Gasket Removal and Inspection

REMOVAL
- Remove all traces of the old gasket material. It only takes a very small amount of left over material to cause the new gasket to leak.
- Never reuse gaskets. After a gasket has been initially installed and removed it will no longer be able to compensate for the varying expansion rates of the water pump and block. An old gasket may seal initially but as the engine heats up cools down, the old gasket will be prone to leakage.
- When removing the gasket with a gasket scraper, be very careful not to gouge the sealing surface. Very small scratches in the sealing surface are likely to leak.

HINT: Always sharpen your gasket scraper prior to starting a job. A dull scraper is more likely to slip and gouge the sealing surface.

- If you are using a buffing wheel to clean the gasket surface, be very careful not to burn the surface.

CAUTION: Buffing wheels can rapidly remove metal from the sealing surface, be very careful and check your work frequently.

INSPECTION
- Verify the gasket sealing surfaces are free of all gasket material, dirt, gouges, and contaminants (such as coolant or oil)