Making Gaskets

[93Bandit]

What gasket material should I purchase to make my own float bowl and carb top cover gaskets out of?

Will the generic Felpro paper gasket material be sufficient?

[Gorminrider]

yes but get the same thickness. Important per float height...the usual beige paper will work (and felpro or Permatex has a tube of sealer stuff that doesn't turn hard so is easy to get off-it can be used to tack gaskets in place while you re-assemble...

Also available is a rubberized black gasket paper-I have some that came in their overall sample kit that has a cork sheet in it too. The rubberized stuff sticks harder and can be more difficult to remove over time if you want to go back in.

Be wary of overtorquing screws...tight is fine. Squeezing the gasket too hard might strip screws but will also flatten paper somuch that it's harder to reuse the gasket if taken apart in the future.

it's useful to get some hole punches...but in a pinch you can sharpen a piece of small pipe with a file.

The outside edge of the gasket can be trimmed off with a razor after assembly so don't work overhard on the outside edge where the gasket is not wide....it'll stay straighter with more paper too.

[Nessism]

I've never found the proper thickness in premade gasket sheet material. It's always either too thick or too thin.

[93Bandit]

I've never found the proper thickness in premade gasket sheet material. It's always either too thick or too thin.

Do you know what the proper thickness is? I thought about measuring a piece of the old gasket, but I figured that isn't very useful since it's been compressed.

[Nessism]

I think it's about .050" or so. In between 1/32" and 1/16", which are the common gasket paper sizes in the USA.

[chuck hahn]

Try serious consolidated. I get 4 packs for my VMs for like 16 bucks shipped.

[Rijko]

Just to offer an alternative : in 2017 i have bought several gasket sets for my GS1000 from Hildebrandt Gasket Company, they are based in Canada.

They make rubber gaskets that are reuseable. And not just for the carbs.
For a very good price imho.
So far i have been very satisfied with their product - no leaks, no tears, no (fuel) deterioration in the rubber carb bowl gaskets that i can see.

And if what you're looking for is not listed, send them an email : they probably have it or will make it.

Here's their current listing for the GS850 :

https://www.ebay.nl/itm/SUZUKI-GS750-GS850-CARBURETOR-GASKET-SET-REUSABLE-10-99-SALE-11009-1562/293301434972?hash=item444a20ba5c:g:Z5gAAOSwFyhaNZGV

Something went wrong with my large order and they just sent out new gaskets no questions asked.
Only to find out later their first shipment was stopped at the border and sent back to them, but just to indicate how they conduct their business.
I had contact with Mathew and Ralph so if you happen to get in contact say HI for me.
These are very nice people and their product is great.
They are bike enthousiasts themselves btw.

No, i have no ties to them, but i will plug a good product sold by good people

[93Bandit]

Just to offer an alternative : in 2017 i have bought several gasket sets for my GS1000 from Hildebrandt Gasket Company, they are based in Canada.

They make rubber gaskets that are reuseable. And not just for the carbs.
For a very good price imho.
So far i have been very satisfied with their product - no leaks, no tears, no (fuel) deterioration in the rubber carb bowl gaskets that i can see.

And if what you're looking for is not listed, send them an email : they probably have it or will make it.

Here's their current listing for the GS850 :

https://www.ebay.nl/itm/SUZUKI-GS750-GS850-CARBURETOR-GASKET-SET-REUSABLE-10-99-SALE-11009-1562/293301434972?hash=item444a20ba5c:g:Z5gAAOSwFyhaNZGV

Something went wrong with my large order and they just sent out new gaskets no questions asked.
Only to find out later their first shipment was stopped at the border and sent back to them, but just to indicate how they conduct their business.
I had contact with Mathew and Ralph so if you happen to get in contact say HI for me.
These are very nice people and their product is great.
They are bike enthousiasts themselves btw.

No, i have no ties to them, but i will plug a good product sold by good people

I came across those when searching for gasket sets, but I had a bad experience with a rubber cam cover gasket. I don't know if I want to try rubber on the carbs as well. How soft is the rubber? Is it really spongy like a rubber band, or firmer like a pencil eraser?

Does anyone else have experience with these rubber gaskets?

[Rijko]

These are quite firm.
Better than a soft rubber band.

[Noreg]

Just to offer an alternative : in 2017 i have bought several gasket sets for my GS1000 from Hildebrandt Gasket Company, they are based in Canada.

They make rubber gaskets that are reuseable. And not just for the carbs.
For a very good price imho.
So far i have been very satisfied with their product - no leaks, no tears, no (fuel) deterioration in the rubber carb bowl gaskets that i can see.

And if what you're looking for is not listed, send them an email : they probably have it or will make it.

Here's their current listing for the GS850 :

https://www.ebay.nl/itm/SUZUKI-GS750-GS850-CARBURETOR-GASKET-SET-REUSABLE-10-99-SALE-11009-1562/293301434972?hash=item444a20ba5c:g:Z5gAAOSwFyhaNZGV

Something went wrong with my large order and they just sent out new gaskets no questions asked.
Only to find out later their first shipment was stopped at the border and sent back to them, but just to indicate how they conduct their business.
I had contact with Mathew and Ralph so if you happen to get in contact say HI for me.
These are very nice people and their product is great.
They are bike enthousiasts themselves btw.

No, i have no ties to them, but i will plug a good product sold by good people

Do they make them for everything? Like can I get a full gasket set? The OEM gaskets are so brutally expensive, but like my generator cover leaks. And the gaskets in the carbs are pretty stiff, but they don't leake at all though.

[Rijko]

so i posted the link for the carb gaskets, not for their GS850 stuff.

Here's the correct link :

https://www.ebay.nl/sch/m.html?_ssn=hildebrandtgasketcompany&LH_PrefLoc=&_from=R40&_trksid=m570.l1313&_nkw=gs850&_sacat=0

I don't think they sell sets as such, but listed are carbs, generator and clutch gaskets.
I think they have the ignition cover too, not sure about the cam cover gasket.
Shoot them an email, they are super helpful and friendly !

[Rijko]

Oh and my clutch cover leaked using a new OEM gasket,
which stopped leaking after putting on their rubber one.

[Noreg]

so i posted the link for the carb gaskets, not for their GS850 stuff.

Here's the correct link :

https://www.ebay.nl/sch/m.html?_ssn=hildebrandtgasketcompany&LH_PrefLoc=&_from=R40&_trksid=m570.l1313&_nkw=gs850&_sacat=0

I don't think they sell sets as such, but listed are carbs, generator and clutch gaskets.
I think they have the ignition cover too, not sure about the cam cover gasket.
Shoot them an email, they are super helpful and friendly !

I will. I am getting ikea bolts for the carbs, might as well replace the gaskets too. The old screws are somewhat stripped.

[Gorminrider]

I've never found the proper thickness in premade gasket sheet material. It's always either too thick or too thin.

1/16 works on CV carbs. also the black rubberized. Close counts. Double check fuel -height and adjust it at the floats within a 1/64" if you need to...