into the gaps.... next day realized it had not cured.... and never did. Contacted the manufacturer and they said: "Yeah, sometimes that happens. Send it in and we'll send you a new tube."

Sure, I want another tube of that crap. It took me about six hours to scrape and clean all that garbage out of the window edges and in the rubber seal.

I have also gotten two different bad tubes of RTV gasket maker (one red, one blue).

Imagine putting your engine together and realizing the stuff won't cure.:ohmy:

So will the squeezed-in-place gasket sealer rubber gasket have issues with clearances? i.e. does the engine need the thickeness of a paper gasket?

And are the metal head gaskets reusable? Very broad question I guess ... assuming the gasket comes off looking reasonably clean and undamaged, can it be reused ... or should one always buy a new one?

Archiddeon wrote: So will the squeezed-in-place gasket sealer rubber gasket have issues with clearances? i.e. does the engine need the thickeness of a paper gasket?

And are the metal head gaskets reusable? Very broad question I guess ... assuming the gasket comes off looking reasonably clean and undamaged, can it be reused ... or should one always buy a new one?

I'd say the only place where you might have a clearance issue is the piston to head clearance and that should not be becouse you should use the same thickness gasket at the base for the proper squish of the oil passage o-rings. Always use a new head gasket and o-rings for the oil passages, anything less is inviting leaks. All else is at your descression. but may or may not leak depending how it is treated.