Making gaskets out of cheap craft-store cork

"cletus44 aka Clayton Seams" (cletus44)
05/16/2017 at 12:08 • Filed to: None

Alex finally puts a cork (gasket) in it. Will it actually hold? Time will tell!

DISCUSSION (18)

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
05/16/2017 at 12:14

Only two valve cover bolts, in the middle of the cover.... I wonder why it leaks.

MonkeePuzzle > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
05/16/2017 at 12:15

how has it held up?

vondon302 > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
05/16/2017 at 12:19

Crafty.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
05/16/2017 at 12:20

Tractor Supply actually has gasket cork, FYI.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles
05/16/2017 at 12:21

Land Rover Series, same deal - three bolts down the middle of the cover, cork all around.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
05/16/2017 at 12:31

And we all know Land Rovers never leak oil. lol

Dave the car guy , still here > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles
05/16/2017 at 12:49

I can somewhat recall helping replace a cork trans pan gasket on a old Jaguar. It was back in the 70s and we had no choice of materials. A Virginia dealership had done the gasket just months prior and it was leaking so bad we didn’t trust driving it from Raleigh NC to VA. New gasket and tube of RTV with plenty of curing time sealed it but my back was killing me from laying on a gravel drive half hungover helping a friend with the repair. I’ve hated cork gaskets with a vengeance ever since then.

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > MonkeePuzzle
05/16/2017 at 12:49

Only been a few days but no leaks so far!

Urambo Tauro > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
05/16/2017 at 12:51

I have a weird bias against cork, and it’s probably unfair. I mean, the stuff obviously works (not just in gaskets, but for bottling, too)...

I dunno, cork’s just always bothered me as a sealing material. It looks porous as hell, but from what I hear, it swells up when oil touches it for a tighter seal. *shrug* I honestly haven’t had many automotive encounters with the stuff. I’ve only had to deal with it a couple of times, and each time it was a crumbly mess that got replaced with rubbery or fibrous material.

Dave the car guy , still here > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
05/16/2017 at 12:57

If it starts to leak you should seal the next one with gasket shellac. Looks like you could get a few gaskets more out of that roll.

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > Urambo Tauro
05/16/2017 at 13:14

I’m a Fel-Pro man myself but sometimes it isn’t worth the extra money.

Dusty Ventures > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
05/16/2017 at 14:03

Is the Cletusvette ready yet?

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > Dusty Ventures
05/16/2017 at 14:18

Almost! It now has wipers and just needs a horn to pass inspection!

Dusty Ventures > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
05/16/2017 at 14:22

Sooooo.... Oppo Rally?

Frank Grimes > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
05/16/2017 at 16:18

so why not just parts store gasket material? do they not make it in cork anymore?

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > Frank Grimes
05/16/2017 at 16:19

The stuff they had in big sheets was too thin for this task. They had stuff for things like water pumps and thermostats but not mushy enough for valve gaskets.

aberson Bresident of the FullyAssed Committe > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
05/16/2017 at 16:38

Interesting

Frank Grimes > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
05/16/2017 at 16:39

aww ok that is what I suspected the cork valve cover gaskets are really thick!