Felt or steel gaskets?

[patches85]

Which is better? Felt gaskets or steel? I would think that felt would be better. Let me know if I'm wrong. I am putting my ex back together and have both. I am talking about the rocker box and cam chain tensioner etc.

[quadman 05400ex]

i woud think steel is a little more durabull but i dont no.

[400exrider707]

Originally posted by patches85
Which is better? Felt gaskets or steel? I would think that felt would be better. Let me know if I'm wrong. I am putting my ex back together and have both. I am talking about the rocker box and cam chain tensioner etc.


Can you even get felt ones for either? The steel I would definitely use for the rocker cover, the cam chain tensioner however I could NEVER get to stop leaking and a felt might have helped, but I dont know if you can even get one or not!?

[440_Turtle]

Im runnign a high HP high Compression ex and am in the process of orebuilding it right now and im using Cometic Steel Gaskets for the top end and Honda Felt gaskets for teh side cases.

[zeppelin]

the felt definetly has to go on the cam chain tensioner cover, but i dont think i have ever heard of people using felt for their rocker cover. if i were you id put the stee one on the rocker cover.

[440_Turtle]

Why felt on teh Cam Tensioner, Why not Metal there too.

And should you use any silicone for the metal head gasket, base gasket, and rocker cover?

[400exrider707]

Originally posted by zeppelin
the felt definetly has to go on the cam chain tensioner cover, but i dont think i have ever heard of people using felt for their rocker cover. if i were you id put the stee one on the rocker cover.

My top end gasket kits always came with a steel cover for that....

[400exrider707]

Originally posted by 440_Turtle
Why felt on teh Cam Tensioner, Why not Metal there too.

And should you use any silicone for the metal head gasket, base gasket, and rocker cover?

I wouldn't use silicone anywhere. You shouldn't have to, thats the purpose of the gasket is to seal the area between to metal surfaces, so no silicone should be necessary.

[zeppelin]

Originally posted by 400exrider707
My top end gasket kits always came with a steel cover for that.... thats funny, i'll admit that ive never openned up a 400ex, but every bike that i have rebuilt has always had felt gaskets for the tensioner and steel for everything else. i guess i stand corrected.

[underpowered]

i run commetic flex steel on my bike. the flexsteel kit comes with a metal tensioner gasket, and works great. what i like about the steel gaskets, is they can be re-uses if need be. i just replaced my cam chain and was able to re-use the same tensioner gasket.

[JOEX]

Are there steel or reusable gaskets available for the side covers?

[GPracer2500]

Originally posted by JOEX
Are there steel or reusable gaskets available for the side covers?

My local tuning shop cuts his own gaskets. He's got some sort of computer controlled lazer cutter. He tells it what gasket he wants (by buddy got some 88 CR250 powervalve cover gaskets--I'm guessing he's got the electronic templates for most anything) and it just cuts it out of a sheet.

I'm not sure what exactly the material is that he uses--it's not paper--but they seem to last a while. It dosen't rip or delaminate like the paper gaskets do.

[JOEX]

Originally posted by GPracer2500
My local tuning shop cuts his own gaskets. He's got some sort of computer controlled lazer cutter. He tells it what gasket he wants (by buddy got some 88 CR250 powervalve cover gaskets--I'm guessing he's got the electronic templates for most anything) and it just cuts it out of a sheet.

I'm not sure what exactly the material is that he uses--it's not paper--but they seem to last a while. It dosen't rip or delaminate like the paper gaskets do.
How many paper gasket would I have to go through to justify one of those computer controlled lazer cutting machines:blah:

Anyway:p Is it some type of rubber material? Available in the retail market?

[GPracer2500]

Originally posted by JOEX
How many paper gasket would I have to go through to justify one of those computer controlled lazer cutting machines:blah:

Anyway:p Is it some type of rubber material? Available in the retail market?

Hey, you can never have too many tools!

It does seem kinda rubbery. I'll ask him about it next time I get a chance.