When rebuilding my engine the first time around (soon to do again) we ran into a problem with the old IM gasket. It was stuck on there rock solid, and even with a grinder couldnt get it off (didnt want to go too haywire with it and mess up mating surface). Also tried scraping. Just wonder if anyone has had any similar experiences and have any good ways to get it off. I really dont want a vacuum leak! Thanks.

 

I recently ran into the same problem.....I was too lazy to go buy some gasket remover, so I looked around my garage and found some aircraft paint remover. I sprayed it on the gasket and let it eat away at that stupid good for nothing piece of **** gasket (sorry, im still venting a little). Anyway, after a few sprays and scraping with a plastic scraper, that thing came off like butter.

After all that trouble I went through, I decided to get a hondata gasket so I will never have to go through the pain and suffering ever again.

EDIT: you should buy some of that gasket remover, who knows maybe it will work better than the paint remover......

 

Hey, thanks a lot for the help, I really appreciate it!

 

also try tapping the old gasket with a hammer, i find that works good for me

 

I usually just use a razor blade and I don't remove the manifold until I have at least an hour or two to kill.

 

go hondata and there you will never have to worry about this again

 

I used a razor blade and it started to mess up the surface (aluminum is soft) so I decided to use my brain. I heated it up with a propane torch and it came off really easily. I've also heard that the liquid gasket remover works well too.

 

I just very slowly and carefully used a plain old file. Just take it slow to make sure you don't take off to much material.

 

I'm doing the same thing right now, and the gasket remover sucks, the old gasket is like a rock around the studs, imma try some flame now..