Easy way to remove 30 year old gaskets?

[Devart]

So I've been going around the bike doing maintenance that has been neglected by the PO. Every time I pull off a cover (valve cover etc.) I find a 30 year old solidified gasket glued to one piece or another (or both). I seem to be having to spend more time getting the old gasket pieces off than doing actual maintenance. This time it's the oil pan gasket and I was wounding if there’s some trick to it. Maybe soak it in something? Anyone else find an easy way to take care of this?

[exdirtbiker]

Permatex Gasket remover.
in a spray can. spray it like spraypaint, let it sit, then use a plastic razorblade to scrape the surface.
I love that stuff. but be very careful of overspray !

[TheCafeKid]

The softest Roloc wheel (or harbor freight equivelent) works quite well also...be gentle at first until you get a feel for it. If done right it will remove even the meanest gaskets and still leave the tooling marks in the metal from the factory..

[bbjumper]

I used the Permatex gasket remover, let it set overnight and the a SS parts brush. Worked well on the remaining gasket material and didn't leave marks on the surface.

[mcycle-nut]

I use a REAL razorblade, but VERY, and I do mean VERY carefully. It doesn't take much to dig in to the soft aluminum. I have to put myself in a TOTALLY different mindset when working on bikes than at my job, which is with boilers made of steel and cast iron with large bolts! None of this soft aluminum there!

[7981GS]

Trick question, right?
Just get someone else to do it!

Eric

[subid]

I've not found an easy way, but soaking in Marvel Mystery Oil and heat from a heat gun before scraping seems to help.

[chuck hahn]

I used a utility knife blade and gently go along and cut the offending pieces off.

[Badooka]

The new Permatex remover didn't do anything to my jugs gasket but discolor the metal on my cylinders. I use a razor scraper and get the correct angle so you don't mar the aluminum. A small brass wheel on a dremel is great to finish up all the little spots you cannot get to like in between the cylinders.

[bwringer]

Soft Roloc in a die grinder. Not good unless the parts are 100% disassembled, since you don't want to get the abrasive in your engine. But it saves hours and hours of scraping and gouging.

Fine surface conditioning discs also work well -- just keep the tool moving and use a light touch, and they'll remove the gaskets with no damage at all to the aluminum.

[Katarat]

If you get a 40 year old oil pan for instance that you had to drive off with a hammer & a block of wood it may take several applications of the gasket remover. Just scrape off what you can & keep reapplying it & scraping until its clean. Ive thought of trying one of those scrubbly wheels on a drill but never tried it. I had one on a 76 KZ900 that I broke 3 2x4s on before it came off. I was starting to think I was going to break the block.

[Spyder]

Acetone eats gaskets like a fat kid eats cake.

[lonerider00]

I use a REAL razorblade, but VERY, and I do mean VERY carefully. It doesn't take much to dig in to the soft aluminum. I have to put myself in a TOTALLY different mindset when working on bikes than at my job, which is with boilers made of steel and cast iron with large bolts! None of this soft aluminum there!

I use a razor blade as well, and you do need to be VERY careful and use a new blade as any imperfections/ gouges/ dimples in your blade (or being too aggressive/ using the wrong angle/ etc.) can scratch or gouge the seating surface and make your new gasket leak.

[avanhaselen]

I use this handy plastic scrapper that I found on Ebay, its called "Lil Chizler", they go for less than two bucks. Solid enough to scrape with, but soft enough that it'll loose in a one-on-one with metal

[Steel Toed Tank]

+1 for roloc scotch brite discs with my die grinder.
Carefully though, the dust from it flies all over.
I usually stuff a rag in anything that nedds to stay dust free.



Tank