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Message started by Yonuh Adisi on 12/29/08 at 19:46:53

Title: Making own engine cover gaskets
Post by Yonuh Adisi on 12/29/08 at 19:46:53

I just made a set of engine cover gaskets out of an old car inner tube. Not complete yet, still need to punch the bolt holes, but this is what I have done so far.

First get an old car tube and cut large enough sections out of it. Since the tube won't actually lay flat, I used some plyboard to stretch them out as flat as I could, and using a sharpie, I traced the design onto the tube pieces, using either the old gaskets or the covers themselves as the templates.

Once you have traced the inside and outside of the gasket, trace all bolt holes and oil passages. Then cut them out using scissors, be very careful and only take small bites out of the material so you don't over cut and have to start again.

Home made gasket on the right
http://c4.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/31/l_bdf1fe2cb1434072a966ce843928aff7.jpg

Home made gasket on the right
http://c2.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/32/l_3f87818344784aa188f0dd9dff832e25.jpg

Home made gasket setting on engine cover right side
http://c4.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/8/l_d396247f50904ef0b1908560cd341303.jpg

Home made gasket setting on engine cover left side
http://c3.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/33/l_e460153090c84834ac3bbe7141d3211a.jpg

Both covers with home made gaskets setting on them
http://c1.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/47/l_c48ef9265fa04501bb824ae80e5b026c.jpg

Where I cut them out of
http://c4.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/50/l_4f7424db52bb41fabb53052e0e2c249b.jpg

Like I said, I still need to punch the bolt holes.

Title: Re: Making own engine cover gaskets
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 12/29/08 at 22:30:08

I'm impressed. Thats not easy stuff & youve done a good lookin job. Harbor Freight has some way cheap hole punches. Till I got them I was using 1/4" deep sockets Id sharpened on the Grench Binder.

Title: Re: Making own engine cover gaskets
Post by Bear on 12/29/08 at 23:16:06

Gasket hole punches can be made from shell casings. 45 auto is fairly large, 38 special a little smaller, 30-06 smaller yet, then .270 and .223. You can sharpen the edge if necessary. Put gasket on a wooden block and tap with a small hammer ....hint - NO LIVE PRIMERS.

Title: Re: Making own engine cover gaskets
Post by BurnPgh on 12/29/08 at 23:51:51

Id be worried oil from the engine would slowly eat away at the rubber. I assume purchased gaskets are oil resistant. Im not so sure about old car innertubes.

Title: Re: Making own engine cover gaskets
Post by T Mack 1 on 12/30/08 at 05:49:40

Yonuh Adisi,
Don't do it!!!!! It sounds like a great idea but......from my Jeep'in days, rubber gasket push out when you tighten down the bolts. Oil goes everywhere. (trust me.... :-? )

Here how you make your own gaskets. Three things you need, scissors, a rubberr hammer & a maniliia folders (from an office supply store, or one of the ones they throw out at work..... ).

1) "Rough cut" the folder to fit over anything protruding the cover.
2) After you can hold it flat up against the cover, take the rubber hammer and tap on the folder where it meets the cover. This will make a nice impression on the folder.
3), two choices now: a) take scissors and cut out the gasket. b) take hammer and hold at an angle and tap again, so that you hit the edge of the cover and that should cut the paper (note: got to hold it really still when doing this).

Remember to use gasket sealer.

T Mack

EDIT, also remember that the clutch adjustment would be affected by the thicker gasket and you might not have much release.

Title: Re: Making own engine cover gaskets
Post by Oldfeller on 12/30/08 at 06:11:09

These are good tricks when a bought gasket isn't available. You can also use them with roll gasket material you buy from an auto parts store.

If you use a stiff setting gasket sealer on the case side and no gasket sealer on the motor side the gasket will stick with the cover upon reassembly / disassembly (and if you use proper torque values evenly applied the gasket will not move as it is held in place by the hard setting adhesive).

Caution on the clutch side case cover -- increases in gasket thickness play for/against your total clutch adjustment range that currently determines our "clutch life".

Inner tubes are made from butyl rubber compounds which are noted for being relatively impervious to air penetration. No "natural rubbers" other than bunta-n compounds are noted for oil resistance over time and hard experience from all of us say that they get hard over time when exposed to heat. Yet they rubber impregnate natural cork material to make the upscale roll gasket materials -- go figure.

I have used inner tube gaskets in the past when I was young and very broke. One was very successful, most probably because I didn't over-crush it. Tighten the case down with a torque wrench to a light minimum side value and tell us how it goes.

Title: Re: Making own engine cover gaskets
Post by Kropatchek on 12/30/08 at 07:25:29

Gaskets made of rubber? You must be joking! Happy leaking! ;D

Title: Re: Making own engine cover gaskets
Post by verslagen1 on 12/30/08 at 07:37:56

I'd worry about the thickness of the material.
As in both sides hold parts inbetween the engine case and cover.

Title: Re: Making own engine cover gaskets
Post by Yonuh Adisi on 12/30/08 at 10:31:57

So most of ya'll are saying that I spent three hours tracing and cutting for nothing? >:( >:( >:(

Title: Re: Making own engine cover gaskets
Post by T Mack 1 on 12/30/08 at 10:36:40

6D5B5A415C75505D475D340 wrote:

So most of ya'll are saying that I spent three hours tracing and cutting for nothing? >:( >:( >:(

Well...... you could try it..... it would be interesting to find out if it works. Think of it as being the guinea pig for the benifit of others. ;)

If it does work, great. If it doesn't, then you can truely use the "trust me" phrase......

Title: Re: Making own engine cover gaskets
Post by Yonuh Adisi on 12/30/08 at 10:37:25

Got a better idea, I will also cut some out of manila folders as suggested by T Mack and test both sets.

Title: Re: Making own engine cover gaskets
Post by T Mack 1 on 12/30/08 at 10:38:57

05333229341D38352F355C0 wrote:

Got a better idea, I will also cut some out of manila folders as suggested by T Mack and test both sets.

There you go.... 8-)

Title: Re: Making own engine cover gaskets
Post by Yonuh Adisi on 12/30/08 at 10:44:53

That's what I will do then. How long do you reckon I should run each set? Never mind, I will run each set till they start leaking and post results accordingly.

Now I just need to get some manila folders.

Title: Re: Making own engine cover gaskets
Post by T Mack 1 on 12/30/08 at 12:30:16

When you get it back together, make sure you have oil going to the head.

One of the right side rear head cover bolts goes thru the oil passage. Loosen it and oil should come out. It may take a few seconds to work it's way up there.

Title: Re: Making own engine cover gaskets
Post by Yonuh Adisi on 12/30/08 at 12:47:30

I'll be sure to do that. Thanks. Would hate to destroy the cam I got from Lancer because of no oil to the head.

Title: Re: Making own engine cover gaskets
Post by BurnPgh on 12/30/08 at 13:02:16

ive heard tale of beer/soda/cereal boxes working well.

Title: Re: Making own engine cover gaskets
Post by Justinmkantor on 12/31/08 at 13:39:40

Does the beer box have to be Asahi, Saporo, or will a domestic brand work?

Title: Re: Making own engine cover gaskets
Post by BurnPgh on 12/31/08 at 23:21:10

domestic should do fine.

Title: Re: Making own engine cover gaskets
Post by Oldfeller on 01/01/09 at 09:50:58

Let's talk a bit about butyl rubber (inner tube rubber) and oil.

Butyl

Butyl (IIR) rubber is a copolymer of isobutylene. It has exceptionally low gas and moisture permeability and outstanding resistance to heat aging, weather, ozone, chemical attack, flexing, abrasion and tearing. It has good resistance to phosphate ester based hydraulic fluids, and has excellent electrical insulation performance. Butyl is not recommended for use when in contact with petroleum oils and fluids. The temperature range is -55ƒ to 120ƒC (-67ƒ to +248ƒF).

This rubber has very high impermeability to gases and is hence used for the inner tubes of pneumatic tyres, and in vacuum and high pressure applications. It has an unusually broad loss peak so that, despite having a glass transition temperature as low as -65C, it displays high damping at ambient temperatures It has good ozone, weathering, heat, and chemical resistance. Not suitable for use in contact with mineral oils.

===================

So, in hindsight butyl inner tube material might not be the best type of rubber to use for a gasket material.

And for those who say all types of rubber won't work, that oil will automatically attack all rubber types and turn it into goo -- what is that black ring like thingie that seals off every spin on oil filter made out of again?

Take a clue from the oil filter rubber gasket -- rubber works well with a very minimal pressure and your main sin that can cause a leak is to over-tighten (over crush) it.