Homemade exhaust gasket question...yeah, I know!

Long story short, I have copper exhaust gaskets on order to replace my missing ones but I need to ride this weekend (with NEED being the operative word). Does anyone have a homemade cure that will get me through to FEDEX Tuesday with stuff available at a local autozone, wal-mart, grocery store, scrap pile, wife's underwear drawer or arts and crafts store?

I know it's hokey but when ya gotta ride, ya GOTTA ride!

Exhaust is a Kerker megaphone with collars that makes popcorn without gaskets! KZ650 C-1 zombie

going back into the 60's and 70's era bikes, many used a rope-type material - probably a woven asbestos - roughly 3/16" - 1/4" in diameter

i often make my own helmets and gloves out of old newspapers and boogers...

I've heard tell from others (Mark Wing IIRC) that the exhaust gaskets from the older VW's will work just fine, and can be had at most auto parts stores.

trianglelaguna wrote: i often make my own helmets and gloves out of old newspapers and boogers...

Copy-cat! :ohmy:


I posted a "how-to" thread on the exact same things last week! :woohoo:

P.S. The Sunday newspaper works best, just stay away from the glossy adverts because they tend to allow the boogers to slip off. :whistle:

Actually I remember my dad stuffing my helmet in the 70's with newspaper so it fit. I'm next door to a hangar right now and gonna see what they have in the asbestos department. They have gnarly tools too! I checked the VW parts and they're special order here.

I found myself in a similar situation a while back. Asked the same question, and got the same snarky answers. Here's what I did and it's still holding some 2000 miles later. Buy a roll of that aluminum foil tape: Foil Tape Click Me!!! Cut a bunch of 2"x2" squares, and trace the old exhaust gasket on the tape. Cut out the tape to this profile and peel the backing. Stack them up by adhering them to each other until you get a sufficient thickness to equal one of your other exhaust gaskets. Then stick the new aluminum multi-layer gasket to the head. The sticky backing makes it super easy. Finally, replace your exhaust and torque it down like normal.

This method will take you a good hour, but works a treat.

Now I make a practice of ordering a set of extra exhaust gaskets every time I get something from Z1 Enterprises. It's cheap insurance to prevent this problem in the future.

Thanks! The foil tape I have but for some strange reason asbestos is not an easy thing to get your hands on. I'll give that a try in the morning

gsnfl wrote: Thanks! The foil tape I have but for some strange reason asbestos is not an easy thing to get your hands on. I'll give that a try in the morning

asbestos isnt that hard to find,just look in any building with an old boiler in it! :woohoo:

"i often make my own helmets and gloves out of old newspapers and boogers... "..... :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

For a quick fix only.... I actually liked the rope idea...
Thin rope ~ 1/8" thick severly smothered in Permatex copper spray/gasket to keep it from burning and sealing may just work fine.... Be a hell of a lot easier to fab...

If you go this route "exhaust gaskets from the older VW's will work just fine".... Please report back on your findings for this would be good to know/confirm no doubt...

im guessing those old rope seals were packed with graphite or something like packing for plumbing valves

If you go this route "exhaust gaskets from the older VW's will work just fine".... Please report back on your findings for this would be good to know/confirm no doubt...[/quote]

I found that's easier to find genuine Kawasaki parts on a Friday night in Mayberry than it is old VW parts. I did get some Ptex copper and I'll try the rope trick. Thing is, that stuff is rated for an intermittent 700f. It's gotta be hotter than that isn't it?

By the way, Bob's actually made me weep with joy. I've never seen anything so glorious in my life and I'll be back at the end of the month with another empty suitcase!