Why does the contact breaker need a gasket?

[oohsam]

It's beyond me. I'm putting it together and although I have one. i cant work out why its needed..just to stop rattle?
It doesnt fill up with oil or anything...someone please shed some light.

[rustybronco]

To keep out dust, dirt, ect.

[tkent02]

They run just fine without. If you were doing deep water crossings the gasket might be useful. That cover is vented, but a good air tight seal would keep water from coming in the vent.

But since most of us do not do deep water crossings on street bikes all that often....

[Agemax]

It's beyond me. I'm putting it together and although I have one. i cant work out why its needed..just to stop rattle?
It doesnt fill up with oil or anything...someone please shed some light.

as stated, it will run fine without one but just to give you an idea, start your bike up without the cover on and chuck a bucket of water over it and see what happens

[Agemax]

They run just fine without. If you were doing deep water crossings the gasket might be useful. That cover is vented, but a good air tight seal would keep water from coming in the vent.

But since most of us do not do deep water crossings on street bikes all that often....

not all the covers are vented, i got 2, one windowed and a spare standard one, neither are vented in any way

[tkent02]

There's not a little passage somewhere near the lower cover screw? I thought they all needed that to equalize air pressure and to let any oil leaking past the main seal out so it doesn't fill up the ignition cover (see the bucket of water post above)

[Agemax]

There's not a little passage somewhere near the lower cover screw? I thought they all needed that to equalize air pressure and to let any oil leaking past the main seal out so it doesn't fill up the ignition cover (see the bucket of water post above)

nope, they have a rubber grommet where the wires come out but it seals tight, no other holes anywhere. some covers i see have holes in the centre of the cover but i dont know why as the self adhesive emblem will seal this anyway?

[Agemax]

oops, me bad, there is a small drain hole in the crankcase itself. sorry. me wrong

[loud et]

yeah, speaking of this ignition gasket, I was just gonna use a fine bead of clear silicone. I imagine that would be fine, after all, (and I could not beleive this) my clutch cover was on with only silicone! It did not leak a drop of oil. I do not think that is typical? But am sure the ignition cover would be fine. And, just for reference, my 1980 1100E has the typical hole for the rubber wire grommet and the small weephole next to it.

[Suzuki_Don]

If I get any closer than 3 metres to my bike with a tube of silicon she screams out in ANGUISH.

[nufnuf]

Cut a new gasket out of some paper or an old magazine cover using the cover as a template. No need for silicone sealant down there.

[tkent02]

That ignition cover is one of only a few places that it's OK to use silicone, as it can't get to the oil system from there to block it.

[Allie]

I do wonder what would happen, though, if you ran with no gasket and never really took your cover off, then maybe let the bike sit (maybe even out in the elements ) for an extended time. Would they try to fuse together? Just curious because I've been dying to do this to my bike

[tkent02]

You could certainly make a gasket out of Pancake Batter.

[Allie]

mmmmm that would smell yummy going down the road!