Gaskets are needed anywhere two pieces of metal, through which air or fluids flow, are bolted or fastened together. Without a gasket, fluids leak through the gaps between the two metal surfaces. The gasket, sandwiched between the two, fills in the gaps and seals off the “leak paths” so fluids can’t escape.
It may sound simple, but a tremendous amount of chemical and mechanical engineering, and manufacturing expertise, is needed to produce gaskets that can withstand the demands of today’s engines.
Advanced sealing products are needed even more so on vehicles that are not so new. As vehicles age and gain mileage, these metal surfaces become rough and/or corroded and more difficult to seal, and require more premium and specialized gasket technologies.