Some Indian riders prefer old-fashioned paper gaskets, often with a smear of their favorite goo (which can be any number of gasket cements or just plain grease). If you fall into this camp, IPE has the full range of traditional gaskets for all Indian V-Twins (see the 101, 741 and Chief pages; complete price lists coming soon). Others want the best that modern science can offer. And for those we have the wonderful JAMES Gaskets for Indians.

JAMES has long been the world leader in gaskets for the opposition from Milwaukee, but started some years ago applying the same modern sealing technology to gaskets for Indians. James Clark, sadly no longer with us, was an Indian enthusiast, and I think he saw the Indian gaskets as more a labor of love than a really commercial project.

The basic idea behind JAMES Gaskets is that a thin dry coating will provide a really good general sealing effect, and in many cases, allow gaskets to be reused. Furthermore, the gaskets have a raised silicone bead (the red line you see in the photos) on one side for superior sealing around bolt holes and at narrow spots on cases and covers, where leaks often occur with lesser gaskets.

JAMES Gaskets should be fitted dry to clean and degreased surfaces in good condition. No matter which kind of gaskets you use, it pays to spend a little time making sure the gasket surfaces of your Indian engine are nice, smooth and clean.

IPE has the full range of JAMES Gaskets for Indian Chief in stock, as well as JAMES cylinder head gaskets for 741 and late Sport Scout (post 1938 Scouts can also use the neat new JAMES oil pump gasket). More details below.
 

Click photos to enlarge
 

Dry silicone bead on JAMES Gasket for Chief shifting tower, P/N 85283J. Basic black coating is overlaid with raised red silicone bead around the sealing surface of cases and covers, and around bolt holes.

For 741 and Sport Scout, JAMES makes some very nice head gaskets with a steel core and dry silicone beads. These gaskets seal really well, but they need the heads to be re-torqued a couple of times after a rebuild (you really should do that with any type of head gasket anyway). After initial assembly, start engine and let it reach working temperature, let it cool and re-torque heads. Repeat at least twice after brief rides where the engine gets good and hot (let engine cool first). Torque figures for Chief and Scout head bolts with clean and lightly greased threads are 55-60 lbs.

For Chief head gaskets, JAMES has a new - and super high tech - system with three thin steel cores, individually coated with high-temperature silicone. These gaskets are the most up to date, best sealing head gaskets any Indian Chief ever had. It is a good idea to re-torque heads a couple of times as outlined above.

IPE also has solid copper head gaskets for Chief, late Sport Scout and 741. 

IPE has all three types of head gaskets - so no matter which type you prefer, you can get it here. For fiber-composite gaskets for various models, see the 101, 741 and Chief pages (complete price lists coming soon). For JAMES silicone coated and copper gaskets there is more info below.

JAMES multi-layer cylinder head gasket for Chief (the little "ears" hold the layers together and are hidden between the cooling fins when gasket is fitted). P/N 75378JM.
 

22B655J Cylinder base gaskets. Graphite coated steel core with silicone bead. Chief 1922-53. 

74051J Cam cover gasket with silicone bead. 0.020" thick. Chief 1936-53. The different thicknesses can be a help when setting cam end play between crank case and cam cover (use thicker gasket for more end play and thinner for less).

74051J3 Cam cover gasket as above but 0.030" thick.

41374J Oil pump gasket, cast iron oil pump. Chief 1938-53.

75378JM Head gasket. Graphite coated multi-layer steel core. Chief 1936-53.

75378C Copper head gasket, set of 2. Chief. Top quality solid copper gaskets. The main advantage of copper gaskets is that they can be used again after annealing (softening). To anneal copper head gaskets, heat them with a propane burner to an even dull red and drop them end-wise into a bucket of cold water. Do this even with new gaskets, and every time you re-use them.

35B626 Manifold to carb gasket. Chief 1936-53 

918001  Heat insulation washer for valve guide/cover, set of 4. Chief 1936-53. These washers go between the valve spring and its seat on the valve guide, insulating the springs from the hot guides and cylinders, helping the springs keep their springiness longer. Don't leave them out.

85283J Transmission top cover gasket. Chief 1936-53 and Standard Scout. 

85375JA Engine to inner primary gasket. Chief 1936-53 and Standard Scout.

85375JB Transmision to inner primary gasket. Chief 1936-53 and Std Scout.

85375J Outer primary cover gasket. Chief 1936-53 and Standard Scout. 

Ordering or questions: info@indianpartseurope.com
 

JAMES cam cover gasket for Chief., P/N 74051J You can't see the neat double silicone bead in this picture, but click to get a better view.

JAMES gaskets for Chief primary cover (P/N 85375J), inner primary case to engine (P/N 85375JA) and inner primary to transmission (P/N 85375JB). You don't want leaks here as the whole clutch/primary has to come off to fix them. Primary cover gasket can often be used again.
 

41374J Oil pump gasket, 741 and Sport Scout 1938-up. 

76095J Head gasket. Graphite coated steel core with dry silicone bead. Fits stock 741 engine and big-bore, big-valve 741 engines. Set of 2.

75379J Head gasket. Sport Scout 1940-42. Graphite coated steel core with dry silicone bead. Set of 2.

76095JC Head gasket. High quality solid copper gasket. Fits stock 741 engine. May require trimming for big-bore, big-valve 741 engines. Can be annealed (softened, see Chief section above) and re-used. Set of 2.

75379JC Head gasket. Sport Scout 1940-42. Solid copper gasket.  Set of 2.

35B626J Manifold to carb gasket. Sport Scout 1935-up.

Ordering or questions: info@indianpartseurope.com

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