Making a gasket

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My 95 ram the one that sat for four yrs well the passenger side valve cover is leaking . I don't want to have to buy a valve cover gasket set. But they don't sell them individually.
What is the best way to Make one?
 
Why wouldn't you get the set? The other one is probably on its way out too.

Is the other gasket that difficult to replace? (like most FWD transverse V6/V8 engines can be)
 
A quick peek at RockAuto shows your valve cover gaskets at $17 and $20, plus shipping. If one valve cover is going out, chances are the next one will be right behind.
I suspect that by making your own gaskets the material will almost be that high and you haven't even figured in your own time yet. I'd bite the bullet and buy a pre-made set.
 
Well to be honest this truck will eventually be stripped and all redone (it was my grandfathers) so the engine will be torn apart eventually amd redone. So cheaper is preferred. The other side isnt leaking for now and its not a daily driver. It went 1500 miles this year so its not used a lot. So right now cheap is preferred.
 
They sell make a gasket in 6 x 8 inch sheets where you trace and cut what you need. Good for obscure small engine intake manifolds etc. But a valve cover gasket is huge. Just buy the correct part already.
 
If you lack the ambition to use a proper gasket, and have to ask here what to use, perhaps overhauling this engine (in the non-committed future) may not be for you.
 
Originally Posted By: eljefino
If you lack the ambition to use a proper gasket, and have to ask here what to use, perhaps overhauling this engine (in the non-committed future) may not be for you.


I really don't need a smart mouth comment. This is pretty straight forward! I would like to make one gasket. I don't need both. The other side isn't leaking and on a vehicle that isn't used much and in less than 3yrs will be completely torn down and redone.
I just didn't want to buy a set when i only need one. The other side could start leaking tomorrow or it may not ever leak . No sense in pulling a gasket that's doing it's job just fine. Especially when the vehicle is used less than 2,000 miles a yr.
 
Originally Posted By: eljefino
If you lack the ambition to use a proper gasket, and have to ask here what to use, perhaps overhauling this engine (in the non-committed future) may not be for you.


Also maybe you could explain why me not wanting to replace both gaskets and preferring to make one of my own if it can be done correctly and cheap enough to justify itself means I lack ambition? I would think me wanting to make my own which is more labor would probably mean I have a fair amount of ambition.
 
Originally Posted By: Rick in PA
I'm cheap and I'd consider making a gasket, but not in this case, too big.

A. Buy the right one.
B. Goop it with some silicone stuff.

My 2 cents.


It is pretty big that's why I asked here maybe someone had a way of doing it that worked that I couldn't think of. Money isn't really the issue I mean 20-30 bucks isn't a huge deal . But if i could get what I need for half that I would rather do that. Maybe I'm cheap.
 
Originally Posted By: ram_man
Originally Posted By: eljefino
If you lack the ambition to use a proper gasket, and have to ask here what to use, perhaps overhauling this engine (in the non-committed future) may not be for you.


I really don't need a smart mouth comment.


At least he got your attention. I posted three very polite posts and you didn't acknowledge them at all.
 
If Merk's part number is correct, I got the set down to about $17 (including tax) at your local Advanced Auto, using a discount code. It seems like a widely stocked part.

You could sell the other one on Craigs List for a few bucks and break even vs. the cost of form-a-gasket.
 
Originally Posted By: ram_man
Originally Posted By: Rick in PA
I'm cheap and I'd consider making a gasket, but not in this case, too big.

A. Buy the right one.
B. Goop it with some silicone stuff.

My 2 cents.


It is pretty big that's why I asked here maybe someone had a way of doing it that worked that I couldn't think of. Money isn't really the issue I mean 20-30 bucks isn't a huge deal . But if i could get what I need for half that I would rather do that. Maybe I'm cheap.


Don't take me wrong. I thought about how one would make a gasket. A single sheet of material to make a splice-free gasket could easily cost as much the die cut gasket. You'd still have to cut out the gasket, which would be difficult, time consuming and probably require a template to get one that would work. Making the gasket out of strip material would introduce joints in the gasket at the corners. I strongly suspect it would leak at those joints.

Making a valve cover gasket might be done for an antique restoration job, where a die cut gasket wasn't available. It would be done to make the vehicle look factory new and it would be a tedious process.

Yeah, my post was a little flippant, sorry about that.
 
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Permatex Right Stuff might be an option for you.
Originally Posted By: Char Baby
RTV may be your cheapest choice!

Indeed! Either will be fine...This is the way that I'd go for ~ $10, though, I haven't seen "RIGHT STUFF" in several years. I have used Right Stuff in the past and I like the "Cheese Wiz" type application.
smile.gif
 
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