• Required reading for all forum users!!!

    Welcome!
    Register to access the full functionality of the GSResources forum. Until you register and activate your account you will not have full forum access, nor will you be able to post or reply to messages.

    A note to new registrants...
    All new forum registrations must be activated via email before you have full access to the forum.

    A Special Note about Email accounts!
    DO NOT SIGN UP USING hotmail, outlook, gmx, sbcglobal, att, bellsouth or email.com. They delete our forum signup emails.

    A note to old forum members...
    I receive numerous requests from people who can no longer log in because their accounts were deleted. As mentioned in the forum FAQ, user accounts are deleted if you haven't logged in for the past 6 months. If you can't log in, then create a new forum account. If you don't get an error message, then check your email account for an activation message. If you get a message stating that the email address is already in use, then your account still exists so follow the instructions in the forum FAQ for resetting your password.

    Have you forgotten your password or have a new email address? Then read the forum FAQ for details on how to reset it.

    Any email requests for "can't log in anymore" problems or "lost my password" problems will be deleted. Read the forum FAQ and follow the instructions there - that's what we have one for...

  • Returning Visitors

    If you are a returning visitor who never received your confirmation email, then odds are your email provider is blockinig emails from our server. The only thing that can be done to get around this is you will have to try creating another forum account using an email address from another domain.

    If you are a returning visitor to the forum and can't log in using your old forum name and password but used to be able to then chances are your account is deleted. Purges of the databases are done regularly. You will have to create a new forum account and you should be all set.

Reuse of valve cover gasket?

  • Thread starter Thread starter andmoon
  • Start date Start date
A

andmoon

Guest
I see a lot of threads on gasket removal.

Is it a definite NO NO to reuse the valve cover gasket?

My cover came off clean and I left the gasket attached to the head.

Do I do the gasket removal dance or is reuse a possibility?

83 850g...new to me and going thru all maint. before I run the poop out of her.
 
If it came off clean in one piece reuse it, if it leaks then replace. It probably won't, at least not for a while.
 
I've been having good luck this past year with cleaning the mating surfaces with carb cleaner before applying a very thin coat of high temp silicone sealer. Hasn't leaked or weeped a bit. Of course, I'm only doing this when I've been able to remove the cover without breaking the gasket.
Good luck.
Willie
 
personally i would replace it. any gasket that is vulnerable to oil leaks should be replaced. it would save a lot of time and inconveniance having to take the cover off again in a few days if it does start leaking.
just my opinion
 
If it came off clean I would re-use it. On my 1000 the gasket was also stuck to the cylinder side and I just put some hi-temp grease on the gasket surface and put the cover back on. It now has about 4 k on it with no leaks. The two valve motors do not run very high oil pressure so you should be OK. I have the Realgaskets on my other bikes and they work very well. No more scraping. :clap:
 
My gasket is 20 plus yrs old
reuse it if does not leak
 
andmoon said:
I see a lot of threads on gasket removal.

Is it a definite NO NO to reuse the valve cover gasket?

My cover came off clean and I left the gasket attached to the head.

Do I do the gasket removal dance or is reuse a possibility?

83 850g...new to me and going thru all maint. before I run the poop out of her.
Click to expand...

I suppose if it stayed in one piece and there aren't any noticable "soft" or squishy spots then you could reuse. But on my recent valve adjustment on a '81 850 I got the OEM gasket for $8.80 at the dealer. Mine came off in pieces so I had no choice, but if it's that cheap why bother with your old gasket and risk leaking oil for the next 4-5k miles.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top