Make Your Own Gaskets.

GoldenMotor.com

AssembleThis

New Member
May 11, 2014
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NC United States


Hi everyone!

If you have noticed the gaskets that come with the engine kits are not the best. Plus if you need one and have to order it they are pretty expensive for what they are. With a few basic tools you can make quality gaskets at a very low cost. The Hole Punch Set I ordered came in. It is without question the finest punch set I have ever seen. Much better than my old set. And oddly enough extremely cheap. They are worth 5 times what they cost me. If your smart, which by the way I'm sure you are, get a set while you can. The picture is pretty much all you need to make your own gaskets. Oh I use a peace of 2x4 pine, or soft plywood as my cutting boards. The old school method was to place the gasket material over the part and tap it with a small ball peen hammer to cut out the gasket. Since the gaskets we will be making will be small and the items are made of very soft metal I don't recommend this method. Instead use the old gasket as a template. If that isn't available wipe a thin coat of oil on the part then press it into the gasket material. If it's hard to see the outline scribe over it with a pen. When cutting with the razor be gentle, if your dealing with hard gasket material go over the outline several times to cut through, do not try to force through the material. You can get gasket material at any auto parts store or as I prefer Ebay.

http://i.imgur.com/c7abHXw.jpg

http://www.ebay.com/itm/360951439729?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

.bld.

Hope this helps!
Stay tuned for the next AssembleThis post :)

Dave
 

tooljunkie

Member
Apr 4, 2012
663
5
16
Manitoba,Canada
I have made gaskets for aluminum housings using the hammer method, a very small hammer and just enough to partially cut gasket. Then finish it with a hobby knife.
Done it for carburetors- a steady hand helps.
Never tried a soft face hammer, but i did make a lead face one for gentle persuading.
Do inside of gasket first, leave outside for something to hang on to when done.
 

Theon

New Member
Jan 20, 2014
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FNQ Australia
Those little curved scissors they use at the hospital are the go.
They are generaly used once then either thrown or sent to third world countries.
A guy up the road works as a wardy at the local hospital, dropped me a box of them the other day.
 

Quanah

New Member
Dec 13, 2008
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Central, Illinois
I make gaskets all the time, have for decades...why buy 'em, when you can make them as good, or even better. Would like to get some copper and make my own head gaskets. Nice punch set by the way! I need some new ones.
 

AssembleThis

New Member
May 11, 2014
163
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NC United States
Hi Quanah!

Yes they are a nice set and very cheap too. Only a few dollars more than the HFT set. The quality is better and more sizes. They will pay for themselves the first time anyone use's them. :) I'm actually tempted to buy another set as backups.

Dave

dance1
 

2door

Moderator
Staff member
Sep 15, 2008
16,302
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Littleton, Colorado
A number 11 Exacto blade will help make any gasket and they're lots cheaper than punch sets. In fact they make better cuts and edges than a punch. It doesn't take much practice to cut any shape you can imagine or trace on the gasket material.

Tom
 

maniac57

Old, Fat, and still faster than you
Oct 8, 2011
4,484
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memphis Tn
For punching clean holes, the best way it to get some tubing the correct size and sharpen the INSIDE lip with a rat tail file to get a sharp cutting edge. Then simply tap the holes out on a block of wood. Perfect sized holes every time.
 

AssembleThis

New Member
May 11, 2014
163
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NC United States
Hi! 2door

Yes in my younger days that's all I used but being old and disabled that's no longer an option. The punches make up for my inability to do that anymore. A light tap and boom it's done.

Plus I can use them on my leather crafts and occasionally crack nuts with them :). I'm still working on other uses, unfortunately the brain slows down as well, hmm, I'll have to get back to you on other uses k.

.shft.

Dave
 

AssembleThis

New Member
May 11, 2014
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NC United States
Hi maniac57!

Nice option, problem for me is too little time too many things to get done. $11 and change seemed like a better option for me. But heay I here you, I make my own tools and jigs all the time but it's $11 and change. It would take me weeks to make these, plus my lathe isn't set up for that. Bottom line, they would cost me a lot more than $11 and change to make.
Gee I wonder how long an edge on copper tubing would last? Hm got me thinking again.

rotfl

Just kidding I'm assuming your talking about steel tubing right? Still it's $11 and change!

Dave
 

maniac57

Old, Fat, and still faster than you
Oct 8, 2011
4,484
22
0
memphis Tn
copper works fine, as does the cheap chrome plated tin stuff used in transistor radio and TV antenna's, A good thin wall and plenty of sizes to choose from. Just cut carefully and file to an edge.
I've used one homemade punch for years. Nothing to sharpening it (if needed) and easy to scrounge up a decent selection of sizes.
Sharpen the outside if you don't have a round file small enough. Still works, just not quite as perfect a hole.


And for all of you calling me on "$11 bucks and change", consider how far I can ride My Pig on $11 worth of fuel....
If I can save $11, I do it. Period.
 
Last edited:

AssembleThis

New Member
May 11, 2014
163
0
0
NC United States
Hi maniac57!

I agree, I can ride over 1 month on $11 and change. The point I was trying to make was. How much time and material I would need to make the exact items with the same quality? Like I said they would cost me a lot more to make them myself. But maniac it's only $11 and change lolol. Got your feathers ruffled didn't I? lolol

Peace bud just having fun with you :).

laff

Dave
AssembleThis
 

Denis Zen

Active Member
Mar 30, 2021
146
191
43
Riding up highway 101 at sunset
I would first like to thank this website and all of its supporters. Thank you for the plethora of good solid information.

You help me in ways that you can't even imagine and save me hours and hours of frustration. And for that I am deeply grateful.

I'm going to State the obvious here for people who are looking for a more concise answer or point of reference for first build.

BEFORE YOU START YOUR ENGINE ... DO THIS!

INSPECT every part closely and take the engine apart to your skillset and visually inspect all the compartments and clean out or add grease where applicable.

Dont mess with the piston set up if you know how to navigate that procedure as the piston rings are tempermental and require skill to do correctly.

It is a good idea to go over all of the parts that come in your bicycle kit. I have done everything from filing the rough edges from around the gear drive sprocket and the back big sprocket to removing the casting burs imperfections.

I have compiled a checklist of things that will give you a slight edge on prolonging its life.
⚠ The bolts on these motors are pure crap so make sure you use the proper sized screw diver tips ect... You WILL strip these out!!! And while your engine may tolerate some easy disassemblely the cheap gaskets on these bikes are brittle and waffer thin.

You can make your own using cereal box cardboard material (cut and soak in 2stroke oil before use.).

First, take the head off the piston cylinder cover or head and look down in the area where the Piston is at for debris and foreign material. I did this just on a whim to see what it looked like in there and there was a tremendous amount of metal shavings and things that I could not identify.. especially metal casting shavings from them tapping these spark plug hole and letting the debris fall inside.

Clean and wipe the cylinder and top of piston. Depress the clutch lever and move piston downward to expose anything that may have fallen between the cylinder wall and piston. Swab cylinder lightly with 2 stroke oil.

Check all ports,channels and flanges for casting "bugs" , places the casting may have bled through. Clean, sand or grind imperfections noting where your debris is falling. Place tape over the exhaust and air intake ports to keep them debris free.

Next open the clutch compartment and remove any material that shouldnt be there. BEFORE you remove the clutch plate take and measure how much room between the plate and pads. I found that the bottom of a matchbook is about the right thickness or distance.

COUNT THE revolutions or turns it takes to remove the flower nut holding the clutch plate on and inspect the pad area.

When the clutch pads were installed on mine, the debris from the cuttings from around the clutch pads when it was installed was still stuck inside of the clutch area and would have quickly gummed up and been non beneficial in the life of the clutch. Be careful not to get any oil or anything excessive on the clutch pads themselves.

Reassemble.

Next inspect your magneto compartment making sure everything looks proper. I put a dab of grease or rubberized sealent on the wire opening just to negate moisture or contamination.

Reassemble.

Next inspect gear cogs both the on on the motor and the one on the back wheel.

These are roughly cut and need attention for good chain health. The larger back gear is pressed from a sheet of steel and have edges on them that chew chains up!

Take a chainsaw file and lightly soften all areas that feel sharp or rough and take the hard edge off all angles. It shouldnt take many soft passes with the file to do.

Next the 10 tooth gear. Most kits come with the removal tool included if not google it.

Remove the gear cog and remove all square edges from gear teeth. This will DEFINITELY HELP chain binding and climbing / derailment and alignment issues.

I ordered a small wedge that installs in the upper gear housing that keeps the chain from bucking and getting snagged in the
Gear comartment which causes the back wheel to lock up. I suggest it.

(Um not sure how to save drafts here so I will be adding to this post continually until it is complete. Please feel free to comment or whatever any input is appreciated.)
 

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