Gaskets, Seals & O-Rings
About Gaskets, Seals & O-Rings
Gaskets, seals and O-rings keep fuel, coolant and air inside the places they belong. Engine and carburetor parts that are opened for repair need new ones, because a used gasket has taken the shape of its old joint and often will not seal again.
The listings here are mostly sorted by the job. Float bowl gaskets seal the fuel bowl to the carburetor body and are the common fix for a carburetor that seeps fuel. Top end gasket kits cover the seals needed when the cylinder head or cylinder is taken off, and the kits are listed by brand of machine such as Honda, Polaris and Yamaha. Water pump seals address a coolant leak at the pump, and VForce 3 gaskets are listed for specific models. Read the title for the engine and year, then check the listing to see what is in a kit. Pick your machine in the Ride Finder at the top of the page.
Brands here include Athena, Quantum, All Balls, Cometic and Quad Logic. A carburetor job often needs more than a gasket, so see Carburetor Parts, Carburetors and Manifold Intake Adapter, Inlet & Joint. The whole group is Air Intake & Fuel Delivery.
FAQs on gaskets, seals and O-rings
What is in a top end gasket kit?
The contents vary by kit, but a top end kit generally covers the gaskets and seals needed to take the cylinder head and cylinder off and put them back, such as the head and base gaskets. Check the listing to see what is included, and whether it covers parts like rings.
Can I reuse a gasket or O-ring?
It is best not to. A gasket compresses to the shape of its joint when tightened, and rubber O-rings harden, flatten or tear with age and heat. A fresh gasket is a small part of the job compared with redoing it, so replace them each time a joint is opened.
How do I know if a carburetor float bowl gasket is leaking?
Look for fuel seeping or dripping around the bottom of the carburetor, a fuel smell, or a wet spot where the machine sits. The bowl's drain screw can leak too, so check that O-ring as well when the bowl is off.
Do I need gasket sealant, and how tight should the bolts be?
It depends on the gasket and the engine. Some joints call for a thin film of sealant in set places and others none. Torque values and tightening order are in your service manual, and following them keeps parts from warping.
