fiveNot all gaskets go into brand new applications straight off the production line. There are many gaskets used across the aftermarket, in service operations and in engine rebuilding. Do the same rules and considerations apply to the seal points and gaskets in service applications as they do in OEM manufacturing?

We have put together a list of considerations for those working with gaskets in situations where a gasket is being replaced.

Things to Remember

1. Flange surfaces will change.

Over time and repeated heat cycles, flange surfaces can warp and become distorted, become pitted or corroded, or otherwise become less than ideal. When replacing a gasket, you’ll either need to spend both time and money machining the flanges back to their original state, or use a gasket that can compensate for the irregularities now present. Often, thicker, more compressible gaskets are used in service applications to not only save cost in flange prep, but to make up for material lost in the flange resurfacing process.

2. Replacement products vary greatly.

Service parts are available across an entire spectrum of price and quality. Customers typically are in control of choosing the cost and quality of the parts used in the repair. Parts are available from OEM quality (or better) down to low cost/low quality choices. How long do you want the gasket to last?

3. There are alternatives to the OEM gasket.

While marketing experts will want you to believe that you can only replace a gasket with the same OEM gasket, there are actually quite a few OEM-quality replacements on the market. You can usually save some money and sometimes get better performance.

4. Multiple factors to consider

There are many factors to consider in the process of replacing gaskets. One of which is the installation process itself. What is the torque? What is the sequence? What is the process? Should I include a sealant? Should I retorque it? Is it possible it might be upside down? Are the flanges clean and prepped? The answers to these questions will ultimately help you to settle on the proper replacement gasket, as well as ensure it will perform as expected in your application.

5. Materials / Construction

Have you explored and considered the various material choices for service applications? Which one is best? There are often different constructions of gaskets. Some are single-layer materials, some are embossed metal, some are composite laminates. Which is best? Often, the composite designs are the best choice in replacement parts as they best compensate for the factors mentioned throughout this post.

Plenty of Options

Although there are a few extra considerations when choosing a gasket or gasket material for a service application, you may actually find that you have a little more latitude. There are materials out there that have characteristics that excel in these markets. Talk to your trusted gasket material supplier to figure out which materials will be best suited for your application.

What differences do you find between sealing OEM and service applications? If you are interested in subscribing to Sealed-In’s blog posts, email sales@mtigasket.com.

Metal Tech offers the HT 337, which works well in many service applications.

Is There A Difference Between Gaskets & Seals?
Today we’re going to talk about gaskets and seals. These terms are generally used interchangeably. After all, gaskets seal a joint…so they’re the same, aren’t they? Read on for the facts about gaskets and seals.
Do I Need an O-ring or a Gasket?
How well do you understand the differences between O-rings and gaskets? Can you readily identify situations where each type of seal should be used? There are specific situations where each technology is needed because they are designed for completely different conditions. Today, we thought we’d dig a little deeper into gasket vs. O-ring.
Why A Metal-Reinforced Gasket May Not Be For You
We’re going to shoot you straight…you may never be in need of a metal-reinforced gasket. There. We said it. You could call us up tomorrow and ask for gasket material for XYZ application, and after telling us about your needs, we’d tell you that you would be better off spending your money elsewhere. You might be asking yourself “what kind of sales pitch is that”? Well, it’s an honest one.
What Is A Metal-Reinforced Gasket and Why Do I Need One?
If you were in the market for a gasket, do you even know where to start? If not, check out some of our previous posts. As you can see, we’ve broken down why you want to consider a composite material. Now, the big question for some of our readers may be: “What exactly is a composite gasket”?
The Top 6 Applications Where Composite Gaskets Excel
As an experienced materials manufacturer, when we hear a customer or potential customer start talking about gasketing needs, there are certain applications where we know immediately that metal-reinforced composite laminates are a great option. To help you in your planning process, we decided to put together a list of the top applications where these types of gaskets excel (in no particular order).
4 Things to Know About Gaskets in High Performance Applications
Every market has its own set of preferences and needs as it applies to gaskets and the materials they are made from. High performance applications are no exception. Here you will find four things that you should be aware of when dealing with gaskets in high performance applications.
6 Ways To Make Life Easier If You Work In High Temp Applications
Once you really understand how to deal with high temperature applications and what you need to know to start the process of selecting the right material for these applications, you’ve won half the battle. Here are a few tips and items of note that will get you moving in the right direction.

five

Not all gaskets go into brand new applications straight off the production line. There are many gaskets used across the aftermarket, in service operations and in engine rebuilding. Do the same rules and considerations apply to the seal points and gaskets in service applications as they do in OEM manufacturing?

We have put together a list of considerations for those working with gaskets in situations where a gasket is being replaced.

Things to Remember

1. Flange surfaces will change.

Over time and repeated heat cycles, flange surfaces can warp and become distorted, become pitted or corroded, or otherwise become less than ideal. When replacing a gasket, you’ll either need to spend both time and money machining the flanges back to their original state, or use a gasket that can compensate for the irregularities now present. Often, thicker, more compressible gaskets are used in service applications to not only save cost in flange prep, but to make up for material lost in the flange resurfacing process.

2. Replacement products vary greatly.

Service parts are available across an entire spectrum of price and quality. Customers typically are in control of choosing the cost and quality of the parts used in the repair. Parts are available from OEM quality (or better) down to low cost/low quality choices. How long do you want the gasket to last?

3. There are alternatives to the OEM gasket.

While marketing experts will want you to believe that you can only replace a gasket with the same OEM gasket, there are actually quite a few OEM-quality replacements on the market. You can usually save some money and sometimes get better performance.

4. Multiple factors to consider

There are many factors to consider in the process of replacing gaskets. One of which is the installation process itself. What is the torque? What is the sequence? What is the process? Should I include a sealant? Should I retorque it? Is it possible it might be upside down? Are the flanges clean and prepped? The answers to these questions will ultimately help you to settle on the proper replacement gasket, as well as ensure it will perform as expected in your application.

5. Materials / Construction

Have you explored and considered the various material choices for service applications? Which one is best? There are often different constructions of gaskets. Some are single-layer materials, some are embossed metal, some are composite laminates. Which is best? Often, the composite designs are the best choice in replacement parts as they best compensate for the factors mentioned throughout this post.

Plenty of Options

Although there are a few extra considerations when choosing a gasket or gasket material for a service application, you may actually find that you have a little more latitude. There are materials out there that have characteristics that excel in these markets. Talk to your trusted gasket material supplier to figure out which materials will be best suited for your application.

What differences do you find between sealing OEM and service applications? If you are interested in subscribing to Sealed-In’s blog posts, email sales@mtigasket.com.

Metal Tech offers the HT 337, which works well in many service applications.

Is There A Difference Between Gaskets & Seals?
Today we’re going to talk about gaskets and seals. These terms are generally used interchangeably. After all, gaskets seal a joint…so they’re the same, aren’t they? Read on for the facts about gaskets and seals.
Do I Need an O-ring or a Gasket?
How well do you understand the differences between O-rings and gaskets? Can you readily identify situations where each type of seal should be used? There are specific situations where each technology is needed because they are designed for completely different conditions. Today, we thought we’d dig a little deeper into gasket vs. O-ring.
Why A Metal-Reinforced Gasket May Not Be For You
We’re going to shoot you straight…you may never be in need of a metal-reinforced gasket. There. We said it. You could call us up tomorrow and ask for gasket material for XYZ application, and after telling us about your needs, we’d tell you that you would be better off spending your money elsewhere. You might be asking yourself “what kind of sales pitch is that”? Well, it’s an honest one.
What Is A Metal-Reinforced Gasket and Why Do I Need One?
If you were in the market for a gasket, do you even know where to start? If not, check out some of our previous posts. As you can see, we’ve broken down why you want to consider a composite material. Now, the big question for some of our readers may be: “What exactly is a composite gasket”?
The Top 6 Applications Where Composite Gaskets Excel
As an experienced materials manufacturer, when we hear a customer or potential customer start talking about gasketing needs, there are certain applications where we know immediately that metal-reinforced composite laminates are a great option. To help you in your planning process, we decided to put together a list of the top applications where these types of gaskets excel (in no particular order).
4 Things to Know About Gaskets in High Performance Applications
Every market has its own set of preferences and needs as it applies to gaskets and the materials they are made from. High performance applications are no exception. Here you will find four things that you should be aware of when dealing with gaskets in high performance applications.
6 Ways To Make Life Easier If You Work In High Temp Applications
Once you really understand how to deal with high temperature applications and what you need to know to start the process of selecting the right material for these applications, you’ve won half the battle. Here are a few tips and items of note that will get you moving in the right direction.

five

Not all gaskets go into brand new applications straight off the production line. There are many gaskets used across the aftermarket, in service operations and in engine rebuilding. Do the same rules and considerations apply to the seal points and gaskets in service applications as they do in OEM manufacturing?

We have put together a list of considerations for those working with gaskets in situations where a gasket is being replaced.

Things to Remember

1. Flange surfaces will change.

Over time and repeated heat cycles, flange surfaces can warp and become distorted, become pitted or corroded, or otherwise become less than ideal. When replacing a gasket, you’ll either need to spend both time and money machining the flanges back to their original state, or use a gasket that can compensate for the irregularities now present. Often, thicker, more compressible gaskets are used in service applications to not only save cost in flange prep, but to make up for material lost in the flange resurfacing process.

2. Replacement products vary greatly.

Service parts are available across an entire spectrum of price and quality. Customers typically are in control of choosing the cost and quality of the parts used in the repair. Parts are available from OEM quality (or better) down to low cost/low quality choices. How long do you want the gasket to last?

3. There are alternatives to the OEM gasket.

While marketing experts will want you to believe that you can only replace a gasket with the same OEM gasket, there are actually quite a few OEM-quality replacements on the market. You can usually save some money and sometimes get better performance.

4. Multiple factors to consider

There are many factors to consider in the process of replacing gaskets. One of which is the installation process itself. What is the torque? What is the sequence? What is the process? Should I include a sealant? Should I retorque it? Is it possible it might be upside down? Are the flanges clean and prepped? The answers to these questions will ultimately help you to settle on the proper replacement gasket, as well as ensure it will perform as expected in your application.

5. Materials / Construction

Have you explored and considered the various material choices for service applications? Which one is best? There are often different constructions of gaskets. Some are single-layer materials, some are embossed metal, some are composite laminates. Which is best? Often, the composite designs are the best choice in replacement parts as they best compensate for the factors mentioned throughout this post.

Plenty of Options

Although there are a few extra considerations when choosing a gasket or gasket material for a service application, you may actually find that you have a little more latitude. There are materials out there that have characteristics that excel in these markets. Talk to your trusted gasket material supplier to figure out which materials will be best suited for your application.

What differences do you find between sealing OEM and service applications? If you are interested in subscribing to Sealed-In’s blog posts, email sales@mtigasket.com.

Metal Tech offers the HT 337, which works well in many service applications.

Is There A Difference Between Gaskets & Seals?
Today we’re going to talk about gaskets and seals. These terms are generally used interchangeably. After all, gaskets seal a joint…so they’re the same, aren’t they? Read on for the facts about gaskets and seals.
Do I Need an O-ring or a Gasket?
How well do you understand the differences between O-rings and gaskets? Can you readily identify situations where each type of seal should be used? There are specific situations where each technology is needed because they are designed for completely different conditions. Today, we thought we’d dig a little deeper into gasket vs. O-ring.
Why A Metal-Reinforced Gasket May Not Be For You
We’re going to shoot you straight…you may never be in need of a metal-reinforced gasket. There. We said it. You could call us up tomorrow and ask for gasket material for XYZ application, and after telling us about your needs, we’d tell you that you would be better off spending your money elsewhere. You might be asking yourself “what kind of sales pitch is that”? Well, it’s an honest one.
What Is A Metal-Reinforced Gasket and Why Do I Need One?
If you were in the market for a gasket, do you even know where to start? If not, check out some of our previous posts. As you can see, we’ve broken down why you want to consider a composite material. Now, the big question for some of our readers may be: “What exactly is a composite gasket”?
The Top 6 Applications Where Composite Gaskets Excel
As an experienced materials manufacturer, when we hear a customer or potential customer start talking about gasketing needs, there are certain applications where we know immediately that metal-reinforced composite laminates are a great option. To help you in your planning process, we decided to put together a list of the top applications where these types of gaskets excel (in no particular order).
4 Things to Know About Gaskets in High Performance Applications
Every market has its own set of preferences and needs as it applies to gaskets and the materials they are made from. High performance applications are no exception. Here you will find four things that you should be aware of when dealing with gaskets in high performance applications.
6 Ways To Make Life Easier If You Work In High Temp Applications
Once you really understand how to deal with high temperature applications and what you need to know to start the process of selecting the right material for these applications, you’ve won half the battle. Here are a few tips and items of note that will get you moving in the right direction.