How do I remove a rock-hard original throttle body gasket?

Plastic chisel and brass wire wheel ?

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Carefully with a razor blade.

 

A good whittling knife and a green scotch pad.

 

Die grinder with plastic bristles.

 

Stand it in a bath of oil or some kind of solvent to soften it. Might take a day or so to soften it up

 

I detest what those do to a gasket surface. I dont allow any powered device to remove gaskets from aluminum.

 

Wire wheel to an aluminum gasket surface???? Uh uh.

 

I keep gasket scrapers perfectly flat and nearly sharp enough to shave with for reasons like that. Soak it overnight and use a very sharp scraper. Hold it in a fixture like a bench vise with soft jaws.

 

It's the least destructive method I've found that is successful while also meets deadline requirements; I'd eventually be fired if I delayed everything overnight for a soak. And a metal scraper in the hand of someone without the skill to weild it risks some serious gouging.

 

Very good reason not to work in flat rate production shops.Besides if its a Toyota or Chevy who cares. It will be on the scrap heap in a couple of years. This Ferrari will be around after we are dead so don't screw up the castings. If someone cannot properly use a well maintained scraper should put down all the tools and give it to someone who is qualified.

 

This

 

A very soft brass wheel .. to start cutting the gasket and it shouldn't eat the aluminum unless you go too far .. I said use a plastic chisel first and if all else fails a brass brush

I will defer to you since you come across more than I do

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By the way, that gasket is asbestos based. Don't remove it in any way that will allow you to inhale it......like with a power tool.

 

Well, on that - there are many reasons flat rate shops aren't a great thing. It's sometimes disheartening, to say the least... but some things are best discussed over a few cocktails. Turn and Burn... horrible concept.

On this... personally, it was the way I was taught by a 30 yr veteran master mechanic; if that wasn't correct, mea culpa. But - beyond that, I don't care that it's "just a Honda". Part of why I started doing this professionally was because I actually cared and wanted to repair every customer's car with the same care and respect I maintain my Ferrari. Assuming that *someone* cares about it, at least. But still, sometimes management rears it's ugly head demanding that you take shortcuts that make you want to throw up. Those methods, I don't intentionally advise.

I could probably shave lotion off a baby with a razorblade if I had to... I just worry about someone grabbing a Harbor Freight chisel and destroying something.

 

Years ago gasket remover used to be fairly effective but the stuff you get now is pretty worthless. I found that Jassco paint stripper works pretty well but you’ll still have to do multiple applications and a layer at a time. Plus the stuff is just downright nasty, you can’t get so much as a droplet on your hand or you’ll be running for the faucet.

Regardless of what you use it’s just going to take a lot of time and patience.

 

You can try a flat file with some Aluminum Oxide tape, if you know how to use a file. Work to finer tape as you get closer to the alloy so u dont damage it. If you have not mastered a file then find another way.

 

Condolences. I spent a whole day removing the stupid gasket for the oil filter base.

Paul gave me the tip on using paint remover. It works but softens up only a thin layer at a time. Multiple, multiple cycles of coat, wait, scrape.

I agree with not using power tools. My tool of choice -- sit down please -- was a razor sharp wood chisel. I could lay it flat on the gasket and shave off the little bit the paint remover softened. The chisel offered great control and I could keep it above the aluminum. I had one stud which wouldn't come out and scraping around that was a major pain. ​

 

Speaking of the oil filter gasket - my engine sat on the stand in the garage for almost a year while I did the heads and everything else and wasn't until I had reinstalled it in the car that I realized I hadn't scraped that gasket off yet.

Duhh!!!

 

I’ve used this on some occasions and it works pretty well. Just spray it on the gasket and after a while it will soften the gasket material and makes it easy to scrape it.

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A hacksaw blade sharpened up on the plain side is useful, you can use it with a light hammer to get under the gasket if u r careful