Gaskets?

abelw44

abelw44

Active Member
Hello all,
I have recently acquired a 60 year old ATCO lightweight mower. It has a villiers midget, two stroke engine and I'm wondering if I could make a crankcase gasket for it out of thin (cereal box) card? I'm not sure about this because of the fact that two stroke motors pressurize their crankcases. Anybody know?

Thanks in advance,
Abelw44
 
Go to napa and get the roll gasket thats the same thickness of the one that was on there. Get gasket material thats rated for gas and oil.
 
Unfortunately I don't know the thickness of the original gasket because it all fell apart when I split the crankcase halves. :-(
Maybe I should just stop being a cheapskate and buy the proper gasket.

Thanks for all your help,
Abelw44
 
abelw44 said:
Unfortunately I don't know the thickness of the original gasket because it all fell apart when I split the crankcase halves. :-(
Maybe I should just stop being a cheapskate and buy the proper gasket.

Thanks for all your help,
Abelw44
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I have made a lot of gasket thought the years. I didn't always have the right gasket material. I have made gaskets out of most anything I could get my hands on and I can't say I have ever had a problem with them. A cereal box is just fine.
 
reynoldston said:
I have made a lot of gasket thought the years. I didn't always have the right gasket material. I have made gaskets out of most anything I could get my hands on and I can't say I have ever had a problem with them. A cereal box is just fine.
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I dont recommend cardboard. I'd be concerned of it catching on fire. Safety/fire hazard to me.
 
davbell22602 said:
I dont recommend cardboard. I'd be concerned of it catching on fire. Safety/fire hazard to me.
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Don't agree with you on this at all. Cardboard needs air to burn and when you use it as a gasket you take away the air. Can't say I have ever had a gasket catch on fire. On top of that when I put exhaust parts together I use grease on them for ease of working with the pipes and never had it catch on fire. How hot do you think a crank case gets to catch the gaskets on fire?
 
I have heard of cereal boxes type cardboard being used for gaskets in a pinch before from my Uncle who built roads through the deserts of Sudan in Africa. He witnessed a rebuild of an engine out in the desert by the locals. They had to make do with what they had. You can order gasket material online.
As far as NAPA auto parts, they currently only have stores here in the USA. Out of curiosity, what walk in do it yourself auto parts stores do you have in the United Kingdom, if they exist.
 
What ever you use for gasket material seeing it is a crankcase, you might need somewhat of the same thickness as the old gasket for clearance reasons???
 
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