Tornado Gasket 31416

Part number 31416 is a genuine OEM gasket for the MWH-800, Marathon 800 and Marathon 1200 extractors. A gasket is the cheapest part of any sealed joint and the one that decides whether the joint works, which is why it is worth fitting a new one every time the joint comes apart rather than reusing what is already there.

Compatible Models for the Gasket

This part fits the following Tornado machines:

• Tornado 98164 MWH-800 8-Gallon Self-Contained Carpet Extractor
• Tornado 98166 20″ Marathon 800 Carpet Extractor (8 Gallon, 115V)
• Tornado 98167 20″ Marathon 800 Carpet Extractor (8 Gallon, 230V)
• Tornado 98168 12 Gallon Self Contained Carpet Extractor
• Tornado 98168 20″ Marathon 1200 Carpet Extractor (12 Gallon, 115V) — all series
• Tornado 98169 20″ Marathon 1200 Carpet Extractor (12 Gallon, 230V)

Gaskets rarely fail visibly. What happens is that the material takes a permanent set: compressed in one position for a couple of years it stops springing back, so it seals under bench pressure and not under working conditions. A gasket that looks perfect and feels hard is finished. Run a finger along it — resilient is good, dead is not.

Detergent is what ages it. Cleaning chemicals soften the material and then embrittle it, so a gasket on a machine in daily commercial use has a service life measured in seasons rather than in hours run. Fine surface cracking or a chalky appearance both mean the end is close even while the gasket is still in one piece.

Never reuse one that has been compressed and then disturbed. A gasket beds itself into the microscopic irregularities of the two faces it sits between, and once those faces have moved relative to each other it cannot do that again. This is the single most common false economy in servicing this machine, and the cost of getting it wrong is a second strip-down.

Preparation matters more than the part. Scrape both mating faces properly rather than leaving patches of old material, and make sure they are clean and dry before assembly. A new gasket bridging a ridge of old gasket will leak at that point and nowhere else, which makes the fault look like a defective part.

Fit it without stretching, start every fastener before tightening any so the joint pulls down evenly, and work round rather than tightening one side fully first. An unevenly clamped gasket leaks on the light side, and that is a fault you will chase rather than see.

Browse every assembly for this machine on the Tornado 98168 Marathon 1200 parts hub, and see the manufacturer’s range at tornadovac.com.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Tornado machines does the gasket 31416 fit?

It is used on the Tornado 98164 MWH-800 8-gallon self-contained extractor, the 98166 and 98167 20″ Marathon 800, the 98168 12 Gallon Self Contained extractor and the 98168 20″ Marathon 1200 in all series. Call 763-535-0770 with your model number if you are not sure.

My gasket looks fine — can I reuse it?

No. Gaskets rarely fail visibly: the material takes a permanent set, so it seals on the bench and not under working conditions. A gasket that looks perfect but feels hard rather than resilient is finished, and one that has been compressed and then disturbed cannot bed into the mating faces again.

Why did my new gasket leak straight away?

Almost always preparation rather than the part. A new gasket bridging a ridge of old material will leak at that point and nowhere else, which makes it look defective. Scrape both faces fully, make sure they are clean and dry, and start every fastener before tightening any so the joint pulls down evenly.

How do I order the Gasket (part# 31416) or get help?

You can add the Gasket (part# 31416) directly to your cart on this page, or call us at 763-535-0770. Our staff at 5415 West Broadway, Crystal, MN 55428 has been servicing Tornado equipment since 1956 and can help confirm the right part for your machine.

Questions? Call us at 763-535-0770 or visit us at 5415 West Broadway, Crystal, MN 55428.