Valve cover gasket

[Cipher]

Petroleum on a gasket sealing petroleum. Madness they seep.
your all cheap and cheap.
reusing a torqued gasket is w g at tears out cam cap threads.

 

[rphillips]

Now that's interesting, I'd have thought 6 lb. torque would be 6 lb, torque whether if new, used, or no gasket. Hard to imagine the threads, down in that hole would know the difference... I presume you meant the cover bolts, not the cam cap blots.

 

[Cipher]

Now that's interesting, I'd have thought 6 lb. torque would be 6 lb, torque whether if new, used, or no gasket. Hard to imagine the threads, down in that hole would know the difference... I presume you meant the cover bolts, not the cam cap blots.

compressed paper has one cycle especially paper thin stuff.

 

[rphillips]

Compressed paper cycle and threads in a aluminum motorcycle eng.... Sorry, I'm just not getting it

 

[Cipher]

Compressed paper cycle and threads in a aluminum motorcycle eng.... Sorry, I'm just not getting it

The gasket has a degree of compressibility once torqued down they down bounce back like rubber will. But rubber ages and hardens too. Intake o rings being a profound example of this.

 

[Suzukian]

And your Suzuki is...? Most GS models have flat paper-ish/cardboard-like gaskets. The rubber gaskets with the groove were a later invention.


The OP is also being unnecessarily coy regarding their motorcycle.



The best advice varies, but OEM is always best, and you can find NOS on eBay pretty often. Cometic is hot garbage, but Vesrah can be made usable. Sometimes. Overall, OEM is worth it and it's not worth monkeying with imitations unless you have no other options.

For the flat gaskets, a thin coat of grease goes on both sides, and you can indeed re-use the gasket several times. Pay careful attention to CORRECT torque and torqueing order as laid out in the manual.

It's almost never worth replacing the half-moon seals; new ones stick up and have trouble squashing enough to be flat with the head and seal correctly without squirting out. If you do need to replace these, use a teensy schmear of case sealer, not RTV. I often install them backwards so that the lip is on the inside; that way they can't escape outwards.

I stated that in post # 5. It's a 1983 GS750ES, I've owned since new. I built it out of the crate. I've missed stuff in threads too, no biggie. Nothing but the stock gasket will seal that top cover gasket. I have three new ones in my Barn, in case they get discontinued.

 

[1978GS750E]

The original poster, aka OP, has not responded to anything in this thread??? Maybe he is not interested,I know I'm not!

The search feature is a wonderful thing!

 

[Nessism]

The original poster, aka OP, has not responded to anything in this thread??? Maybe he is not interested,I know I'm not!

The search feature is a wonderful thing!

He posted the thread, signed out one minute later, and hasn't been back.

 

[rphillips]

Yes, orig question has been answered, OEM is best... But I've got off on trying to figure how re-using an already compressed, gasket could effect striping the threads, as was indicted in post # 21... I'm always wanting to learn things that I've missed over the yrs..

 

[93Bandit]

Yes, orig question has been answered, OEM is best... But I've got off on trying to figure how re-using an already compressed, gasket could effect striping the threads, as was indicted in post # 21... I'm always wanting to learn things that I've missed over the yrs..

I could be wrong but I think the point is once the gasket is permanently deformed (flattened) it may not seal with the factory spec torque applied to the fasteners. This may cause some to over tighten the fasteners with hopes it will stop the leak, but instead strip the threads.

 

[Grimly]

I could be wrong but I think the point is once the gasket is permanently deformed (flattened) it may not seal with the factory spec torque applied to the fasteners. This may cause some to over tighten the fasteners with hopes it will stop the leak, but instead strip the threads.

That's about it. The more ham-fisted will crank down on them, not realising that enough is enough. The OEM gasket is either thicker or slightly more resilient and can seal properly from the first go, or can stand a second check-tighten a few hundred miles later - and then go on to be re-used a couple of times. The cheaper ones, not so much, and those encourage over-tightening.

 

[rphillips]

OK, I read "reusing a torqued gasket is what tears out threads", I can see overtightening a torqued gasket is what tears out threads. I guess the exact same thing only different. Thank ya'll for clearing me up.

 

[Suzukian]

You can re-use my '83 GS750ES gasket quite a few times. It will weep as much as it did when it was new. I only got new ones when they got hard. They are incredibly thick. The shoulder bolts makes the gasket float between the top cover and the head. You cannot squeeze the gasket past the shoulder bolts. Good in theory, bad in execution.

 

[Guest]

Hi Guys, sorry for the lack of replies. i have been away. anyways i was hoping to hear of an off brand that works well. i have a 76 KZ900 Kawasaki and they want over $100 for an OEM gasket. It seams that i will have to go that route. , thanks for the responses. I am somewhat surprised that some are having success putting grease on a gasket. it just seams so wrong when grease is normally used to reduce friction. But in the end, what ever works , right.

 

[93Bandit]

Hi Guys, sorry for the lack of replies. i have been away. anyways i was hoping to hear of an off brand that works well. i have a 76 KZ900 Kawasaki and they want over $100 for an OEM gasket. It seams that i will have to go that route. , thanks for the responses. I am somewhat surprised that some are having success putting grease on a gasket. it just seams so wrong when grease is normally used to reduce friction. But in the end, what ever works , right.

It surprised me too when first reading about people greasing gaskets. But I tried it on my clutch cover gasket using WD40 and it didn't leak a drop, nor did the gasket appear wet anywhere along the seam.