home made gaskets

[obezag]

I needed a continuity gasket for the thermostat housing for a '92 5.7L Merc.
Local dealer say's ''does'nt see the need for them" and does'nt stock them. Made my own gasket without rivets and temp gauge did'nt work. Ordered gasket from here and delivery date is 10 days. Have to go with predicted weather and short season, so I made another gasket. Then made 4 small slots in the gasket. I took some Romex copper wire and pounded it flat with a hammer until it was the same thickness as the gasket material, then cut peices to fit the slots. Installed housing and temp gauge works and no water leaking! Extreme? Maybe, but I'm back out there!

 

[spdracr39]

Re: home made gaskets

I have never ordered anything from I-boats that has taken more than 3 days to arrive. Glad you found a way to make it work for you.

 

[Failproof]

Re: home made gaskets

Me, I would have just grounded the housing externally! If I didnt have the proper gasket. That romex will probably disapear pretty quick.

 

[spdracr39]

Re: home made gaskets

Me, I would have just grounded the housing externally! If I didnt have the proper gasket. That romex will probably disapear pretty quick.

Why do you say that and where would it go ? The regular inserts are brass which is copper and zinc and they are hollow instead of solid. I do agree with the external ground because it's much easier.

 

[04fxdwgi]

Re: home made gaskets

I ran an external ground wire to the thermostat housing and now make my own gaskets also, just without a ground provision for them. Takes 5 minutes to make a simple gasket..

 

[Failproof]

Re: home made gaskets

The ROMEX wire is COPPER and the BRASS rings are well, BRASS. Copper is much more interactive than brass. And even those brass rings dissolve after a few years (due to galvanic electrolysis, the sharing of electrons between two dissimilar metals)

 

[spdracr39]

Re: home made gaskets

But they should not get wet if the gasket is doing its job. Without water there is no electrolysis. They bolt copper busbar and wire to steel and aluminum all the time for grounds with no problems. They even plate steel with copper to "prevent" corrosion on ground rods that are getting wet. I'm afraid I must disagree.

 

[Dshow]

Re: home made gaskets

If copper was an issue, why would they use copper for water pipes in your home?

 

[tpenfield]

Re: home made gaskets

I needed a continuity gasket for the thermostat housing for a '92 5.7L Merc.
Local dealer say's ''doesn't see the need for them" and doesn't stock them.

:facepalm: :facepalm: :facepalm:

Nice work making your own gasket.