How To Make A Gasket-A Pictorial Guide (Thanks Don Clifton!)

[Guest]

Greetings friends!

Yes, I have yet another pictorial guide posted up on my BikeCliff website. This time I can take very, very little of the credit as it was Mr. Don Clifton who actually made the valve cover gasket and sent his pictures and instructions to me to edit and post.

My thanks to Mr. Don Clifton for his skill and for his generosity. The man's an arteest! :-D

Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff
(Honorary Tech Writer)

[Suzuki_Don]

Greetings friends!

Yes, I have yet another pictorial guide posted up on my BikeCliff website. This time I can take very, very little of the credit as it was Mr. Don Clifton who actually made the valve cover gasket and sent his pictures and instructions to me to edit and post.

My thanks to Mr. Don Clifton for his skill and for his generosity. The man's an arteest! :-D

Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff
(Honorary Tech Writer)

Thanks Cliff for your taking time to put this together for the members.

You must take a great deal of credit though as it would not have appeared on GSR without your computer expertise.

The gasket did fit alright, I covered both sides with a thin layer of grease and tightened things down in the proper sequence. SURPRISE SURPRISE. No leaks. The gasket did overlap the joint a little and you could see it poking out a bit between the cylinder head and the valve cover. But mine is a working bike, not a show model so a don't mind that. The main thing is that it does not show any sign of leakage.

The reason for making the gasket is that I could not obtain one in Australia and could not wait for one to arrive from Japan as I had an impending 3 day veteran club run happening and the bike had to be ready for that.

The new gasket has since arrived from Japan and I am using that one as a template to make future gaskets.

Cheers

Don

[Craiger]

Once again, another job well done.

[duaneage]

I cut my own gaskets from gasket material cheaply available at an autoparts store. I use 1/32" paper suitable for oil, it is the same material the suzuki gasket is made from. 6 dollars for a sheet, good enough for 2 stator gaskets and a clutch cover, at least. I use a sharp scissors to cut out the traced line, and a hole punch for the bolt holes. I made one for Martin Bakaloz in about 5 minutes.

[Zooks]

I am also a big fan of gasket paper. My Dad told me once how to make head gaskets for a Chev V8 out of beer carton cardboard and tinfoil (aluminium foil).
He spent a lot of time on a farm in the 50's in the 'post war years' and learned how to 'make do' with whatever was available. I love all those old stories. People can be very resourceful when they need to be. Something about "necessity being the mother of invention".

Nice job Cliff and Don.

PS: What club in Sydney do you belong to Don?

[Suzuki_Don]

I am also a big fan of gasket paper. My Dad told me once how to make head gaskets for a Chev V8 out of beer carton cardboard and tinfoil (aluminium foil).
He spent a lot of time on a farm in the 50's in the 'post war years' and learned how to 'make do' with whatever was available. I love all those old stories. People can be very resourceful when they need to be. Something about "necessity being the mother of invention".

Nice job Cliff and Don.

PS: What club in Sydney do you belong to Don?

Hi Zook, its the V&HMCC (Veteran & Historic Motorcycle Club) for bikes over 30 years old.

Cheers Don

[Planecrazy]

Thanks, Cliff! I've made my own gaskets in the past, but Don's method provided some handy tips that will enhance the process in the future!

You might also ask Frank to add your site to the "links" area if you haven't already done so. That way people who miss this thread will still be able to easily find it at the GSR.

Regards,

[Big N daft]

I am also a big fan of gasket paper. My Dad told me once how to make head gaskets for a Chev V8 out of beer carton cardboard and tinfoil (aluminium foil).

I've still got a gasket I made from the cardboard of a cornflakes packet on the stator cover of one of my GS550s.

I regularly trawl EBay and places for stuff like nitrile sheet and gasket paper for bargain prices. The MOT test here in the UK requires you to have a good seal on the fuel cap and rather than pay a fortune for a replacment for the perished seal, I just made one myself from a sheet of 6' x 3' Nitrile rubber I got of ebay for approx $2. and it makes great float bowl gaskets as well.

If you look around you should also be able to buy wad punches cheap enough which make punching holes a doddle! I've just had a look on ebay in the UK and they available over here for £2.99 which is about $6.