Thread: Gasket Material advice

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I am rebuilding an old heater core that has a thermostatically controlled valve body on it. Unfortunately I cannot find a gasket kit for it. Any advice on a good source or manufacturer of gasket material I can purchase to make my own gaskets for it? I didn't really want to just use permatex...What do you guys think?

Did the original gaskets have to have some special heat resistant properties? If not, you could simply buy some gasket material at the auto parts store and exacto knife them into shape. You could also use RTV and they make hi temp RTV too. I've done that a bunch of times and it holds up well.

Mothers Oats boxes work pretty well too..................oops, showing my age.


Don

Thx Don, I wasn't sure if one brand of gasket material is better than another. No special heat properties in this application, just hot coolant to seal in. I guess Ill just buy whatever NAPA has and some hi heat RTV and use an x-acto to whip up a set.

Since this the heater core is so buried into my firewall/dashboard I only wanted to do this job once.

I think you will be fine doing it that way. Years ago some company, maybe Permatex, built a race car and there were no gaskets in the entire car anywhere. They were trying to demonstrate that their sealants were capable of replacing any gasket and would function perfectly.

I'm old fashioned, I still use a gasket and goop lots of Permatex 2 all over them.

Don

On big block Dodges with "elephant ear" Mounts you need 4 waterpump housing gaskets. They only come in complete gasket sets and there are only two of them..When I decided to make my own I tried a few materials and believe it or not Coors light boxes worked the best because they are foil and cardboard. I have done this several times and never have experienced a failure.