GS1100 Cam Cover Gasket

[Guest]

My '80 model has been leak free for 6 months after changing a bunch of gaskets and resurfacing most of the mating areas. Yesterday there was oil pouring out of the cam cover ('83 model head). Checked that all the bolts were tight, some seamed a little loose so I went round and retightened. Still pours oil so I took the cover off to find that that the gasket had split (twice) right near the two front centre bolts. I took the gasket off to find it had gone soft like spaghetti. This was a genuine Suzuki gasket that cost me 45 bucks that I had to wait 2 weeks for. It looked really good with the silicone bead and all. Can anyone recommend an aftermarket gasket that is not crap?

[tom203]

Silicone bead?? you mean you added this to stock gasket? Seems strange that your stock gasket would go spaghetti soft, most of us have to scrape the dried out old ones off. Did you attempt to use some kind of torque wrench on bolts or just wing it?

[tkent02]

The Suzuki gasket is just a flat paper gasket, they last for years and years.


Silicone bead? Got a picture of this?

[chef1366]

The Suzuki gasket is just a flat paper gasket, they last for years and years.


Silicone bead? Got a picture of this?

The new gaskets do have some sort of rise to seal the surfaces.
I think you over tightened the cover.

[greg78gs750]

+1 on overtightening the cover. on the 1100 the gasket is quite narrow in parts, easily cut by the cover/head surfaces. i have struggled with this on mine. i "think" i was easy enough on the bolts this time....

[rapidray]

The valve cover bolts only require 84 INCH lbs of torque. Ray.

[MiketheBike]

The first gasket I got was a thick paper gasket (like TKENT02 said) with a rise (like CHEF1366 said) but I had to take that one back because it didn't fit (this is how I found out there was an '83 head on my '80 engine). So when I took it back and asked for an '83 gasket, the one they gave me seemed a bit thicker with a thin silicone bead on one side. It looked really good and came in a plastic bag with Suzuki emblems and part number. It fits perfectly and I tightened all bolts (sorry no torque wrench that goes that low) by hand being very carful not to strip the threads. All was good for 6 months. Just recently I started exploring the upper end of the power band and have found that my bike will jump out of gear in second when under full throttle as it hits 6000rpm. As a result, I did see the tacho flick past 12000rpm. I fully expected motor bits to start flying out the exhaust but nothing happened and the engine remains strong and quiet, (they do build these things tough) but it was around about this time I sprung an oil leak. At first I thought I had blown a head gasket but using the spray on antiperspirant trick that I learned here (much thanks again), I traced it to the front of the cam cover. I checked all the bolts and it seemed to me that a few had backed off a little so I nipped those up but to no avail. I pulled the cam cover off last night and I could see straight away that the gasket had split just behind the 2 front middle bolts. When I pulled the gasket off, it was not strong. I could pull it apart in my fingers (unlike the original leaky gasket that I pulled off 6 months ago). The reason that I ask, is that after spending many years on leaky Harleys, I learned that using "James" gaskets, that you can make these leak free. These are made from heavier gasket material and have an orange silicone bead and can be reused many, many times. Cometic also make very good gaskets but as far as I can find out, both of these manufacturers only make gaskets for Harleys, so I was wondering if there was a quality aftermarket manufacturer that made a gasket for this cam cover.

I did make sure that all the surfaces were flat and free of any "sharps" before I installed this gasket so I was a bit peeved that my $45 gasket fell to bits. Thanks for all your comments.

[chef1366]

Make sure your crankcase breather is clear including the hose. It's the nipple on the valve cover.

[rapidray]

Cometic makes gaskets for the 1100s, I know, I have them in stock. Ray.

[MiketheBike]

Chef1366 - yeah I checked the breather first thing. All clear. I can blow in and suck out no problems. Ray - Thanks. I'll look into the Cometic gaskets.

[greg78gs750]

IF you are NOT running a mechanical tach, i "think" a realgasket might be a controversial option.

[MiketheBike]

I'm running a mechanical tach but its so vague and beat up I am thinking of making a custom console and switching to an electronic one. Ah I get it. You are saying that if the gasket is too thick then the tacho drive will be affected. hadn't thought of that. Better put my thinking cap on!

[tom203]

I have no need for torque wrench that goes that low, so I just rig up something.see pic; 6 inch ratchet with fishing scale is close enough-certainly more consistent than hand tight guess.
6 inch lever with 14 lbs gets you 84 in-lbs.