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Head gasket replacement time?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Konnick
  • Start date Start date
K

Konnick

Guest
Ive had a slight leak between my valve cover gasket and the half moon plug on the front left side. I bought a new gasket and plug. I was hoping to get to the project this afternoon.

Is this as easy as pulling bolts, removing old gasket, cleaning up and replacing it with new? I have some gasket seal for the bottom of the plug like many of you have suggested.

What kind of time frame am I looking at? I might not tear into it if its going to take too long. I'd probably just roll it to the weekend.

Thanks, Rob

Edited from head gasket to valve cover gasket!
 
Last edited:
What bike?

Do you mean head gasket or valve cover gasket? Usually the half-moons interface with the valve cover gasket. That would be pretty easy to sort out.

If your head gasket is leaking, then you must pull the valve cover, camshafts, tensioner, exhaust, tach, remove the head, scrape and clean the gasket and the chain o-ring. Then reinstall the head, set the cam timing, reinstall the tensioner, check and set valve clearances, reinstall exhaust, etc.

Guess which one takes longer?

:D
 
Then you in for a pretty easy task. Of course, while you are in there, you should go ahead and check those valves.
 
Umm, the valves in the cylinders. That cover protects the valve train. The valves use shims or adjuster screws (we'd know in your case if we knew what kind of bike you had, hint, hint) to maintain a gap of a certain size. Over time that gap tightens and if not attended to on the maint schedule can cause the valves to never close fully. This can lead to poor starting, running and eventually valve damage.

You did get a mega-welcome, right? Off BassCliff's site ( http://members.dslextreme.com/users/bikecliff/ ) are guides for 8-valve motors (shims):

http://members.dslextreme.com/users/bikecliff/images/gs850valve_adjust.pdf

and 16-valve motors (screws):

http://members.dslextreme.com/users/bikecliff/images/16valve_adjustment.pdf
 
Looking through your post history, it seems you have an 80 GS850L. That would be an 8-valve (shim type) motor. You can add that info to your signature to spare us (or at least me) the exercise in the future. You can also go to the User CP link and add your location (I know Iowa from the previous post - though the city I'm not sure). GSR members are all around the country and some love the chance to meet fellow owners and have an excuse for a nice ride to help out for little more than pizza and beer (just one if they're riding!) ;)

Because it's a shim-type motor, the time it takes to finish the job will be highly variable based on the likelihood that you'll need new shims, and how long it will take you to get them. It's helpful to have metric feeler gauges from 0.03mm - 0.10mm, and digital calipers or a micrometer to measure the thickness of current shims. There's also a shim tool which is necessary unless you go the "zip tie" route. See BC's site for the zip tie supplement to 8V valve adjustment. NEVER turn the motor without a shim in every bucket!

BTW, in almost all vehicular parlance that is a "valve cover", though Suzuki does officially refer to that part as the "head cover".
 
Mike of bbg, It also seems that I have an 80 gs850L because I posted that above your posts. :) Maybe all of the "exercise" did you good though?
 
Busted! :o Wasn't in your OP but yes it's in another post.

If it was in your sig though you still wouldn't have to remember it ;)


Konnick said:
Mike of bbg, It also seems that I have an 80 gs850L because I posted that above your posts. :) Maybe all of the "exercise" did you good though?
Click to expand...
 
Konnick said:
What's a ... "valve"?


j/k
Click to expand...


Hey j/k,

Did you know that if you don't adjust the valves they will burn, seriously damaging the engine?

Have you ever looked at the maintenance schedule for your bike?
 
Nessism said:
Hey j/k,

Did you know that if you don't adjust the valves they will burn, seriously damaging the engine?

Have you ever looked at the maintenance schedule for your bike?
Click to expand...


Nope. Since it's a neglected-for-years $200 dollar bike that I bought barely idling and covered in grease, grime, oil and everything else and I'm trying to bring it back to life one saturday morning at a time ... I haven't really had time to check the maintenance schedule yet. :)

You do know that j/k means "just kidding", right?
 
mike_of_bbg said:
Busted! :o Wasn't in your OP but yes it's in another post.

If it was in your sig though you still wouldn't have to remember it ;)
Click to expand...


True dat!

I meant to do it before but didn't take the time. Taken care of!

I'm in Des Moines, too. Added that also.
 
Get some CLEAN rags and shove them in the appropriate places to catch all the bits of old gasket that fall when you're scraping (not gouging) it off the head. It's best to keep those bits away from the internals.
 
Konnick said:
You do know that j/k means "just kidding", right?
Click to expand...

Nessism said:
Apparently I'm behind the times on my texting lingo (and without apology).
Click to expand...
OK, I knew that one, but the sentiment is the same. :rolleyes:

Most of our keyboards have a full set of keys, and I'll bet that most of them work,
so why shortchange those of us that are "chronologically enhanced" by not using them all? :-k

.
 
Breathing life back into an old neglected bike, starts with a valve set and carbs.

Just saying... :-\\\
 
Valve cover = piece of cake

You take off the gas tank.
Take off breather hose on Top of the valve cover.
Then disconnect the Tach cable up front.
Then start yankin bolts out!

Oh yeah, pop off the spark boots, and tie em up out of the way too!
(pretty obvious)

Make sure you buy the valve gasket AND breather gasket.
The breather gasket might "look" fine, but once you unbolt it...usually the gasket is mooshed up!
(just take a look to be sure)
 
Konnick, you asked how long it should take. I can have the cam cover off of my '80 850L in 10-15 minutes, back on in maybe 30-40. It's going to take you a while longer, since you'll probably have to spend an hour or two getting the old gasket off.

To save you some frustration, I'll tell you you'll need to go ahead and take off the horns and crankcase breather cover before the cam cover can be raised high enough to cover the engine internals. That's a unique headache for the GL models.

Please do get some feeler gages and check the valves. It won't add much time to the job for the first time having the cover off.

Oh, and get a cheap torque wrench from Harbor Freight and use it until you get used to proper torque of the screws in the aluminum. This will be a critical tool in your project. You'll use an impact driver more, but that's for the other engine covers and carbs.
 
Don't forget to lightly grease or WD-40 one or both sides of the gasket (unless you got a Real Gasket) so it might come off clean the next time...
 
Wow. That's alot of info. Thanks a ton guys. I'm getting everything I need ready for Saturday morning.


I'll be back with more annoying questions later!
 
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