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Gasket cement…..AAARGH!

Mikepacific60

Mikepacific60

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 6, 2021
Total Posts
271
Total likes
23
Location
Brisbane, Australia
Hi to all,
Getting into the disassembly of my engine….checking and cleaning parts etc.
The last time this engine was assembled gasket cement was used (mostly on one side of the gasket). Maybe by the factory?
Boy oh boy, what a time I’m having trying to remove and clean off the remnants of these gasket. The metal sheet between the tappet housing and top plate has been a real mission to clean off (kind of regretting removing the metal plate at all).
I’ve been carefully using a razor blade, but even being careful I occasionally make a shallow scratch in the alloy.
Any tips on how to get these cemented gaskets off cleanly, I’ve tried common chemicals like acetone, turps etc and a heat gun - made no difference).
Cheers
Mike
 
Gasket scraping is the bane of our vintage existence, nothing about an engine rebuild is more of a PITA to me than that is. I use many different things, paint remover can help, soaking it in a parts washer for a few days can help. I have a pneumatic gasket scraper but of course, you have to stay almost parallel to the surface to avoid gouging, and I also use a flat file I ground to a beveled edge but again, caution must be taken to avoid surface damage. Buck knife, razor blade, sharpened putty knife, etc, etc, etc... whatever it takes while keeping the gasket surface as intact as humanly possible.
 
I have used WD-40 to soak some gasket materials for a period of time before removal. A sharpened wood chisel is my usual weapon of choice. Also helps to find a way to hold the piece so both hands can be used with the chisel .... or a large hammer ... just kidding ...
 
I remember the days before halomar and hondabond, folks used 3M yellow weather stripping cement, nasty stuff to get off later.
 
Welded/glued gaskets on aluminum are the bane of anyone working on those parts. All the suggestions so far are valid and take nothing but time to get it right. Once I'm sure I have all the gaskets removed I use a hard flat sanding block with some WD40 to go over the surfaces. That's when I find all the little tiny bits left behind, they turn black. Then it's attack each spot by dragging a razor blade across the spot until it's gone. Finish up the surface with the sanding block, 600-1000 grit, followed by a long sharpening stone with oil. Now you can eat off that surface after washing it.
 
Just spoke to a guy who does lots of work on bike engines and has a wet blasting company.
He uses and likes this product (but warns to keep it off your hands…stings!)
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Cheers
Mike
 
Personally I've never really found anything that 'removes' gaskets including the various gasket remover aerosol cans,, aircraft stripper, and many other things.
I do have a 3/8" wood chisel that works well but is now about 2" shorter than when it started. Being thicker than a razor blade it's easier to control. I've also spent way too much money over the years buying various gasket scraping tools, none of which actually worked 'as advertised'
Genuine Honda gaskets are heat activated (as are most aftermarket gaskets) and designed to 'stick' to cleaned surface.
Personally, the only time I've had oil leaks is when I tried the 'grease one side to make future removal easier' so I don't grease or use sealer on 'stock' gaskets
 
Interesting comment about the ‘grease on one side of the gasket’ approach….I saw that approach on Common Motor, and it seemed a good idea….not such a good idea if it leads to oil leaks though!
So, it seems the best approach is just to assemble dry OR is there an argument that products like Gasgacinch are worth using?
Cheers
Mike
 
Check the Safety Data sheets on the CRC product, pretty nasty stuff but may work.
I don't use gasket sealers/cements as a general rule, they go on dry. Exception is around oil pressure ports from the case to the cylinder and then just a very small circle of it. Most gaskets heat activate an impregnated glue that makes a seal. I have used Honda Bond on one side of a gasket when I was repeatedly removing a case cover while sorting out a weird issue.
 
Mikepacific60 said:
Interesting comment about the ‘grease on one side of the gasket’ approach….I saw that approach on Common Motor
Click to expand...

Yet another method they subscribe to that exemplifies the backyard, "I heard a guy say this worked"-style of "advice" offerings they do so much of, if you've worked with mechanical stuff for any length of time you've heard plenty of wives' tales. It never made sense to me to allow a gasket to fully absorb the very essence of the fluid you're trying to contain with the initially dry gasket. Once that dry gasket is clamped between two surfaces tightly, the likelihood that it will absorb that same amount of petroleum substance is far less.
 
Mikepacific60 said:
Interesting comment about the ‘grease on one side of the gasket’ approach….I saw that approach on Common Motor, and it seemed a good idea….not such a good idea if it leads to oil leaks though!
So, it seems the best approach is just to assemble dry OR is there an argument that products like Gasgacinch are worth using?
Cheers
Mike
Click to expand...

Gasgacinch is basically what is impregnated into the OEM gaskets but it's heat activated. Using anything on the gaskets will stop them working properly.
I have several tubes of 'Indian Head' Shellac (pretty much exactly the same stuff), it (or something very similar) was what Honda (Kei-Hin?) used to hold float bowl gasket in place, a 'dot' in each 'corner'

If I have to use anything around oil passages, I prefer Blue Hylomar over any of the '1104/1107 compounds (Hondabond, Suzukibond, etc),
If it's good enough for Rolls Royce (who 'invented it) it's more than good enough for me.
The worst part of having a greased gasket leak, I did clutch and re-fitted cover, oil change then 3 weeks in New Hampshire visiting wife relatives.
Bike was almost empty when we got back and garage even more of a mess than usual. Probably wouldn't have been so bad if I had left ity on side stand instead of upright on main stand.
 
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