Home made gaskets?

Chester · Mar 18, 2011

MKIIA

Do any of you fellas make your own gaskets at all?

Like rocker covers and gearbox and timing cover and such.

Is there a universal type or thickness that works best for Nortons?

Just asking because sometime you just don't want to wait for an order to come in the mail, and if I recall..........back in the day they weren't all that great fitting and needed some clipping.

I must confess......I haven't purchased gaskets since the early '80s !

Anglophile · Mar 18, 2011

Yep. Some paper (cardboard material available at your local autoparts store) for areas like the tach housing, gearbox inspection cover, rocker shaft end caps. I used rubberized-cork for the valve covers.

pelican · Mar 18, 2011

I was thinking about doing this, but I need to find out a range of the max temperature the engine gets to. Anyone know? The material I was looking at comes in sheets, but is only rated to about 400degF.

daveh · Mar 18, 2011

I make gaskets from time to time. I make a thin, even smear of engineer's blue on the surface and then imprint it onto the paper gasket material, making sure that the paper does not move. You then have the imprint in colour on the paper and you can cut it out carefully with a scissors. I bought a set of dies to make the holes. These are invaluable and make holes precisely the right size. This is important. You should be able to buy gasket paper of various thicknesses from motor factors (auto stores). You need to be careful making, say, a timing case gasket or gearbox cover gaskets, and I would measure the thickness of the original gasket and try to get the correct thickness of proper gasket paper to make a duplicate. I would prefer to have a couple of spare timing gaskets in stock rather than have to make these.

swooshdave · Mar 18, 2011

For the rocker covers I went with the silicon ones from Rocky Point. Too many times you'll need to get in there and it's so convenient to just not have to worry about the gaskets.

This:

or this:

combat-proddy-build-t4186-195.html#p72498

Hobot · Mar 18, 2011

THE only place Commandos need a gasket is the TS cover to space the oil pump gasket and nipple crush. Hylomar or similar goop can work fine Everywhere else but since rocker covers need removing fairly often, red sillycon are the cat's meow for ever more. I make gaskets of what ever is on hand for non leak prone seams.
Best is auto supply stock.

DogT · Mar 18, 2011

I don't know, I just find it too much trouble to cut out gaskets when you can order several sets and have them on hand. As cheap as I am too.

Dave
69S

pelican · Mar 18, 2011

I had the red ones but I f'd them up :lol: At first I torqued them up like normal and one of the studs broke. I replaced the stud and tightened it a little bit more than finger tight, but I noticed a couple weeks ago one of them had split. I figured I'd try the black ones this time as they match my bike better :roll:

Jeandr · Mar 18, 2011

See don-know-this-good-idea-t3752.html?hilit=

Jean

DogT · Mar 18, 2011

But do you wax those punches with hockey stick wax? That's what I want to know.

Dave
69S

Hobot · Mar 18, 2011

Caster bean oil can't be beat for shoving through tight stuff.

swooshdave · Mar 18, 2011

Jeandr said:
See don-know-this-good-idea-t3752.html?hilit=

Jean

I never could find the flat silicon mats or else I would have done that too.

Chester · Mar 19, 2011

Lots of great ideas.........thnx gents.

Didn't know about the silicone sheet thing...going to get one right now.

Spousal unit says she see's them around all the time! (dollar store)

maylar · Mar 19, 2011

Auto parts stores sell a coated paper made for DIY gaskets, and I have a sheet that's been in my shop for years. I use it once in a while for emergencies. But normally I don't have the time or patience to fab my own on the Norton.

Complete gasket sets for Commandos can be had reasonably priced. Start with one of those and replenish as they are consumed. The rocker cover gaskets are the only ones that come off regularly, and I have a set of black rubber ones to try out next time I check valve clearances.

Home made gaskets?

Similar threads