Reusing gaskets?

Soundguy · Mar 15, 2009

If you are having to repeatedly seperate your oil pan.. the gasket is the least of your problems IMHO!

gaskets just aren't that much money compaired to an engine rebuild due to a lube loss because I tried to save 13$ and some time with a razor blade!

soundguy

canoetrpr · Mar 15, 2009

I plan for this to be the very last time my oil pan comes off! I don't expect to overtighten ANY bolt for as long as I can live, if I can help it.

Soundguy · Mar 15, 2009

canoetrpr said:
I don't expect to overtighten ANY bolt for as long as I can live, if I can help it.

Plan on it.. but don't expect to achieve that goal!

the ole addage of 'tighten it till just before it breaks.. then back off a little comes to mind.

soundguy

Sackett2 · Mar 15, 2009

The world of gaskets and sealers have made some great changes in the last 20 years; and I'm going to tell you of the best stuff for almost any gaskets.
Permatexｮ the Right Stuffｮ Gasket Maker
http://www.permatex.com/products/Au...uto_Permatex_the_Right_Stuff_Gasket_Maker.htm
It feels thick and sticky and smears easily. If dealing with coolant you have to get the mating surfaces dry.
Its available in a cheese whiz can or a short caulking gun style- get the caulking gun type. Ive had cans of the cheese whiz ones go bad after lack of use. I have put on a water pump with no gasket and this stuff held. it is 10x better than RtV (i don't touch that stuff anymore)
Many car dealerships have there own brand of sealant that is similar, Subaru and Suzuki are two that I have had experience with, both smell the same and feel the same but are different colors. Many cars do not use gaskets on oil pans and trans pans- this stuff will seal the pan.
This is a must have item for any one who does any type of engine work- Its all I use now; and I do this for a living.

SPYDERLK · Mar 15, 2009

Soundguy said:
If you are having to repeatedly seperate your oil pan.. the gasket is the least of your problems IMHO!

gaskets just aren't that much money compaired to an engine rebuild due to a lube loss because I tried to save 13$ and some time with a razor blade!

soundguy

If you didnt catch a pan gasket seeping oil on your tractor before the oil level became critically low I would suspect head loss was the major factor.
larry

Soundguy · Mar 16, 2009

I see / hear about lube loss and engine failures all the time. Sold a tractor a while back from work, to a golf course that needed a replacement for a brand new kubota that had a ball vacume on it... tractor had a cage on it.. but there were a couple holes in the cage.. ball must have come in at just the right angle and knocked the oil sender off.. letting oil discharge pretty fast. Apparrently the op was a good one and scanned his gauges ever minute or so.. unfortunately.. takes less than a minute to empty an oil pan and ruin 4000$ worth of moving metal parts in a kubota engine!

loss of lube kills engines...

too bad they didn't have that magic synthetic stuff like you see in the commercials where the car has been drained and keeps running.. etc.. etc..

soundguy

SPYDERLK · Mar 16, 2009

Interesting, but not related to a seeping gasket.

Matt_Jr · Mar 16, 2009

Soundguy said:
too bad they didn't have that magic synthetic stuff like you see in the commercials where the car has been drained and keeps running.. etc.. etc..

soundguy

The one with the fire hose spraying on the internal parts?

PILOON · Mar 16, 2009

Gee, back before all the new silicone based sealants I many a time assembled componants using axle greese on 'saved' gaskets as well as new ones.
Used that mostly on paper type gaskets from carb intakes to lower bases on outboards etc.
Also saved many valve cover gaskets with that method.

As an old mechanic pointed out, this way you you can make adjustements at will but without always new gaskets.

Never had problems, however that only works for non pressurized areas and not on exhaust components.

Handy tip:
If you need to 'cut' a homemade gasket large ball bearing balls make a good 'punch'.
Simply position over the fastener hole and rap the BB smartly and it will make a perfect slightly oversized hole in the gasket!
(It is easier to rap the holes before trimming the outlines)

Soundguy · Mar 17, 2009

SPYDERLK said:
Interesting, but not related to a seeping gasket.

Sure it is. Any leak ( and a seeping gasket is a leak ).. can eventually lead to a lube failure if you aren't on your tows. The slower the leak.. the more chances the OP has of finding it and correcting it before engine damage occurs.

Don't matter if it is a missing oil sender or an oil pan where the old gasket pushed out the side allowing oil to slosh out wildley.

a leak is a leak is a leak.

soundguy

careyo63 · Mar 17, 2009

Leaks don't get better they just get better at leaking.

Soundguy · Mar 21, 2009

yep...

SPYDERLK · Mar 21, 2009

Soundguy said:
Sure it is. Any leak ( and a seeping gasket is a leak ).. can eventually lead to a lube failure if you aren't on your tows. The slower the leak.. the more chances the OP has of finding it and correcting it before engine damage occurs.

Don't matter if it is a missing oil sender or an oil pan where the old gasket pushed out the side allowing oil to slosh out wildley.

a leak is a leak is a leak.

soundguy

No... A match is not a forest fire assuming the user is conscious. An oilpan where the gasket pushes out to escape the normal clamped position is about as likely as spontaneous combustion in undisturbed woods.
larry

SPYDERLK · Mar 21, 2009

careyo63 said:
Leaks don't get better they just get better at leaking.

Really? Would that be always?
larry

careyo63 · Mar 21, 2009

Most likely.If the seal or gasket is leaking or failing it will continue to deteriorate.Some may be slow others may be rather quickly.Or I suppose you could just let it go and keep replaceing the fluid and cleaning up the mess or neithter.Of course it may not be worth fixing a piece of junk.

JoelD · Mar 21, 2009

I always replace gaskets.

To be honest, if it's an old riding mower trying to get running again and don't really care how it plays out, I won't.

On my Kioti and cars and truck, always replace, whether or not I could technically re-use, nothing worse than job done and then need to re-do.

Joel

irwin · Mar 21, 2009

Auto repair is my business. I almost always use a new gasket .., but if it's not possible to get one quickly I'll use "Right Stuff" gasket maker, the best I've found. (as a couple guys already mentioned) http://www.permatex.com/products/Au...uto_Permatex_the_Right_Stuff_Gasket_Maker.htm

Soundguy · Mar 22, 2009

SPYDERLK said:
No... A match is not a forest fire assuming the user is conscious. An oilpan where the gasket pushes out to escape the normal clamped position is about as likely as spontaneous combustion in undisturbed woods.
larry

A match is a potential forest fire.

one cannot assume an operator will always be looking at the dash gauges. I've simply seen TOO MUCH equipment come into our shop that got burned up from someone not looking at a gauge.. . it simply doesn't take long for a bad situation to occur if you get distracted.

that's why you hedge your bets and use new gaskets if at all possible... thus reducing the risk of a leak due to gasket failure.

sure you can drive without car insurance.. it's not a problem till you get pulled over or are in an accident.. then it's a problem.

I can't seem to think of a GOOD argument AGAINST using new gaskets where possible.

You want new needles at the doctors office right? heck.. could save money and clean the old ones in bleach and chlorhexadine, and be 99.9% safe... it's that .1 % that causes the problems!

Any profesional engine rebuilders here that reuse old gaskets when you rebuild and sell your engines? ???

soundguy

DieselPower · Mar 22, 2009

Rebuilt many a engine over the years in automobiles, OTR trucks and ag tractors and I never reuse gaskets, seals or o-rings. Considering the low cost of sealing materials when compared to the cost of what your working on it's a cheap investment in a high quality repair.

Soundguy · Mar 22, 2009

yep. Reminds me of the lift cover on a ford hundred series. has a gasket and a decent 'handfull' of assorted oring by the time you do the option cover and cyl.

most if not all of mine looked good, save for the 2 that were leaking... mind you it was a couple hours to take it apart and an hour back together.. I'd have been a FOOL not to repalce them all while it was off.. especially since the entire kit was 10$

soundguy