Many of you may already not trust NOS gaskets.  As for me I often learn the hardway.

6 mos. or more ago I bought an oil pan NOS gasket on epay.  Yesterday was the time to use it.  I only looked at it briefly upon arrival, and noted it was a Felpro curiously made of a composite cloth like material. 

Got the pan and block all prepped with RTV, and even put in three temporary studs to help keep the gasket aligned (engine on stand).  Pulled out the gasket and no way did it fit.  It had shrunk up so that no amount of tugging or pulling was going to get it to fit.  What a mess and waste of time!  Threw the gasket into the trash can and then began cleaning up all that RTV!

Mike, located in the Siskiyou mountains, Southern, OR 292 powered 1946 Ford 1/2 ton, '62 Mercury Meteor, '55 Country Squire (parting out), '64 Falcon, '54 Ford 600 tractor.

You might soak the gasket in water for a couple days to swell it back to size.  I've done it with cork gaskets.

John - "The Hoosier Hurricane"

It was common to soak them in water 50 years ago when they were new. That's just how real cork is.

Kenneth

Fredricksburg, Texas

The gasket wasnt cork.  It was/is a cloth like material with ruberized coating. About half the thickness of cork.  But it is ready for the next trash fire.  Picked up a cork gasket at Carquest today.

Mike, located in the Siskiyou mountains, Southern, OR 292 powered 1946 Ford 1/2 ton, '62 Mercury Meteor, '55 Country Squire (parting out), '64 Falcon, '54 Ford 600 tractor.

Had that happen with a paper gasket for a rear axle, it was off about 1/4" from fiting over the studs in the housing. Droped it in a bucket of warm water for 1/2 hour and it fit fine.

Ok, I will give it an academic try .

Mike, located in the Siskiyou mountains, Southern, OR 292 powered 1946 Ford 1/2 ton, '62 Mercury Meteor, '55 Country Squire (parting out), '64 Falcon, '54 Ford 600 tractor.