Any thoughts on the cut your own gasket material?

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charboucher

charboucher

Joined
Oct 30, 2010
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24
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Location
Washougal, WA
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www.charlieboucher.com
well, I am going through the fj and ther a few gaskets that look rather worn out. no real big leak, but brittle and old. I have looked at various gasket kits on the cruiser sites but was wondering if anyone has ever used the gasket material you buy in a roll and cut your own. I love DIY stuff but dont want to use it if its weaker or somehow less reliable than the gasket kits.
I wouldn't be using it for large gaskets, stuff like thermostat housing and small things like that.
 
I use the DIY gasket material all the time. I work on ocean going ships and we are constantly having to make gaskets. It's financially impossible for us to stock every gasket on a ship so we buy our gasket material in big sheets and cut our own. They are every bit as strong as the pre-cut stuff. I don't recommend it for head gaskets and high pressure steam flanges but most other applications it'll be fine. We also make our own O-rings and they work well. Good luck!

Bob
 
charboucher said:
was wondering if anyone has ever used the gasket material you buy in a roll and cut your own.
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Sure. There was even some discussion, years ago, about using spent brass shells to cut the perfect circle in your DIY gaskets. But for the thin paper gaskets, like thermostats and waterpumps, I just use a smear of the RTV...
 
Dad grew up on a farm. He never bought a gasket, he taught me how to use a ball peen hammer to make an impression. Lay the material on the part and tap until you have the outline and all the holes are marked. Then just use a utility knife to cut it out.
 
The only time I make a gasket is when I can't find a new one or when I have an emergency.

I almost always use new gaskets because they're cheap and they work. Why waste all that time making something like a thermostat gasket when it'll only cost you $4 at the store?

Spend that time doing things to your truck that you can't affordably buy at the store!
 
Splangy said:
The only time I make a gasket is when I can't find a new one or when I have an emergency.

I almost always use new gaskets because they're cheap and they work. Why waste all that time making something like a thermostat gasket when it'll only cost you $4 at the store?

Spend that time doing things to your truck that you can't affordably buy at the store!
Click to expand...
It's doesn't have to be an emergency, sometimes you just don't want to wait. The dealership here stocks almost no FJ40 parts, NAPA carries more parts but not always the ones you need. The bottom line is I can never count on just going down and picking up ANY part for my truck at the parts store. I can almost always count on a three or four day wait.
 
One of my hobbies is re-building and riding old motorcycles. Many times you don't have the choice of buying a gasket; making one is the only way to go. Can't tell you the number of gaskets I have made myself with a ball-peen hammer, a razor blade, and rolls of gasket material. It's not hard to do and you get the hang of it real quick.
 
It's not getting easier to get parts, it's good to know how to make them... even when you don't need to.:)

Cardboard can even be used in a pinch (cereal box or non glossy).
 
I cut my own gaskets for the carb and thermostat housing, fuel pump, and even oil drain plugs. I've never had one fail. I bought a hole punch set at harbor freight for cheap and use that.I grew up wathcing my dad cut gaskets from cereal boxes and coating them with Permatex gasket sealer! Just buy the good stuff. It is usually gray and has some silicone in it.
 
I do it all the time too. I'll buy a gasket set if I know I'm going to be doing some PM but for roadside repairs or emergencies the gasket material works fine.
 
I have been making my own for close to 10 years.
Anything flat you can make very easily.
About the hardest ones I had to make are a set for a mini truck transfer case and lockouts cover.
I use the thicker more flexable material. Make your pattren and cut away.
I mark all my bolt holes and use a hammer and the right size socket to punsh the hole in the material.
Take your time .
look at the pic.
gaskets.webp
 
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Do not know if I would use cardboard, but someone on this site cut them out or plastic milk jugs and had good success. I just cut my heat riser gasket out of the Percy's carbon fiber exhaust gasket material from summit. Only a few places seem to sell the heat riser gasket for the early models most say they do but actually only have the 5 hole 2f ones, and they wanted to much money and then they played the $$ shipping and $$ handling game making it way to much. Will be several months before I can run the engine to know it it worked.
 
which material?

last time I messed with gaskets I had a similar question....what is the best stuff? Permatex right stuff / RTV / cork / rubber / paper / ???

asked parts stores, dealer mechanics, shade tree dudes, everyone I could and the answers were all over the board. The consistent opinion favored OEM where possible. The only oddball was a DIY material for oil pan gaskets that was not available in the US.
 
I have several different types for those unexpected jobs. I still buy extra gaskets for thermostates and fuel pumps but nothing else. Nothing beats making your own gasket in the spur of the moment. I made one just the other day on carb I took apart on the lawn mower. I seen people use card board from ceral boxes, aluminum folded several layers, plastic bags used a teflon. I would not recommend it but not a bad idea if you have no other way to limp home.
 
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