The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-03-29
BASKET HAS BIG
PART IN MOTOR
CAR OPERATION
Two Copper Sheets With As
bestos Between is Most Eff
ficient Device.

The inexperienced motorist little
realizes what an important part gas
kets play in the proper functioning
OF an automobile, say experts of the
McConaha garage. They are found
at every place where there is a Joint
and when they become damaged the
engine suffers.
A gasket may be defined as a piece
OF soft material placed between two
surfaces to prevent leakage. Usually
they are made Of paper or asbestos
card, but the best are made Of cop
per asbestos, meaning two very thin
sheets OF copper with asbestos be-
TWEEN them. 1t may be objected that
copper is not soft material, but it
certainly is softer than the two pieces
OF cast iron or steel between which
1t Is placed, and SO the definition holds
good. AS the parts are squeezed to-
gether the gasket adapts itself be-
TWEEN the two surfaces and SO makes
a tight joint.
Prevent Oil From Leaking.
Paper gaskets are placed at the bot
tom of the cylinders to prevent the
oil from leaking as 1t is splashed
about the cylinders, and at the water
pump and other places where there is
no great heat. 1t must be evident
that asbestos or copper asbestos gas
kets are required around the cylinder
head, the exhaust manifold and the
inlet manifold.
These gaskets are stamped out by
special machinery and SO must be pur-
chased. But the motorist may cut
one himself from asbestos card, using
the old one as a guide. When the
joint is set up securely by means of
the bolts such a gasket will be found
to be quite reliable, but it certainly
cannot be as satisfactory as one of
copper-asvestos.
Paper gaskets must be made every
time part is removed, as they are
torn in the process of removal.
Proper Way to Cut Pattern.
There are two ways of cutting them
one by means of hammer, and the
other by means of a knife or scissors.
A fairly heavy grade of wrapping
paper is best. 1t is laid over the sur
face to be covered and the finger is
run along the edge to be cut in order
to mark the outline. Here is a dirty
finger better than clean one, as it
caves a mark that is easy to follow.
The paper is now cut along the line
of the surface by hammer deliver
ing rapid blows very close together.
This is a very satisfactory method
and the one usually employed If a
knife or scissors seems preferable
either one may be used to follow the
outline marked by the finger. Bolt
holes may be cut very neatly by tap
ping with the rounded end of a ma
chinist's hammer.
Baskets Must Be SheIIacked.
Such gaskets must be shellacked in
order to hold properly. The shellac is
applied to one side of the gasket and
also to the surface and the two are
placed together before they dry. Be
fore the other part is replaced it also
receives coating of shellac, as does
the other side of the gasket. The
bolts are now set up as tight as pos
sible and the joint will be found to
hold satisfactorily.
Leakage of oil through a gasket
may readily be discovered, but leak
age of air into manifold is not so
easy. If gasket leaks at the inlet
manifold it will give a lean mixture
and consequent loss of power. When
such a leak is suspected, run the en-
CINE and inject oil around the joints
TO see it it is sucked in. If it is you
have located the leak, in which event
you should tighten the bolts or re-
place the gasket. Another method is
TO inject gasoline around the joints.
If the engine picks up speed you know
that you have found the leak
So look over your engine and To-
cate the gaskets. Keep a supply of
extra ones on hand so that one may
be replaced readily and practice on
some other machine or part so that
when a gasket is needed you may be
able to make one expeditiously and
WalI