Cam Cover Gasket Replacement Help

[Anonymous]

Just bought an '82 GS1100E. 150 miles later and the cam cover gasket is leaking all over the header pipes. It looks like a pretty easy thing to fix.I do have some mechanical skill. I don't have a manual yet. I guess what I want is for someone to "lay down" the steps I need to take to repair it. Can I make my own gasket of better quality than I can buy? Any help you can provide will be VERY MUCH appreciated! Thank You, Kelly.

 

[Anonymous]

I recommend buying a new gasket; also spend a few more bucks and buy the rubber "half-moon" end caps. The old ones tend to harden up with age. I use Permatex #2 sealer for the gasket; others recommend certain silicones or Yamabond products. The real key is pay attention to what comes from where during disassembly (like lengths of bolts), and be careful when removing the old gasket that you don't gouge the head and cause new leaks. Clean all of the loose old gasket material out of the top of the head before reassembly. You don't want loose material blocking oil drains, getting in the way of valve parts & camshafts, or getting into the oil sump.

 

[Anonymous]

My tip for keeping track of all those cam cover bolts:

Take a flat block of wood and roughly draw the shape of the cam cover on it, marking which side faces "front". Your sketch will look like a letter H on its side. Now mark in the bolts with a 'x' and you should have a rough sketch of the cover with the positions of each bolt marked on the wood. Drill a hole at each 'x' about half and inch deep.

When you start removing the cover bolts, drop each one into its corresponding hole in your wooden block. They won't fall under the workbench, won't roll away and you'll know each one is going back in exactly the right place.

Those cover bolts tend to seize in place if the previous owner hasn't disturbed them, then they snap off when you try to open them. Spray each one with WD40 and give it time (say overnight) to penetrate.

 

[Hap Call]

The GS1100 four-valve motor is known for leaking around the cam cover "nose" where the cam chain runs. Use a new gasket (they would be VERY difficult to cut yourself) and put either the Permatex gasket sealant or the Yamaha sealant around this area of the gasket, on both sides of the gasket. That should take care of the leak up forward. One other thing, make sure that the surfaces the gasket comes in contact with is spotless.

On the subject of the half-moon gaskets, take some Teflon tape and wrap the gasket like you would a threaded pipe. Put them in the head with the lip on the inside. This is actually backwards from the way they are suppose to go in but it keeps them from being blown outward. Negative pressure is not a big problem with these engines.


Hap

 

[Anonymous]

I've used the permex with great success on my bike. Be sure to be very dilignet when cleaning off the old gasket. It only takes a small piece of the old "hard-as-a-stone" gasket to get you into trouble. I left a small piece on and ended up cracking my cover when tightening it down (My thanks to Nick for the replacement).