Gaskets on old or hard-used bikes can bake onto the metal. Scraping them dry scars the faces and causes leaks later. A spray remover softens the gasket first.
Safety
- Use in a ventilated place, away from flames. Wear gloves and eye protection. Follow the label.
- Do not use a steel blade on aluminium faces. Use a plastic scraper.
Steps
- Remove the cover or part and the bolts. Do not pry on the faces.
- Spray gasket remover over the whole old gasket. Spray type works better than the brush-on type.
- Wait an hour or two. For a very hard gasket, spray again and leave overnight.
- Scrape off the softened gasket gently with a plastic scraper.
- Clean the faces with solvent and a rag until bare, and dry them. Look for nicks and warping.
- Fit a new gasket and seal as the manual says: Replace an engine cover gasket, Gasket sealant.
Check your work
- The face is bare, smooth and free of old gasket and sealant.
If it did not fix the problem
- A deep gouge or a warped face: ask a workshop whether the face can be dressed, or fill small gouges with liquid gasket where the maker allows it.