*Save Money*
When replacing gaskets you can buy them or make your own. On a small engine it's usually cheaper and faster to make your own. Why spend $15 or so for a gasket kit when you can make them for mere cents and a few minutes of time?
You'll need gasket material and there are various thicknesses. Small motors will generally take relatively thin material.
You'll need a piece of paper and a pencil. You should make a paper template first and then make the real gasket from the template. You won't cuss as much if you screw up a paper template.
I need a gasket to put the carb back on the block
I started by holding the paper over the carb's flange and poking 2 holes with a pencil where the bolts go. I then put the bolts in the flange holes to hold the paper steady and used a Xacto pen knife to cut out the large round hole. The bolts holding the paper would ensure that I cut the large hole in the right place.
Then I simply traced around the outside of the flange and cut the template to shape. Once I was happy with that, I traced it on to the gasket material.
To cut the holes, I didn't have any circular leather punches so I just used the knife.
After making the real gasket, I aligned it with the bolts to check to make sure the large hole was in the right place. It was, I just had to trim around the edges a little bit.
It's in and ready to go
I also had to make one for the gas tank.
Making gaskets is kinda like tracing imagines in grade school, except now....we get to play with really sharp knives! :)
Jaden
www.alpharubicon.com
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