gaskets

World of motorcycleS

Tips

Gaskets If your skint, or you just don't to wait the days it can takes for your gaskets to arrive, here is a way of making your own. These gaskets will usually do the job, on side casings like clutch covers etc. These won't work when it comes to the Head gasket. You'll need some thin cardboard, like a breakfast cereal packet, or if you can get it gasket paper is usually available from motorist centers. A scalpel, or pair of scissors, and some gasket goo. First clean the Edge of the casings (pic 1)where the gasket is to be replace, make sure to remove all of the old gasket and take care to not the casing doing so, alluminium (or aluminum as the yanks call it) is a very soft metal and easily scratched. Scratches on edges of casings make future leaks more likely.
Smear a bit of old oil onto the edge of the chosen casing, you might have to make holes for objects that stick up from inside the casings. Then place the paper/cardboard in top. Press firmly using your thumb or finger around the whole of the edge, whilst holding the paper still. Turn the paper over, and you should have a good and accurate template for your new gasket (pic 2). clean the casing edge to remove the old oil.
Using the scissors or scalpel cut the outside of the template (Pic 3) and remove the excess. next cut the holes for the bolts Find the bolt holes accurately, place your template on the casing as in pic 3, and turn over, and using the inside of a old pen, mark the holes on your template and cut the holes for them Finally cut the inside edges.
Check for fit, then if you are satisfied, smear a small amount of gasket goo on one side of the edge of the casing , do not use too much, all you need is a smear, too much and some of it can get into the inside of the engine, this can block oil ways, which can be catastrophic failure of the engine. Then place the new gasket in place onto the casing (pic 4) then either smear some more gasket goo onto the edge of the other casing and replace the casing into place, and replace and tighten the casing bolts. Remove excess goo from casings , and that should be job done.

Modified for 2009