Silicone rubber gasket with perforated metal core and method

1. Field of Invention A valve cover gasket has a perforated central core of metal including protrusions extending from planar sides of the core. Silk screened on each side of the core is a silicone foam rubber layer adapted to replace traditional cork gasket structures used for same purpose. The silicone rubber layers include a foaming agent that causes the material to expand during an oven-curing period. The amount of expansion of the silicone rubber coating is up to three times the thickness of the coating originally applied. As disclosed, the oven cure is for approximately 10 minutes at 300 degrees Fahrenheit. The protrusions prevent the silicone rubber material from being fully compressed; the protrusions are designed not to flatten under normal gasket compression loads. The peaks of the protrusions act as compression loads stops to limit amount of permissible compression of the silicone rubber layers.