Home-Made Gasket Question

#1
Anyone have luck making their own gaskets using gasket paper. I am sick of ordering gaskets from a local dealer, waiting and sometimes not ending up with the right gasket. I see no reason why I cant get some gasket paper and make an intake manifold gasket.


I am sure the gasket paper would not hold up on the exhaust side. Has anyone made their own muffler gasket and, if so, what material did you use.

Your thoughts please,
Thanks
 
#2
old kits obsolete kits

Hey Now!

Hey Bronc .. I have to tap out gaskets regularly on trucks in my occupation. Watch out with paper as it tends to compress and doesn't like vibration (scorches at alot lower temp than GM and will blow easily with oil pressure).:frown:
If the part to gasket is stout and sharp enough a 4 oz ball peen hammer will tap them out nicely. If fragile use a pen and exacto knife .... be careful!...:eek: We have an array of gasket material thicknesses at the shop and most of the same materials are available at your closest auto parts.

As for exhaust .... I don't like using bulk material too nasty... While at the parts house ask for any loose, partial, or obsolete gasket sets ... you can usually find some for really cheap and many have exhaust flange sets that can easily be chopped to fit many applications!

Hope this helps... :wink:

Keep On Ridin' :scooter:
 

125ccCrazy

Well-Known Member
#4
I have been making intake gaskets and various other gaskets for engines EXCLUDING exhaust and head gaskets from cereal boxes and Hot Wheel cards since I was a kid... I prefer to spray them with copper coat gasket spray, I've yet to have a leak....

Now as far as exhaust gaskets, you can buy sheets of exhaust gasket (header gasket) material made by Mr Gasket, it comes in a 12"x12" and
6"x24" sheets... I just purchased a couple myself for making exhaust gaskets.... This is the same material they use to make header gaskets for cars and trucks.... MR GASKET # 77A EXHAUST GASKET MATERIAL 6" X 24" :eBay Motors (item 370226948039 end time Jan-04-10 17:07:47 PST)
This could be used for intakes as well I suppose... an old trick with header gaskets is to soak the gaket in water before installing it, this helps it conform to the head and header.... We used to do that back in the day with headers on small block Chevys since they were notorious for leaking mainly due to qaulity of the headers or lack of..."Black Jack, Cyclone, Mr Gasket ect"
 
#5
125ccCrazy,

As a rule I also use copper spray on my gaskets for added sealing power.

I will get a sheet of the Mr. Gasket stuff.

Thanks,
The Bronc
 
#6
I have used the rolled gasket material for intakes and other applications. I have also used 1/16 inch copper sheet to make exhuast gaskets on they have work out good on my minibikes and can be reuesed.
 
#7
i have a dirtbike that the head gasket is well over a 100 bucks i took a corn flakes box and some copper sheets and made one i used hi temp gasket make to stick the copper on both sides of the box and it has been working fine
 
#9
I used a shoe box to make my gasket for the piston cylinder to crankcase flange. worked wonderfully!

I do like the idea of copper glued to cornflake box material!!

Now that is thinking out side the box!

Good Job!
 
#11
For intake and exhaust gaskets I clean the surfaces really well with paint thinner keep cleaning until they wont make a white paper with paint thinner dirty, then make sure they are flat and just apply a THIN layer of silicon spread it out with your finger not a bead and bolt together and I haven't ever had a leak doing that yet. It's not like there is a huge amount of pressure on the exhaust when you are running an open header.
 
#13
I make gaskets more often than I buy them...

The cost savings is tremendous...

One tip I have is to make a few hole punches from scrap tubing...just sharpen around the edge...makes perfectly round holes in whatever size you need.
 

maddcarson

Active Member
#15
my dad said he used to use cereal box cardboard as gaskets on his cars wen he was younger. i think it should work cause small engines dont usually run hoter than a hard driven barracuda. :smile: its a nice car
 

oldfatguy

Active Member
#16
harbor freight sells a hollow punch set that works great for punching holes in gaskets from 1/4 to 1 inch. I even used it in a hydraulic press to cut thick rubber .
 
#17
We used to have sheets of that stuff, and a "hole cutter" basically a handle with different "heads" you could use to "center punch" holes.

the way we made gaskets for something like an intake would be to cut a piece of gasket material a bit larger than the gasket surface (use tinsnips to size)

Take a small ball pin hammer and tap over the opeinings (leaves divits where the holes will be.

Take the gasket material to a work surface (vice or anvil or hardwood block, and using the hole punch, cu tthe circle out for the bolt holes.

works surprisingly well, and also tap around th e"flange" or area to give a really good inpression of the final shape, and trim to fit with the snips.
 
#18
When I was a kid, I had 2 minis and a tote gote, I also worked on mowers and such for the family. I had no access to parts stores, I used cereal boxes for everything. I remember once, I did have a leak, either the head, or the carb must have been warped or uneven, so I had to use 2 cereal box gaskets... problem solved. :hammer:
 
#19
I make gaskets more often than I buy them...

The cost savings is tremendous...

One tip I have is to make a few hole punches from scrap tubing...just sharpen around the edge...makes perfectly round holes in whatever size you need.
I also use Spent Bullet shells, as punches.
 
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