Asbestos exposure

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macvit7906
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Asbestos exposure

#1

Post by macvit7906 »

Hi All,

Need your input before I drive myself crazy. I've been restoring a 1984 GL1200 Standard (USA) for the last few months. I pulled the engine and I have replaced all gaskets.

After rebuilding the Golding I realized, some of these gaskets could have had asbestos. My question is, what is the likelihood I was exposed to asbestos from the gaskets? I was in my garage, with the door open always, so well ventilated, but still...

Did the head gaskets contain asbestos? I know the header gaskets might but I haven't touched them yet.

Thanks!
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pidjones
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Re: Asbestos exposure

#2

Post by pidjones »

Really? Do you plan to ride that motorcycle? THAT is a hazard to worry about (and, you are modifying the steering geometry at that). Asbestosis is contracted from prolonged exposure to heavy amounts of airborne asbestos fibers. About the only vehicle repair people that were at risk were those that rebuilt the old asbestos drum brakes and blew the dust out with compressed air. As long as you don't grind on the gaskets and then inhale airborne dust, you should be fine. Even then, the amount inhaled would not be enough to cause the disease. The people that get it spent years in the industries that used it and were heavily exposed.
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Re: Asbestos exposure

#3

Post by Whiskerfish »

Yea the risk is real but over inflated dramatically. Biggest thing is to keep the dust down. I have scraped up many asbestos floors and undone pipe wraps and other stuff just keep things damp with a spray bottle and don't inhale the dust. I expect I will die from Lung cancer but from 40 years of smoking not asbestos.
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Re: Asbestos exposure

#4

Post by Dog Boy »

I worked for 28.5 years in an Aluminium mill.
Every pipe and anything coming remotely close to extreme heat (we were melting at over 1300°F) was wrapped or crammed full of asbestos. I was in the facility for 25 years when an asbestos abatement program began.
I think you're safe...

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macvit7906
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Re: Asbestos exposure

#5

Post by macvit7906 »

pidjones wrote:Really? Do you plan to ride that motorcycle? THAT is a hazard to worry about (and, you are modifying the steering geometry at that). Asbestosis is contracted from prolonged exposure to heavy amounts of airborne asbestos fibers. About the only vehicle repair people that were at risk were those that rebuilt the old asbestos drum brakes and blew the dust out with compressed air. As long as you don't grind on the gaskets and then inhale airborne dust, you should be fine. Even then, the amount inhaled would not be enough to cause the disease. The people that get it spent years in the industries that used it and were heavily exposed.
Thanks for putting my mind at ease about the asbestos.....

Originally I thought I was going to modify steering and all that but I have just restored her to original condition. I dont plan on doing wheelies LOL think I'll be alright.
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Re: Asbestos exposure

#6

Post by n5zhu »

I spent years doing brakes on chevy cars and trucks in the late 60's and I blew the dust off into the air and not hurt yet, may have doged a bullet.
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Re: Asbestos exposure

#7

Post by Sidecar Bob »

When I was in primary school they gave us asbestos based modelling clay in art class and like every other young kid I tasted it. I just turned 65 and I'm still here.....

Of course, it was wet when we gt our grubby little hands on it but I'm pretty sure the teachers had to mix it from powder.
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Re: Asbestos exposure

#8

Post by 77Gowing »

Its getting so that it's down right dangerous to live. LOL
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Re: Asbestos exposure

#9

Post by chewy999 »

You should treat asbestos with respect, but as has been said, it is mainly dangerous when you cut it up and there are airborne particles to breathe in. Just keep damping down.

Years ago when I was in the RAF, we used to manufacture hydraulic hoses for the Hercules. We also made some for Rolls Royce aircraft engines. Where the hoses were exposed to heat, we had asbestos sleeve to go over the hoses and secured with clamps. Once the asbestos sleeve had been cut to length, the ends were dipped in a rubber like solution, (actually called End Dip, clues in the title), and then fitted. For some reason we had a period where we could not get this End Dip, it was like hen's teeth, rocking horse poo etc etc, so the hoses requiring the asbestos sleeve built up to quite a pile on the shelf.

Then the Falklands War started and you could order ANYTHING, and get it quickly, so we ordered a few cans of end dip, finished off the hoses for Rolls Royce, sent them off and patted ourselves on the back.

Months later, we had a visit to our work bay from the Rolls Royce rep, who seemed quite interested in the way we worked, both for the RAF and Rolls Royce. He then noticed some hoses on the shelf ready to go to Rolls Royce, complete with asbestos sleeves fitted, and we were amazed, gobsmacked, positively peeved, jacked off (you get what I'm saying) after all the trouble we'd had with End Dip supplies, when he said something like,

'I wish you wouldn't fit the sleeve, as the first thing we (Rolls Royce) do when we receive the hoses is to cut it off and throw it away. It is asbestos you know!' :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:

Think that is called a breakdown in communication!

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Re: Asbestos exposure

#10

Post by rcmatt007 »

77Gowing wrote:Its getting so that it's down right dangerous to live. LOL

lolol
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Sidecar Bob
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Re: Asbestos exposure

#11

Post by Sidecar Bob »

It isn't more dangerous now, we just know more about it.

And that isn't new. Even in the '70s we were becoming aware of the dangers around us. Watch from 8:35
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Re: Asbestos exposure

#12

Post by Don R »

The tiny airborne particles are the thing to avoid, don't remove gaskets with a wire wheel. It's still all around us. 8X8 floor tiles are almost all asbestos as is the cement holding them to the floor. Building materials, plaster, etc. As long as it's not fryable (dust) it's not as dangerous.
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Re: Asbestos exposure

#13

Post by Gowing »

A bunch of tuff guys here! Asbestos scares me. There I admitted it.
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Re: Asbestos exposure

#14

Post by x01660 »

Gowing wrote:A bunch of tuff guys here! Asbestos scares me. There I admitted it.
False positive results in you looking like a fool when you jump away from the wind rustled leaves that you thought was a lion

False negative results in you ending up as food for the lion

I'd rather be a fool than food.

Gowing, I call your apprehension prescient....

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Re: Asbestos exposure

#15

Post by Sidecar Bob »

We aren't tough, we just weren't told it was bad for us. On the other hand, we also listened when they said that asbestos isn't terribly harmful except as fibres that can be inhaled so we don't "jump" whenever we hear the word asbestos.

Going back to the original question, that means that unless you grind them to dust asbestos in gaskets is not likely to do you any harm.

Brake dust from pads that contain asbestos on the other hand.....
Mr. Honda ('83 GL1100/Dnepr) summer How a motorcycle evolves thread
The Famous Eccles ('84 CX650EI/VeloUral) winter Never Ending Build (CX500forum)
Click: Colour schematics for all GL1000 & GL1100 and GL1200 standard models plus instructions on how to download the full size version
"A guy with two sidecars can't be all bad." - Cookie
Another guy with two sidecars..... Hmmmm... must be something to that....
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