Gaskets

[quick2008]

Hi Guys,

Just wondering what others have found to be the most effective agent for cleaning "stuck pieces" of used gaskets on outboards.

I find that a little bit of kerosene dabbed on the gasket with a small paintbrush softens it up enough to make for a more "gentle" soft scrape afterwards, so as to not gouge all your $$$ flat surfaces away

Anyone have any other solutions they've found effective???

Cheers

[Syd]

I've never tried it, butseveral times I have been told to use oven cleaner.

[Mark75H]

Paint remover containing ethylene chloride ... also sold as Permatex spray on gasket remover

[Bill Van Steenwyk]

The product "Easy Off" oven cleaner, which seems to be probably the best known oven and grill cleaner here in the US, lists it's main ingredient on the label as Sodium Hydroxide, more commonly known as "LYE". They caution against using it on anything made from aluminum. My own personal experience with a product that also contains LYE, for cleaning teak wood, bears out that caution, as I accidently got some on the outdrive of my pleasure boat unnoticed, which was very close to the swim platforms made of teak I was trying to clean. It did have a harmful effect on aluminum.

That being said, the best thing I have seen for the gasket removal insofar as a solvent to try to soften the material before using a putty knife/scraper, is Acetone. You can purchase it at almost any paint/hardware store, You need to use it outside, as the vapors/smell is harmful to you and a good relationship within your marriage. NOTHING beats experience as a teacher. Also NEVER try to burn or otherwise remove paint off expansion chambers using the cleaning setting on a kitchen oven, even if it will be several days before your wife returns from a trip. The above advice comes from personal experience and will save you lots of trouble in a marriage or any other type of relationship that you desire to continue.

Good Luck.

[Tomtall]

I use several different methods depending on the gasket material. A good sharp putty knife works well. Depending what side you use of the blade will dig down or pull upwards away from your surface. When I did alot alot of heavy line work at the marina ROLO LOCS worked great. You just have to be careful of the grit you use and how much pressure you apply. I used a high speed mini air grinder with adjustable air flow to use with the ROLO LOCS bit. Always check your surfaces after removing and cleaning the gasket surface with a staight edge. You would be amazed how surfaces warp over time.