What's your trick for removing gasket material?? - Pirate4x4.Com : 4x4 and Off-Road Forum

badzook · 08-16-2005, 06:15 PM

What's your trick for removing gasket material on aluminum surfaces like the head and intake manifold??

That gasket material is pretty stubborn stuff... Thanks to all who take the time to reply..

badzook

Mr_DIY · 08-16-2005, 06:17 PM

puddy knife- the plastic ones. they also make gasket remover at usual parts houses

AFTERMARKET4X4 · 08-16-2005, 06:18 PM

Right angle die grinder with gasket removal disc (looks like Scotchbrite on a disc). Works like a charm!

Sean

1bille1 · 08-16-2005, 06:22 PM

sharp putty knife( round over the corners)
expertly handled so as not to gouge the Al surfaces
and
throttle body cleaner to soften it up before scraping. Working w/ a shopvacuum handy helps to get the strays that might go where they shouldn't.

DOn't forget the rags over the pistons .

TatorZuk · 08-16-2005, 06:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AFTERMARKET4X4

Right angle die grinder with gasket removal disc (looks like Scotchbrite on a disc). Works like a charm!

Sean

Yep...these little babies right here.

Madzooki · 08-16-2005, 06:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TatorZuk

Yep...these little babies right here.

I use those all the time. Work great.

Paul

sj-x · 08-16-2005, 07:54 PM

believe it or not, sometimes when the gasket is hard and kinda GLUED on to a block, a SMALL ball peen hammer can do wonders. just a few light taps and it starts to lift off.

on steel surfaces, you can use an air powered gasket chipper, I LOVE EM. can be used on alu., but carefully.

tanzuki · 08-16-2005, 09:31 PM

I personaly wouldn't be beating or taping on a gasket mating surface with a hammer but that's just me.

supazuk94 · 08-17-2005, 01:28 AM

brake clean and a razor knife..

speedo · 08-17-2005, 05:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AFTERMARKET4X4

Right angle die grinder with gasket removal disc (looks like Scotchbrite on a disc). Works like a charm!

Sean

When I first started using those I had a recurring job that took about an hour just to do the gasket removal. After I started using the right angle grinder and the discs the time went down to less than 10 min. Part of the job involved an aluminum housing. Those things are a must have part of my tool box now and I've been using them for something like 15 to 17 yrs.

Gus

LittleBlackSambo · 08-17-2005, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tanzuki

I personaly wouldn't be beating or taping on a gasket mating surface with a hammer but that's just me.

i concur. be careful with abrasives as well.

try this one: aerosol oven cleaner.

RokNRollr · 08-17-2005, 02:24 PM

Use the die grinder pads with caution, too much pressure will cause uneven surface-especially on the head-as aluminuim is very soft and can cause block separation.

DRKelly · 08-18-2005, 07:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TatorZuk

Yep...these little babies right here.

Where can you get those?

GeoB · 08-18-2005, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by supazuk94

brake clean and a razor knife..

That's a good one for polished hard black remnants. Also try carb cleaner. It soaks in, softens, and makes the paper puff up. After I get all I can get w/o taking aluminum too, I try the carb cleaner on the rest. Sometimes I also use a stiff wire brush to rough things up. At the git-go I also use a dull paring knife for most, then a razor blade of some sort for hard stuff. It is easy to mess up the aluminum with razor blade. Not THAT easy, but be aware. For large pieces of hard gasket I sometimes rough it up with judicious use of a hacksaw blade. Think I have used a torch in some cases too. Think I have used a carpenter's plane a few times in special cases.

AFTERMARKET4X4 · 08-18-2005, 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DRKelly

Where can you get those?

Most any auto parts store carries them now. I get mine from Advanced Auto Parts here in VA.

Sean

sj-x · 08-18-2005, 07:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LittleBlackSambo

i concur. be careful with abrasives as well.

try this one: aerosol oven cleaner.

you both need to stop and think about that one.. i'm not talkin using a 2 lbs hammer, i mean like 16 oz ball peen or smaller. it works very nicely, and oven cleaner, brake clean, gasket remmover etc.. is fine if you can get at it, but often times i am on a creeper doing this driectly above my head on a pan gasket (cat) and gettin that oven cleaner in your eyes really hurts. and if it has an isloation cover, it usually hangs too far down to use discs, just too damn close. also, *oem* states that you should use blue discs *fine* on alum. otherwise be careful! the coarse ones put waves in alum very quickly and will cause leaks.

hypolux · 08-19-2005, 03:14 PM

i have used a wire wheel and a drill b4, works good.

TatorZuk · 08-19-2005, 04:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hypolux

i have used a wire wheel and a drill b4.

Gotta' be cautious with this route...don't do intake gaskets, or anything internal this way...Iv'e taken more than one seized engine apart...checked the oil pump, and it was locked up from those little wires that had came off one of those wheels.

08-16-2005, 06:15 PM	#1 (permalink)
badzook Registered User Join Date: Jan 2005 Member # 42214 Location: Upstate New York Posts: 57	What's your trick for removing gasket material?? What's your trick for removing gasket material on aluminum surfaces like the head and intake manifold?? That gasket material is pretty stubborn stuff... Thanks to all who take the time to reply.. badzook

08-16-2005, 06:18 PM	#3 (permalink)
AFTERMARKET4X4 Granite Guru Join Date: Jan 2002 Member # 9464 Location: Chesapeake, VA Posts: 720	Right angle die grinder with gasket removal disc (looks like Scotchbrite on a disc). Works like a charm! Sean __________________ 84 Zuk....2.3 Liter Beater, 96 X-90 "looks like a crushed Red Bull can!" “President Obama is the greatest hoax ever perpetrated on the American people,” Clint Eastwood "This is the greatest wealth destruction I have seen by a president [obama]." Jim Cramer

08-17-2005, 01:28 AM	#9 (permalink)
supazuk94 ZUK Herder Join Date: Mar 2004 Member # 28426 Location: Live free or die Posts: 2,448	brake clean and a razor knife.. __________________ "It's my belief that someone with a Samurai ran over a Gypsy's dog or something years ago, and he laid a curse on the whole lot." -UZI 9mm thanks to: www.longfieldsuperaxles.com www.kore4x4customs.com www.ruffstuffspecialties.com www.zukeviltwin.com www.polyperformance.com www.DEEPWOODSEXTREME.com www.trailtough.com

08-19-2005, 03:14 PM	#17 (permalink)
hypolux Registered User Join Date: Jun 2003 Member # 20077 Location: Newcastle, Australia Posts: 161	i have used a wire wheel and a drill b4, works good. __________________ PROJECT : [url=http://www.outerlimits4x4.com/PHP_Modules/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=52024]HYPO_ZOOK[/url]

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

08-16-2005, 06:17 PM	#2 (permalink)
Mr_DIY Registered User Join Date: Apr 2005 Member # 46549 Location: Smithfield, NC, 27577 Posts: 382	puddy knife- the plastic ones. they also make gasket remover at usual parts houses

08-16-2005, 06:22 PM	#4 (permalink)
1bille1 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2004 Member # 36499 Location: poway ,ca Posts: 127	sharp putty knife( round over the corners) expertly handled so as not to gouge the Al surfaces and throttle body cleaner to soften it up before scraping. Working w/ a shopvacuum handy helps to get the strays that might go where they shouldn't. DOn't forget the rags over the pistons .

08-16-2005, 07:54 PM	#7 (permalink)
sj-x Registered User Join Date: Nov 2004 Member # 38527 Location: vernon Posts: 483	believe it or not, sometimes when the gasket is hard and kinda GLUED on to a block, a SMALL ball peen hammer can do wonders. just a few light taps and it starts to lift off. on steel surfaces, you can use an air powered gasket chipper, I LOVE EM. can be used on alu., but carefully.

08-16-2005, 09:31 PM	#8 (permalink)
tanzuki Registered User Join Date: Dec 2002 Member # 15771 Location: Salem OR Posts: 787	I personaly wouldn't be beating or taping on a gasket mating surface with a hammer but that's just me.

08-17-2005, 02:24 PM	#12 (permalink)
RokNRollr Registered User Join Date: Sep 2002 Member # 13806 Location: Bay area, ca Posts: 218	Use the die grinder pads with caution, too much pressure will cause uneven surface-especially on the head-as aluminuim is very soft and can cause block separation.