Thanks for the post!

Good question. Most of the time you can reuse the original Gaskets, but it depends on the age of the unit, what condition it's stored in, etc..

Make sure you take the Head and Valve Plate assembly off as one whole piece, try not to separate them if you don't have to. The more you separate the Gaskets, Valve Plate and Head, the more likely you'll have to replace the Gaskets as they will tear.

What our techs do, typically, is take a rubber mallet and gently hit upwards from each corner of the Valve Plate and Head until it's loose, then try to remove everything in one piece. If any of the paper gaskets tear then you'll have to replace them all, and the gaskets for this model are only available in a Valve Plate Assy for $38.84.

Also, after you install the Piston Kit just make sure to torque the head bolts down to spec (which should be in the instructions for the kit), which will make sure you get a good seal.

I hope this helps.

- MTR