Vesrah Gasket Set Failure

[bwringer]

I think this is a new problem with Vesrah.

I've used Vesrah gasket sets several times before with no problems, and later disassembled at least two top ends that used Vesrah gaskets without seeing a gasket or o-ring problem.

I think the problems I saw with this set are something new -- a problem with their materials or molding, or maybe they've outsourced something without doing proper QC.

On this Vesrah set (installed last summer) and the one I installed this spring on another GS850 engine, I did notice that the head gaskets were much sloppier than on the Vesrah sets I installed a couple of years ago, and required tailoring with a Dremel tool to drop into place over the dowel pins and line up properly. That wasn't the case on the sets I used a couple of years before that.

[Dogma]

Kinda ironic that you'd have problems with the Vesrah set, Brian. Last time I ordered a set of replacements for the 550 (several years back), Cycle-Recycle (don't know who I was talking to at that time) told me that Vesrah sources many of the OEM kits ... so you would think that they'd be basically identical.

I don't know if this is true or not, but since the knowledge pool at CRCII has always been so good I had no reason to believe otherwise. You might want to check again with them to see what they think and get back to us after your next visit there.

Regards,

It is possible that Vesrah may be a source of higher-spec materials for OEM than for their own branded product. But that would only make sense if there was low-price market for the product that they were trying to fill.

Are Vesrah gasket kits significantly cheaper than OEM?

[Jimmy Hoffa]

Anyone know if the Vesrah complete set comes with the camshaft cover gasket?

[49er]

Anyone know if the Vesrah complete set comes with the camshaft cover gasket?

Yes they do.

[bwringer]

It is possible that Vesrah may be a source of higher-spec materials for OEM than for their own branded product. But that would only make sense if there was low-price market for the product that they were trying to fill.

Are Vesrah gasket kits significantly cheaper than OEM?

The GS850 Vesrah kit is about $70 at Z1 Enterprises, but Z1 is perpetually out of stock. It's about $100 - $105 everywhere else.

The OEM kit was around $170 at Flat Out, but I don't know what it included -- it may have been more complete. However, the OEM kit was also on perpetual backorder.

After finding the OEM kit was on backorder, I ordered the Vesrah kit from Dennis Kirk for $105 because I wanted to get back on the road ASAP. When I received it, I disassembled the engine and found the defective o-rings and gaskets, then ordered the OEM stuff I needed piece by piece.

I don't know where Rob at CRC2 got the idea that Vesrah makes OEM parts. Maybe they do, but they're not in the Vesrah kits. Most of the Vesrah materials are completely different than the OEM -- the gaskets don't look the same at all, and the o-rings are molded much sloppier than OEM. Obviously, you can't tell much about o-ring materials by looking, but the pear-shaped o-rings are the part that failed and they do look different.

To be fair, the Vesrah case gaskets are still fine and fit perfectly, and actually seem to be made from slightly tougher stuff than the cardboard Suzuki gaskets.

[Jimmy Hoffa]

There's a place called Cyclepages.com - don't know anything about them - that has the complete set for 83 and change

http://www.cyclepages.com/ProductDetails.aspx?ProductID=4023137

[AOD]

Long story short, buy Suzuki / OEM gaskets.

[49er]

Another Vesrah Failure

A couple of days ago, I noticed oil on my left boot after arriving home form a spirited ride. Oil was spewing out somewhere on the left side and appeared to be coming from the base gasket. By the amount of oil leaking, it appears to be a major failure. I'm totally ****ed off, as the bikes been running like a dream.

On closer inspection, it looks like it's coming from the same spot as Brian reported on his earlier. I will be operating on it this weekend.
From feedback here, It's probably worth ordering OEM replacement gaskets.

[Guest]

A couple of days ago, I noticed oil on my left boot after arriving home form a spirited ride. Oil was spewing out somewhere on the left side and appeared to be coming from the base gasket. By the amount of oil leaking, it appears to be a major failure. I'm totally ****ed off, as the bikes been running like a dream.

On closer inspection, it looks like it's coming from the same spot as Brian reported on his earlier. I will be operating on it this weekend.
From feedback here, It's probably worth ordering OEM replacement gaskets.

or maybe you can consider refraining from future "spirited" rides so the poor gaskets are not pushed to their limits

cheers

[bwringer]

or maybe you can consider refraining from future "spirited" rides so the poor gaskets are not pushed to their limits

cheers

That's... that's crazy talk, man! Heresy!




Oh, BTW, that Cometic head gasket I installed last fall is now leaking oil. It did not include sealing rings at the corners. I called Cometic and they insisted it didn't need them, that their gaskets are sheer perfection, how dare I doubt the sainted Cometic name, la de da...

Well, I'm here to tell ya firsthand -- their head gasket for the GS850/GS750 is a lumpy POS and now it's leaking. And I am ****ED.

I finally got a Suzuki gasket kit, and when the leaking gets a little worse, it's going on. Lesson learned.

[Nessism]

All this talk of leaking gaskets is pretty alarming. Based on Brian's feedback I'm staying away from Vesrah...but taking a chance on Athena. Yea, I know, stupid. Can't help myself...I'm cheap. Partsnmore.com had a complete gasket kit for my bike for $65 shipped...and yes, I know that it's money down the drain if the gaskets fail. I'm taking the chance because this particular kit has a MLS head gasket, which I'm thinking is the most reliable type (fingers crossed).

One thing I've noticed on these old engines is that it's pretty common for there to be some warpage in the heads and cylinders. On one cylinder I have the thing looks dead flat if you lay a straight edge on top the head sealing surface but when I took the cylinder and laid it top down on a granite surface plate, one corner was sticking up .005" or so - service limit is .008". Warpage at the top means warpage on the bottom, and since the oil comes up those outer cylinder studs, it's no wonder these beasties leak oil after a while. Pretty poor design to send oil up the studs like they did in my view.

One other strange thing I've noticed is that there is a casting flaw on the Suzuki engine cases on my bike - 1980 1000S; on the top engine calm shell, where the oil feeds into the cylinder studs, the oblong channel where that strange shaped O-ring sits is not formed properly - casting flash is present on both sides. Dremmel to the rescue, easy fix, but it surprises me to see something like this. Nobody's perfect, even Suzuki.

[Griffin]

I'll second the "Cometic is a p.o.s.". Installed one on a Yamaha XS1100 two years ago, and it didn't look exactly flat, but close enough that I figured it would flatten out and seal ok. I torqued everything correctly, and reassembled the head.

It began leaking within thirty miles. Retorqued everything, still leaked.

I found a deal on ebay, two Yamaha OEM head gaskets for $40. Tore the head down, installed a Yammie gasket exactly the same way. No issues afterwards, at least with head gasket leaks. Fortunately for me, I got two gaskets in that deal. The head is torn down again for some valve issues.

From now on, for me it's only OEM for any engine gaskets other than Robert Barr's o-rings.

[rapidray]

I have said this to people on this site over & over, STOCK gaskets are the ONLY ones to use on stock motors!!!!!!!!!! Ray.

[Planecrazy]

I finally got a Suzuki gasket kit, and when the leaking gets a little worse, it's going on. Lesson learned.

I was told by the gurus over at Cycle-Recycle II that Vesrah MAKES the OEM gaskets for Suzuki and other brands... Based on past experience with CRC II that's a pretty solid piece of information, so what to believe?

Regards,

[Griffin]

I was told by the gurus over at Cycle-Recycle II that Vesrah MAKES the OEM gaskets for Suzuki and other brands... Based on past experience with CRC II that's a pretty solid piece of information, so what to believe?

Regards,

Now don't get me wrong, I love CRCII, was in there today as a matter of fact. But Rob IS a businessman, trying to sell you things out of his store.

Caveat emptor with any aftermarket equipment or parts....