Ducati Monster Forum

I had an idea a couple of days ago.If I took an existing valve cover and made a cookie cutter kind of mold out of it, I could make valve cover gaskets out of normal material for eternity. Anyone got one sitting around that I could steal for a couple of weeks?

I'm in the bay area. I'm thinking this could easily be done with some sheet metal. I dont know if anyone's done it before but I dont think it would be too hard.

Why would you want to?
I just bought a set from the dealership and they were $4.00.

cuz I'm always looking for ways to make my maintenance expenses lower or in some situations, satisfy my laziness.

Get some gasket material from Ace Hardware.  Use RTV sealant to "glue" it to your valve cover.  While holding it down, cut out the perimeter with an Xacto knife.  Turn it over and carefully cut out the inside with an Xacto knife.  Put Hylomar on the gasket surface and put it on your bike.  Can't be more than a couple bucks for the gasket material.  I reuse the valve cover gaskets on my '94 SS by using Hylomar rather than some hardening gasket sealant.  I just did the 4th shim change and I think I've only ever changed 2 gaskets.

An alternative is to put grease on your valve cover and press it to the gasket material.  Then cut away anything that doesn't have grease on it.

There's another way using a ball peen hammer, but if I post it, someone will bang up a perfectly good valve cover and blame me for it.

Or you could get the new stamped steel gaskets, and re-use 'em nearly for eternity.  ;)

And as an added bonus, no scraping of glued-on gaskets ever again.  [thumbsup]

Yeah, I got those once and threw them away.  Don't like them.  With Hylomar there's no scraping, ever.  Stuff's kinda nasty though.  :)

I got those stamped steel ones but they have this raised ring that presses down after being used. I tried using them again but they leaked a bit of oil..