Side cover gasket questions...

[mckutzy]

Covid blues been setting in good lately... going a bit stir crazy...
Decided Im going to break into the new RATO 212 I have stashed away...
For those not in the know...The Predator 212(A non hemi version) of what is sold in USA, is a copy of this motor.. so a clone of a clone well call it...

Anyhow... I reckon Ill take out the gov and put a real adjustable Honda carb I have, and do some other little things to it... but the major question is...

When taking off the side cover, if the gasket rips, and needs to be replaced... What is the thickness of the material to get?

I have looked around, and I cant seem to find any reference to the material type and thickness.... As this is a critical element for proper shaft endplay.....

Any of the builders here know, or have a trick they have used, they like???....

 

[mckutzy]

Any one know the thickness??? or have one off hand they can measure for me???

 

[anickode]

I don't offhand... I had one pre-squished in the shop, but it's now squished. Just put it on a motor a couple days ago.

Personally, I would just order an OEM one. It's the proper thickness, and more importantly, it's PRE CUT! But I hate cutting gaskets.

Most newer engines I've opened up, the gasket survived. The only reason I needed this one was because the engine has been in pieces in a box for 2 years and the gasket got destroyed bouncing around in the box when we moved.

 

[mckutzy]

Ordering one, in this day is practically non exsistant... Amazon and others are weeks to months out And isnt in stock... Local is closed(with most other types of buisnesses), but thats a honda part... It might not fit that block...
Alot Ive seen overcharge at $10+ and of couse $10's+ for shipping on $2-5 part....

Ive done a number of make your own gaskets, as I had to make new ones all the time when I was rebuilding pumps back in the day. Im pretty confident I can handle that one, just need the thickness...

 

[Brianator]

If it's the same gaskets as a gx200 theres a seller by the name of SEPC on Amazon that has full gasket kits available within days still

 

[Whitetrashrocker]

Cut a cereal box. It's just about right.

Or measure the endplay of an engine that's together. Then assemble the rato with no gasket and measure endplay. Then just do the math for the thickness your looking for.

 

[bob58o]

I found a site selling thin ones at 0.012” thick and other ones at 0.020” thick. Guessing 0.020” is standard. 0.012” is described as “for tightening up end play”.

I’m sure up North you can find something that’s 0.5mm. I have 1/64” (0.016”) available at the local parts shop. In Canada 0.5mm seems like a logical thickness for a gasket, so you might have some extra material laying around already (not that you could make that gasket with scraps).

 

[anickode]

I found a site selling thin ones at 0.012” thick and other ones at 0.020” thick. Guessing 0.020” is standard. 0.012” is described as “for tightening up end play”.

I’m sure up North you can find something that’s 0.5mm. I have 1/64” (0.016”) available at the local parts shop. In Canada 0.5mm seems like a logical thickness for a gasket, so you might have some extra material laying around already (not that you could make that gasket with scraps).

Gopowersports lists their .020 gasket as "thinner than stock", but they don't specify how thick the stock one is. They also sell .012s.

 

[mckutzy]

Aight guys thanks.. Ill Take a look at what they got.. mean while Ill try not to rip the new gasket in the block, when I open 'er up....
Been new territory in the internal dissection of these motors... and for This time ill be an new motor...

 

[Brianator]

Ive never found metric paper in these parts, that's more of a British/Australian thing I think but then again all I've ever bought for gasket material is FelPro. Just so you know Bob, it's the Great White North! Lol. *jokes*

 

[Kartorbust]

I know it's not a fabric, but what about just using RTV instead? Yeah it sucks to clean off when you need to reseal, but it works quite well. Three Bond (and it's off shots for other companies) is used to seal engine timing covers. It may not be ideal, but it'll work well.

 

[anickode]

I know it's not a fabric, but what about just using RTV instead? Yeah it sucks to clean off when you need to reseal, but it works quite well. Three Bond (and it's off shots for other companies) is used to seal engine timing covers. It may not be ideal, but it'll work well.

It's not so much the seal that is of concern, but the spacing. The gasket thickness sets the crankshaft endplay, and you have practically no control over that with RTV.

 

[mckutzy]

Ya.. thats why I asked about the endplay and thickness of the paper used...
Here its a critical element, car engines not so much..