reuse cork gasket?

[panteramatt]

I just installed my VB and it looks like the shaft seal is leaking. Im gonna drop the pan again and put a new seal in. Can I reuse the cork gasket? It did get saturated.

 

[B RON CO]

Hi, you probably could, as long as it didn't get squeezed out or distorted. My C 4 filter kit from Napa cost less then $10 and came with the rubber gasket. Just sayin'. Good luck

 

[panteramatt]

I have a new rubber gasket but was told cork was the best.

 

[SHX669]

Well - "to each his own " as they say . But I'll never use a cork gasket again on anything except a wine bottle.

 

[Skiddy]

Well - "to each his own " as they say . But I'll never use a cork gasket again on anything except a wine bottle.

lol same here

 

[Slowleak]

My wine bottles leak when I reuse the corks..... I can't lay them down. Maybe I should apply a thin layer of RTV?

 

[jmangi62]

Well - "to each his own " as they say . But I'll never use a cork gasket again on anything except a wine bottle.

Yep, me too, no more cork.

 

[Skiddy]

My wine bottles leak when I reuse the corks..... I can't lay them down. Maybe I should apply a thin layer of RTV?

wait, wine bottles have corks?:?

 

[Broncobowsher]

Cork can be completely reusable. I have a set of cork valve cover gaskets on a Y-block that I put on 20 years ago. Still good. Pull the valve covers from time to time to check the valve lash. Once they get crusty I will get new ones.

Although if given the choice, I will use rubber. But not to the point of throwing away a perfectly good gasket just to change.

 

[blubuckaroo]

If your cork gasket hasn't been pinched or over tightened, I'd reuse it.

I prefer cork.

They usually come folded in the box.

Take it out, wipe a light coat of tranny fluid on it and lay it out flat in the sun for a while so it flattens out. The tranny fluid makes the gasket more pliable.

Make sure your pan is flat, and the bolt holes are flat too. You can use a hammer and a block of wood to straighten it out.

Install without sealer. Just the coating of tranny fluid.

When you reassemble, tighten the pan bolts just until snug. Over tightening will distort the pan. Go back later and retighten the bolts if needed.

 

[cldonley]

When you reassemble, tighten the pan bolts just until snug. Over tightening will distort the pan. Go back later and retighten the bolts if needed.[/QUOTE]

^^This is the most important part. Leaks are caused by voids between the sealing surfaces. Voids are created by foreign matter (dirt), uneven surfaces (pan sealing surface is bent from overtightening) or the gasket is bad (cracked, folded, hardened so it won't seal).

For all the trouble you're going to, under the rig with dirt and grime, put in a new gasket. Use a torque wrench and tighten to the recommended torque, drive a hundred miles then re-torque. The 'oh, I have a leak, I'm gonna crank down on the bolt' answer does more harm than good.

But if you want to re-use the gasket that's fine, as long as it's flat and pliable.

Some people don't like the rubber gaskets because it seems that the fasteners come loose more often than with cork. That may be true, but can be solved with a lock washer. I like to use the internal locking type.

 

[Rustytruck]

I always use premium cork gaskets when I can. I would reuse a valve cover gasket but the tranny pan, Never. Too much mess and hassle to change it if it leaks.

 

[Slowleak]

The next time you see a drip in the garage you will be kicking yourself in the @ss for not spending $5 on a gasket. The bad part is that you will never know if a new one would have been any better..... you will sit around and wonder if you did anything wrong. Tighten it up some more, scratch your head etc..... but in the back of your mind you will be thinking "dammit, I shoulda used a new gasket".

That would aggravate the hell out of me. I would be cussing the whole time I was under there getting all oiled up while putting another one on. The beer I would consume would cost way more than the gasket.

 

[Rustytruck]

Replace the gasket and still have the beer to celebrate a job well done. Do this before you refill the tranny since it wont leak until filled and you still get to celebrate.

I don't understand why the auto parts stores don't sell beer its a necessary part and I think it would really help sales by drawing in more customers. I think it would be a hedge against online sales.

 

[B RON CO]

Hi, Hi Jack. I get the beer first, they should have parts at the beer distributor.