crappy fix?

[Rijko]

Glad I'm not the only one who gets impatient with gaskets. My heart sinks when the old gasket comes off in one piece apart from the bit you need to be hanging upside down from the roof to be able to get to it. Or worse still, the bit behind the part you have just spent 3 hours fiddling around to get fixed in place sticks. Do you faff with it for an hour or two or remove offending part, clean the gasket then spend 4 more lovely hours cursing (3 hours the first time, 4 hours for the second, because you forgot how you managed to get the damn thing into place the first time).

Guess most of us have been there, i surely have.
My buddy recently had to redo the mating surfaces of the engine as well as
the bottom cylinder gasket, after a complete rebuild he got sloppy
and it cost us half a day to disassemble, remove the old gasket remains and
rebuild the engine.

Experience is that marvelous thing that enables you to recognize a mistake when you make it again

 

[limeex2]

I put some oil on the gasket and let it soak at least overnight and the gasket softens right up. Use a brand new razor blade not in a handle or knife and go VERY gentle and slow. You can feel when it wants to dig in and just stop. Never had a problem. Keep in mind most cover gaskets from the factory have the gaskets bonded to cover with sealant so the covers can just be slapped on to aid in assembly. Use contact cleaner and a rag to remove sealants. Patience is key to no damage.