Baked on gasket material

[aviationfred]

I have removed the oil pan from my engine. I don't believe this cover has ever been removed. Most of the gasket is stuck to the crank case. What is the best and most efficient way to remove the gasket material without damaging the crank case mating surface?

Fred

[Pat Conlon]

Use a single edge razor blade to get the big stuff, then....

Mask off the internals, then a cordless drill with a scotchbrite rotary pad will scrub the remainder off nicely.

[aviationfred]

I will give that a try, thank you Pat.

Fred

[JCainFJ]

I use a new utility knife blade to remove the big stuff. Then I use a solvent soaked square of red scotchbright pad ( no power tools on aluminum parts, ever) to remove the tough bits. Then to put the absolute clean on the gasket surface I polish it with a very fine sharpening stone.

[56 CHEVY]

Sometimes a little heat from a heat gun, along with the single edge razor helps to remove stubborn gaskets.

[andyb]

Once the bulk of the nasty is off, I use a smallish (2x4" or so) knife sharpening stone of known flatness to sand things down a pinch and remove those last stubborn bits.  Means I've got a nice, flat, slightly roughened surface for when assembly time comes.  Someday, I will design a gasket scraper that works on aluminum and reduces the chance of gouging or trimming long slivers of metal off with a razor blade that will undoubtedly spin in your hands and poke itself into your thumb.  Ungrateful things.

Also, I'm sure that I'm the ONLY person who does this.... I frequently use either a dremel/diegrinder or a file on basically every point where casting meets machined surfaces.  Ever cut yourself on oily aluminum?  Yeouch!!!  Takes not but a few moments to knock those sharp corners down and then you don't end up swearing and bleeding the next time you work on it.

...as much, anyhow.  


(edit)

Mr.  Cain, what solvent are you using?  When I use scotchbrite and solvent from my partswasher on things, the scotchbrite falls to bits very rapidly and leaves me with abrasive speckles all over everything, so I can only do that on things that are on the bench and easy to clean (don't need abrasive dust floating through my oiling system, y`know....).

[ribbert]

Once the bulk of the nasty is off, I use a smallish (2x4" or so) knife sharpening stone of known flatness to sand things down a pinch and remove those last stubborn bits.  Means I've got a nice, flat, slightly roughened surface for when assembly time comes.  Someday, I will design a gasket scraper that works on aluminum and reduces the chance of gouging or trimming long slivers of metal off with a razor blade that will undoubtedly spin in your hands and poke itself into your thumb.  Ungrateful things.

Also, I'm sure that I'm the ONLY person who does this.... I frequently use either a dremel/diegrinder or a file on basically every point where casting meets machined surfaces.  Ever cut yourself on oily aluminum?  Yeouch!!!  Takes not but a few moments to knock those sharp corners down and then you don't end up swearing and bleeding the next time you work on it.

...as much, anyhow.  


(edit)

Mr.  Cain, what solvent are you using?  When I use scotchbrite and solvent from my partswasher on things, the scotchbrite falls to bits very rapidly and leaves me with abrasive speckles all over everything, so I can only do that on things that are on the bench and easy to clean (don't need abrasive dust floating through my oiling system, y`know....).

This is indeed a question without one clear answer.
I own dozens of bought and home made scrapers. Funnily, the purpose made gasket scraper from the auto shop is the most effective. It seems to combine just the right angle with just the right sharpness and is used at quite a steep angle to the work surface. The blade is at an angle to the handle to make sure this is how you use it, most scrapers have the handle and blade in the same plane.

Like most here, I use a number of tools to complete the job without butchering the alluminium ( a-loom-in-um)

I also never use gasket stuff that sticks but unfortunately someone else in the future gets the benefit of that.

Noel

[JCainFJ]

Andyb,

I use either mineral spirits or lacquer thinner. I also use scotchbright 7547+ pass. I am going to pickup a ceramic gasket scraper (KTC I think), I will post my impression of it.

I like to deburr castings and engine bits too. All of the Yamaha head castings I've ever worked on have been full of sharp edges and machining burrs. The oil galores that provide lube to the cams were bad on both of my FJ's.

[yamaha fj rider]

I like Andy have found that a small sharpening stone works really well. Scrape the worst off and them switch to the stone with some solvent or WD-40 as a lubricant. Stopping to clean the stone as necessary.

Kurt

[RichBaker]

I own dozens of bought and home made scrapers. Funnily, the purpose made gasket scraper from the auto shop is the most effective. It seems to combine just the right angle with just the right sharpness and is used at quite a steep angle to the work surface. The blade is at an angle to the handle to make sure this is how you use it, most scrapers have the handle and blade in the same plane.

Like most here, I use a number of tools to complete the job without butchering the alluminium ( a-loom-in-um)

I also never use gasket stuff that sticks but unfortunately someone else in the future gets the benefit of that.

Noel

Is that a push scraper, or a pull scraper?  Only purpose-built gasket scrapers I've seen/used are push-type...

[ribbert]

Is that a push scraper, or a pull scraper?  Only purpose-built gasket scrapers I've seen/used are push-type...

It's a push scraper. I can't get into flickr at the moment to post a photo.

Noel

[bigbore2]

Andy- thanx for the sharpening stone suggestion. I have a push gasket scraper I re-sharpen with 300 wet/dry sandpaper.  I use 600 grit to re-sharpen a single edge razor blade. A scraper works but requires a real "feel" and patience to not take off metal.  But the sharpening stone is a golden suggestion. thanx   Owe you a beer.

[ribbert]

One of these would be good.



On a more practical note, I was working away today and my mind wandered to FJ matters.
I was using my oscillating multi tool which many of you probably have and wondered how it would work on stubborn gaskets with a scraper blade in it.

I don't have anything apart to try it on at the moment.

Some of the engines I pull apart you would swear have been put together with JB Weld.

Noel