How to Deal with a Baked-on Gasket ?

[ExTex]

How to Deal with a Baked-on Gasket ?

I bought a clutch kit from Hord Power and am in the process of installing it.

In replacing the clutch on my 1988 Honda NT650, I found that the clutch case gasket had baked onto the engine. With a lot of work, I was able to scrape off the 1% of the gasket that had adhered to the cover but the 99% of the gasket that is on the engine is hard-baked and impossible to me to scrape off without doing a lot of damage to the aluminum engine surface.

I would like help on what to do next. I think there are 3 choices ... non of the good.

A. Scrape the gasket off: Are there best products to use to soften the gasket and scrapers ?
I do fear messing up the aluminum surface.

B. Use the old gasket as it is in place and use a gasket compound: Good gasket compounds ?
What about the missing parts of the old gasket ?

C. Install a new gasket over the old gasket and use a gasket compound between them. Any good choices for the gasket compound ?

I thank you for your expertise. I am at a loss and at a standstill until I fix this problem.

[DrPMC]

I'd soak the gasket in petrol (or if its really tough, perhaps acetone) to soften it up a bit (scrub it with an old tooth brush or similar) and then use a new Stanley knife blade to get the bulk of it off. Any remaining fragments can be got off with a Scotchbrite scourer. The scotchbrite won't cause any significant dimensional changes and neither will the blade if used with care.

[Captain 80s]

Been using this for years in my xacto knife. Flexes a bit so you can get a nice angle of attack and not drive in to the alloy. Has worked great for me on some real nasty jobs.

1953890-21.webp

[6]

I use a razor blade, gas, and wd-40 or another penetrating liquid and a LOT of time and patience.

[ExTex]

I had some success using the X-Acto knife and chisel blade. But I messed up before I started using it, and I have a small leak at the bottom rear of the cover.
My screw-up rough surface is in that area of the cover. Any ideas ? Honda-Bond ? or live with the drip. Not sure I can smooth it out without taking off too much metal.

By the way, I used the 4 springs that HordPower supplied (as he indicated) and they are a bit too strong so I may have to open the clutch cover and change the springs back.

Thanks for all your help & ideas.

[rpcraft]

There is a device I found a long time ago called a super scraper. I think they have versions in amazon now days. It works in most cases except when in really tight quarters. It works as both a drag or push device and it took me one time using it and it sold me on not using razor blades. It can usually get stuff done in its own in one pass with no chemicals.

[6]

I had some success using the X-Acto knife and chisel blade. But I messed up before I started using it, and I have a small leak at the bottom rear of the cover.
My screw-up rough surface is in that area of the cover. Any ideas ? Honda-Bond ? or live with the drip. Not sure I can smooth it out without taking off too much metal.

By the way, I used the 4 springs that HordPower supplied (as he indicated) and they are a bit too strong so I may have to open the clutch cover and change the springs back.

Thanks for all your help & ideas.

Gasket maker for the win.

I KNOW that isnt the "correct" answer, but if you have missing metal, besids a welder and a re surfacing ther eare not a hell of a lot of options. use gasket maker with or without the actual gasket it will deal with the small stuff that is too big for a paper gasket to fill.

[Captain 80s]

Yeah use some Hondabond (with the gasket) in that area, no problem.

You can also try 2 stock and 2 firm clutch springs (opposite of each other).

[Chone]

I use Gsxr valve springs as clutch springs

[69Falcon]

You can also try 2 stock and 2 firm clutch springs (opposite of each other).

This is what Hord did when he built my motor.