Topic: GOD DAMN float bowl gaskets!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Buffo]

Have any of you folks made your own gaskets from gasket material for your float bowls???

The rubber ones that came with my rebuild went on fine when they were new...but now that they have soked in fuel for a few weeks ...they expanded when I took them out and now they ARE NOT going to go  back in...I have been trying for two (2) hours.

can I get away with gasket in a tube???

There has got to be a better way.

Don

[Sam Green Racing]

Don, try soaking them in boiling water for a few mins, it somtimes makes them shrink a little.

[Buffo]

I 'll give it a try.

Don

[MikeDeB]

Are you placing the gasket into the recess in the carb body before you install the float bowl?  I've never had a problem with float bowl gaskets fitting, new or old, expanded or normal.  I have had problems with float bowl gaskets leaking after some PO used gasket in a tube.  It was also a PITA to clean off the carb bodies as well.  Keep at it; they really should go in, even with a little expansion.

[Buffo]

It is not a little expantion. these things are just plain too big. I have tried everything thta i can think of to get these things to seat right. even tring to squeeze them in with a pick and a feeler gauge.

[Buffo]

I boiled one and it got bigger.

I froze the others and they went on with a fight...I am now freezing the one I boiled...hoping that it will shrink.

Don

[schneider419]

 >:(hey there, i just did the carbs on my 350f and i used keyster kits (they suck) and the o ring that seals the bowl was too big from new!! so i took loctite gasket eliminator 518 sealant. it comes in a squeeze tube, and ou can get it in any car parts store. i put a little in the groove in the bowl for the o-ring. then i cut the o-ring, and put it in the groove with the the cut end meeting at the longest straight side in the middle. then i cut off the extra o-ring untill the ends touch in the groove, i then carefully wipe off the extra loctite with a paper towel. the last thing i do is put a dab of the sealant on top of the cut ends to seal that spot. let it sit for 10 to 15 min. and assemble. i hope this helps you.
                                                                                                                       mike

[Darrell]

When mine are too large from gas obsorption I just let them sit for an hour or so and they're good to go.

[Sam Green Racing]

Don,  you need to let it cool off completelyfor it to shrink.

[sounddoc]

not to belabor the point, but i agree with leaving them out for an hour or so to dry out. i had the same frustrating problem with my 550 (rest her soul) gaskets last summer. went in for lunch, leaving them out in the sun (direct sunlight probably wasn't the best idea) and they went in an hour later without a hitch - no leaks in the past year, either. good luck!

p.s. haven't tried the boiling trick, so i can't comment on that.

[oldbiker]

I bought a coil of neoprene gasket material, cut off the length to suit and glued the ends together with superglue. This way I got gaskets to fit for pennies. It can be bought in various thicknesses and I originally bought it to make cylinder head seals for my watercooled Canam racing bike.

[Steve F]

I've always made my own gaskets. Maybe because I'm cheap or something, but they don't give me any problems and they don't leak!!!.  I use a sheet of nylon reinforced neoprene rubber, 1/16" thick.  Start by cutting out a rectangular piece large enough to cover the bowl by about 1/4" on all sides. Punch a hole for the overflow tube to go through.  Thoroughly (read thoroughly) clean the rubber piece with glass cleaner until all the slippery stuff on the rubber is gone.  Do the same with the sealing surface on the bowl.  Superglue the rubber to the bowl and let it sit for about an hour.  Using a very sharp EXACTO knife, start by trimming away the excess on the inside of the bowl edge, then do the same with the outside, and VIOLA!
I get the material from McMaster-Carr  you can order it online at www.mcmaster.com item number 8599K31 about $7 to $8 for 1 sq. ft.
The only problem I've had is the super glue may not hold the rubber to the bowl, and that can be re-glued.
Steve F.

[dusterdude]

don,had a friend make some for me,no leaky no more.all i know is the material came from napa

[SteveD CB500F]

and VIOLA!

Another member with a large violin!  (see thread about Terry in Australia's expertise in French)

[Steve F]

and VIOLA!

Another member with a large violin!  (see thread about Terry in Australia's expertise in French)

Actually I meant to say Cello
 cel·lo1 (chµl“½) n., pl. cel·los. Music. A four-stringed instrument of the violin family, pitched lower than the viola but higher than the double bass. [Short for violoncello.] --cel“list (chµl“¹st) n.
Damned if I know what musical instruments have to do with this thread, but it seemed appropriate at the time......

[eldar]

I got new gaskets and they were round. They were a pain to fit so I super glued them into the groove to hold them in place. No problems with leaking. Just do not use too much glue.

[Zeke]

I've had the same problems -- I gave up and put them back a few hours later and they shrunk.

Zeke

[Buffo]

they are on and NOT leaking.

Thanks guys.