Keeping oil inside an engine is vitally important and can be difficult if you’re having issues with old cork and paper gaskets not sealing up properly. This type of problem is notorious on older-style engines where these gaskets were commonly used, but that can be avoided by using modern silicone gaskets with steel support carriers.

Silicone rubber gaskets have been used in OEM applications for decades and are a great solution for oil leaks around an oil pain or valve cover. Adding a steel support carrier to these gaskets allows them to even be removed and installed without hurting the gaskets. Many older engines never had this as an option and that would lead to a lot of frustration for those who experienced leaks on a brand new build.

Ron McKey from Engine Pro explains why going with a high-quality silicone rubber gasket for an older engine is a great way to prevent issues.

“First of all they don’t leak compared to the cork and paper gaskets for older engines. The oil pan gaskets are one piece, so you don’t have to assemble them, or worry about getting the dab of silicone in the right spot while you bolt the pan on. To a certain degree, they are reusable for most applications. They might cost more than a paper and cork gasket, but you can get more use out of them. It makes sense for someone who’s making a lot of valve adjustments, since they are pulling the valve covers off a lot. You don’t have to put a new gasket on each time and deal with adhesives to get that gasket to stay in place.”

The idea to use these gaskets isn’t new, however, Engine Pro did find a way to make them more user-friendly for a wider variety of applications. This gives engine builders more options for gaskets that can take some abuse in an engine that might see some spirited driving on the street or the track.

“They are more resistant to chemicals and are stronger than your standard gasket. These really can’t be over-tightened because of the stainless steel compression limiters we use in the gasket. The steel support carrier we use also allows the gaskets to be used more than once. These gaskets take modern technology and move it back for older engines to use. It helps to avoid leaking issues that some might have with a new engine due to a simple gasket issue,” McKey explains.

If you’re getting ready to button up an engine and want to see if these gaskets are available for your application, check out the Engine Pro website right here.