Can I reuse a gasket?

[1yearonLy]

I've been having a hell of a time with my cam chain cover leaking. I installed a new gasket 2 nights ago but with the constant dribble from still having oil in the engine, the gasket got a little oil between it and the cover and housing when I installed it. Now it seeps right there.

It seems I now have to drain all that new oil and dry this sucker out before I install the gasket to insure this doesn't happen again.

My question is can I reuse the new gasket I put on the other day or is it no good after having oil on it? It's a difference of one or two days of waiting and another $10 to Pelican Parts.

Thanks.

[Groesbeck Hurricane]

Scott,

I'm cheap on this one. If the gasket has had no heat applied I would clean with a dry cloth and re-use. Make sure you do not over-torque the cover as this will cause leaks. I would suggest you buy the silicone bead cover.

[Rot 911]

David, I don't think they make a silcon bead gasket for the cam chain cover. Perhaps you are thinking of the valve cover gasket. Or perhaps I just don't know what the hell I am talking about! Anyways, Scott, do as David said and just clean the gasket and reuse it.

[1yearonLy]

Good advice. Maybe I overtightened as well...

I'll have to be more careful with that.

Thanks.

[Bobboloo]

You might be able to get by with jacking up the one side of the car that your working on high enough to keep the oil on the opposite side so as to avoid draining the oil.

Also, before you re-install the cover check it for warpage by placing ot on a piece of glass. If it's warped take it to a shop and have it re-surfaced.

Like stated above. Don't over torque the cover as this can cause it to warp.

If all else fails you can use sealant but it doesn't look very good.

[IROC]

I have also "re-surfaced" a cover like this (intake valve covers actually) by placing a piece of 8.5 x 11 sandpaper on a flat surface and simply rubbing the out-of-whack cover on the sandpaper until all of the sealing surfaces were back in shape.

Kinda crude, but it works like a charm. Just be sure and clean the cover very well before installation.

Mike

[Early_S_Man]

Scott,

I don't think you are tightening the cover evenly!

Are the gaskets made of plain paper/cardboard gasket material, or the newer 'graphited' gasket material?

The torque setting for those M6 nuts is only 7 lb-ft or 84 in-lbs, which would require a 1/4" drive torque wrench for any usable accuracy. If you don't have a 1/4" drive torque wrench ... use the 'four-finger' method [snug the four fingers of your dominant hand up on a standard 10 mm combination wrench next to the box-end you are using on the new Nyloc M6 nuts] and don't tighten the nut hard enough to cause any pain in those four fingers! Use a criss-cross pattern to tighten the nuts for the covers ... and go around at least three times ... until all the nuts are equally snug.

[1yearonLy]

I did use the criss-cross pattern and don't think I overdid it but we'll see when I tear it apart again tonight. If that four-finger thing is the measure then yes, I did overtighten it. ...

Nice to hear I can re-use that gasket though.

I'll lay the cover flat on a my glass table and see how she sits.