I don't know if this is a good idea...

Jeandr · Apr 22, 2009

... but I will try it anyway. I bought a silicon cookie sheet on sale for $3, there are better ones for about $10 with embedded fiberglass strands. This cheap one has little ridges which I hope will be squeezed flat when the bolts are tightened. These sheets are good for 450 F, probably more since all they want is provide some room for liability. I could cut a whole bunch of rocker cover gaskets with a single sheet.

Jean

swooshdave · Apr 22, 2009

I don't see anything wrong with that. Good Yankee ingenuity (no matter where you really are from) if you ask me.

grandpaul · Apr 22, 2009

Cheapness is the Mother-in-law of Bodgery.

...which I inherited at a young age.

great idea.

Coco · Apr 23, 2009

I have a set of similar silicon gaskets I bought from Rocky Point Cycle but I have not tried them yet. I have heard a few mixed reports but might give them a go anyway.

Jeandr · Apr 23, 2009

Coco said:
I have a set of similar silicon gaskets I bought from Rocky Point Cycle but I have not tried them yet. I have heard a few mixed reports but might give them a go anyway.

Il'l bet they were more than $3

Jean

swooshdave · Apr 23, 2009

Jeandr said:
Coco said:

I have a set of similar silicon gaskets I bought from Rocky Point Cycle but I have not tried them yet. I have heard a few mixed reports but might give them a go anyway.

Click to expand...

Il'l bet they were more than $3

Jean

Where did you get your $3 cookie mat?

Jeandr · Apr 23, 2009

swooshdave said:
Jeandr said:

Coco said:

I have a set of similar silicon gaskets I bought from Rocky Point Cycle but I have not tried them yet. I have heard a few mixed reports but might give them a go anyway.

Click to expand...

Il'l bet they were more than $3

Jean

Click to expand...

Where did you get your $3 cookie mat?

Canadian Tire (no help for you I can imagine), they were on sale last week. Check the dollar stores, they may have something similar, but as I said, you can splurge and get a $10 cookie mat with reinforcing fiberglass strands AND with a completely smooth surface (no ridges like the cheap ones), the more expensive ones can be found in good grocery stores or cookware stores. I made a punch to cut the holes, but a cheap paper punch should do the job too.

Jean

swooshdave · Apr 23, 2009

Did you make a die to cut the silicon or did you just cut it with a knife?

I'd use something like this to cut the holes.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=3838

BillT · Apr 24, 2009

I tried a several different materials for my valve covers and ended up with black gasket paper and Permatex Aviation form-a-gasket sealer. Last couple of times I've had the covers off, I was able to save the gasket, and finally have no more leaks.

One thing - after mounting the gasket to the cover, I carefully notched the gasket on each side of the lower stud hole, down to the metal. I found that oil would pool in the little pocket on each side of the stud boss made by the gasket, and invariably would eventually start to weep out.

swooshdave · Apr 24, 2009

BillT said:
One thing - after mounting the gasket to the cover, I carefully notched the gasket on each side of the lower stud hole, down to the metal. I found that oil would pool in the little pocket on each side of the stud boss made by the gasket, and invariably would eventually start to weep out.

Good tip. I've seen that mentioned before, perhaps in an old version of the INOA tech notes.

batrider · Apr 24, 2009

I bought some gray-silver silicone ones on eBay a while back. I just don't go for the red color.

I know picky picky...

Jeandr · Apr 24, 2009

swooshdave said:
Did you make a die to cut the silicon or did you just cut it with a knife?

I'd use something like this to cut the holes.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=3838

I made one with a piece of round bar I had on hand, it is not tempered so it will not last long, but the slilicon is quite soft and only a little tap is necessary to cut trough. For the shape of the valve cover, I just traced around it with an exacto knife.

I like the idea of cutting the gasket to the stud on the lower hole to prevent oil from pooling above the gasket.

Jean

Jeandr · Apr 24, 2009

batrider said:
I bought some gray-silver silicone ones on eBay a while back. I just don't go for the red color.

I know picky picky...

The $10 cookie sheet I bought is clear with white fiberglass embedded inside, I may end up using that instead of the red ones (I used the red one first because I used it to cook some pork filets in the oven, the marinade is made with honey and it cooked in the oven for 20 minutes at 400F, there was some caked on stuff I could not clean off)

Jean

Ron L · Apr 24, 2009

I used it to cook some pork filets in the oven, the marinade is made with honey and it cooked in the oven for 20 minutes at 400F, there was some caked on stuff I could not clean off

A top notch Norton builder and he cooks too!

If you were a woman I'd marry you! :lol:

swooshdave · Apr 24, 2009

swooshdave said:
Did you make a die to cut the silicon or did you just cut it with a knife?

I'd use something like this to cut the holes.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=3838

I just picked up a set of these punches. Now to task the wife-unit with shopping the dollar store for the silicon. Easier than you think.

Jeandr · Apr 24, 2009

Ron L said:
I used it to cook some pork filets in the oven, the marinade is made with honey and it cooked in the oven for 20 minutes at 400F, there was some caked on stuff I could not clean off

Click to expand...

A top notch Norton builder and he cooks too!

If you were a woman I'd marry you! :lol:

LOL, it's the only way to eat well and not get poisoned :lol: :lol: :lol:

Coco · Apr 24, 2009

Jeandr said:
Coco said:

I have a set of similar silicon gaskets I bought from Rocky Point Cycle but I have not tried them yet. I have heard a few mixed reports but might give them a go anyway.

Click to expand...

Il'l bet they were more than $3

Jean

Yes they were. $14.95 for a 3 piece set.

mike916sp · Apr 24, 2009

grandpaul said:
Cheapness is the Mother-in-law of Bodgery.

...which I inherited at a young age.

great idea.

Just use good quality standard gaskets, remove carefully, use a stanley knife blade when breaking the gasket seal and taking them off and then reuse them with a light smear of silicone on both faces. No more leaks, no more trips to the cookie shop for foil and youv'e saved some hassle. You can get three or four uses out of each gasket that way

Ok I know some of you guys don't like silicone but I did say lightly smear!

I don't know if this is a good idea...

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