Anyone ever tried this??

[countryboy26047]

Ok, hopefully this is the right place to post this as it really isn't directly about boat motors... So ive been doin a lot of "bored researching" lol, and a topic that I've been reading a LOT about is people using of all things, a cereal box to make homemade gaskets for carbs and fuel pumps???... Anyone here ever tried this? I would think it would almost instantly dissolve?? If it DOES work, wish I woulda known about it a couple years ago when it took me almost 4 months to get the gaskets for my quads carb! Lol

 

[colding]

Re: Anyone ever tried this??

I made a gasket for my water pump in my car once from a shoe box in my trunk. We were on the road, miles from civilization. I used it as a stop-gap measure for until I got home and could replace it that same day. Ended up not fixing it for a couple of weeks and it held up fine.

 

[countryboy26047]

Re: Anyone ever tried this??

That's awesome colding!! And ingenius at that, how many would honestly think to do that in that situation??

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Anyone ever tried this??

Yep cardboard from a cereal box will work fine for a fuel gasket....... it's not my first choice but it does work. When I am at napa I usually just buy a sheet of gasket material to have in the tool box

BTW We used cardboard ALL the time to make the axle seal gaskets when I was in the Army

 

[bajaunderground]

Re: Anyone ever tried this??

I had a CJ7 back in the day and went camping and for some reason it overheated (reason escapes me?). We were miles from nowhere, pulled thermostat housing and thermostat, replaced housing using a "Triskets" box for gasket material...it didn't work at all, of course I didn't have in RTV, I imagine with some of that, I probably wouldn't have needed the cardboard...I think for fuel and oil it might be ok, but on high pressure (cooling system) it's iffy?! Colding that's pretty cool that it worked, I would've bet against it given my experience!

 

[rbh]

Re: Anyone ever tried this??

When growing up we used cereal boxes for our motorcycles gaskets.
Wiped on that purple liquide gasket stuff on the paper (have'nt seen it for years) and it held out good.

It did'nt like alot of preasure though.

 

[countryboy26047]

Re: Anyone ever tried this??

Wow... Call me simple but I'm just amazed by all this.. lol. As for the rolls of gasket material you can buy, what would you all recommend for oil/gas use? I was just looking at two different ones today at autozone, both say u can use them with oil and gas.. one is cork-rubber 1/16" thick and the other is rubber-fiber 1/32" thick. Just thinking it would be nice having some around as you said Bob, just in case..

 

[foodfisher]

Re: Anyone ever tried this??

Squeeze it hard enough, paper turns into formica. I've heard. Peat-coal-diamonds

 

[colding]

Re: Anyone ever tried this??

That's awesome colding!! And ingenius at that, how many would honestly think to do that in that situation??

I can't take all the credit. My cousin was with me and suggested we look for something to create a gasket with. Found the shoebox and figured it couldn't hurt to try. It was either that or start walking! Probably at least 20 miles if I remember right.

 

[robert graham]

Re: Anyone ever tried this??

I buy several different types/thicknesses of gasket material at the local industrial supply store just to have handy when I need it. Cereal box/cardboard might not hold up for outboard/marine applications...O.K. for automotives, tractors, etc. I coat most gaskets with a Silicone to act as a "release agent", so they don't tear up so much when taking things apart...this is good especially for carbs where you can't buy "just the gasket"...gotta buy the whole rebuild kit!

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Anyone ever tried this??

Used it at a push when I had to. Always with a smear of gasket goo stuff for good measure. I actually sold a mini with a few still on it about 30 years ago. Works fine but I use the real thing whenever I can.

 

[nlain]

Re: Anyone ever tried this??

Manilla folders work good also.

 

[RogersJetboat454]

Re: Anyone ever tried this??

As for the rolls of gasket material you can buy, what would you all recommend for oil/gas use? I was just looking at two different ones today at autozone, both say u can use them with oil and gas.. one is cork-rubber 1/16" thick and the other is rubber-fiber 1/32" thick. Just thinking it would be nice having some around as you said Bob, just in case..

Fiber all day long.
I despise cork gaskets. They swell and leak. Or they dry out and leak. Or if you happen to find a set that isn't leaking, but you need to remove them because of some work you are doing, they are usually hard as stone and have bonded with the part in a fashion that would rival the best glues out there. Thus forcing you to take extraordinary measures to remove the stupid thing.

 

[babbot]

Re: Anyone ever tried this??

So what is the difference between a "ordinary" piece of cardboard and a paper gasket that you would buy at an auto store? Are the "real" gaskets rubberized? They don't seem to much differnet from plain cardboard. Just replaced a manual fuel pump and the paper broke very easily.

This is an interesting topic especially with my track record of getting stuck with old vehicles...

 

[tomdinwv]

Re: Anyone ever tried this??

I remember my dad making a gasket for something with a Camel cigarette carton. I've made 1 or 2 myself with a cereal box. Gotta do what you gotta do to get by sometimes.

 

[SS MAYFLOAT]

Re: Anyone ever tried this??

Been there and done that. On the farm you gotta make do with what is available when the parts house is many miles away. Where the tolerances are thinner than cardboard, I have used canvas thread and number 2 Permatex as gasket material. It will hold a bit more pressure than just cardboard.

 

[JB]

Re: Anyone ever tried this??

I have made many gaskets from packaging materials, countryboy. I though everyone did.

 

[RogersJetboat454]

Re: Anyone ever tried this??

So what is the difference between a "ordinary" piece of cardboard and a paper gasket that you would buy at an auto store? Are the "real" gaskets rubberized? They don't seem to much differnet from plain cardboard. Just replaced a manual fuel pump and the paper broke very easily.

This is an interesting topic especially with my track record of getting stuck with old vehicles...

Materials, bonding agents, etc.