Intake Gasket Removal

Anyone have a nifty trick to getting the paper gasket off the intake ports on my heads? I am attempting to install a dual carb set up but the old gasket is really stuck on the head. I tried getting under it with a putty knife that is not working too well. I thought about spraying the gasket with something to soften it up but not sure what would be best to use.

Any help would be appreciated

Permatex makes a "Gasket Remover" which dissolves old RTV, but that probably is NOT your problem.

Throw away your putty knife. I NEVER use a putty knife on mating flanges unless I dress the cutting edge specifically to remove gasket material (and you gotta know what you're doing, there). Sometimes I use a razor blade, but the following works much better:

Go to Sears and get a gasket removal tool. I looks like a screw-driver handle with a wide blade specifically made for removing all sorts of gaskets.

DO NOT get aggressive with this tool!!! It has the ability to remove base material (not good). Use it like the knife it is replacing and just skim the base material to remove the gasket only. If you start gouging the base material you'll have LOTS of problems later on.

This should fix you right up for under $20 bucks.

gn

...and be sure to stuff the head ports with a shop rag before scraping so no junk falls into the motor and best to remember to remove the rag before reinstalling the intake :) ~Alan

Thanks Guys! Yep, I already thought about crap falling into the intake. so I plugged them up first thing. It would have been a nice excuse to buy a new long block, but would piss off the wife (and we NEVER want to do that). I will go to Sears and check out the gasket tool. It is just hard on the back scaping away at that old gasket.

I used Permatex Gasket Remover to remove the gaskets on my intake manifolds.

You should use Gordon's procedure (which he didn't mention) and coat your new gaskets with Chap Stick.

The Permatex gasket remover works well - just be sure that you've got something positively blocking the port from the solvent running down into the valve area. I use small, soft rubber balls pushed into the port opening, but anything like that'll do.

Sorry I forgot to mention the chapstick - That was a George Brown trick that I've been using since he mentioned it and it's great. You might think twice about using that same chapstick on your lips later on, though...

Just use the stick to put an even layer of stuff on both sides of the gasket - not a heavy coat, just get it "wet".

I'm just about to tackle my own intake manifolds, but I'm going to go gasketless. Plan on facing the manifold flanges that mate between the heads and the manifolds on a surface plate with fine sandpaper (400 - 1200 grit) so that I'm sure that they're flat. The head surfaces I'll dress with a knife honing stone (and with the engine still in place, THAT'll be a joy), and when everything's flat and flush I'll hit 'em with Locktite 510 and torque them down.

gn

I don't know why, but "going gasketless" made me have impure thoughts.

Don't sweat it - all you're doing is "passing gas".

Noticed this: Permatex SaferScraper (good on aluminum surfaces)http://www.permatex.com/products/Automotive/cleaners1/specialty_cleaners/Permatex_Safer_Scraper.htm

Gordon is moving in the right direction. Three Bond makes some great products. Personally, I like them better than any other products I've tried. here's a page with several of their products that will allow you to "not" use a gasket

Home page: http://www.threebond.com

Product page:

http://www.threebond.com/LGasket.html

Don't the make something to bond your false teeth to you mouth?

oopsy! That's "Sea Bond". ;>\