Gasket maker

Scrubcadet10

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Whats the best gasket maker for a valve cover? I know permatex has something called "The right stuff" but is $40 for a tube.
and ideas?
 

bertsmobile1

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1/16" neoprene or butyl cork.
Appl some sot of compound to the cover side so it sticks to the cover then axel grease to the head side .
You will nor save 2 hours and lots of blood caued by scraping silicone off the head & cover every time you check the valve lash.
 

Rivets

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Depends on which engine you will be using it on. If on a Kohler, if it must be removed you will ruin the cover. On small engines you never want to use on which is permanent.
 

7394

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If both surfaces are clean & flat, one should need nothing more than the proper gasket & torque specs.
 

Scrubcadet10

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Honda GCV160. But there is another honda engine, just like the 160 and it uses a gasket instead of using a RTV.
I do have the the surfaces already cleaned.
 

bertsmobile1

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A couple of the small Honda engines are shipped without gaskets but the 140 gasket ( and cover from memory ) will fit nicely as does the older Intec gasket on all of the Briggs with glued on rocker covers.
The Kawasaki rep said they use silicone ( purple again from memory ) at the factory that is not available in the general market so they can tell if the dealer did the valve lash check as part of the free in warranty service.
 

bertsmobile1

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even if RTV was used from the factory?:smile:

Yes.
RTY is used at the factory to cut the costs of making the engine because you expect / demand that the exact same engine be cheaper the next year.
So the surfaces can be rough machined not smooth finished and you no longer need to buy in , store & issue gaskets.
Next the mower will not leak in the dealers showroom nor at your home so fewer warranty claims for oil leaks.
If it leaks after it is serviced then it is the problem of whoever serviced the engine not the mower company.
One of the reasons why trannies are so cheap is the silicon used to join the halves together.
It add drastically to the labour part of the repair thus convinces you to replace rather than repair which is more profit for the makers
 
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