• 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.

Valve cover gasket

  • Thread starter Thread starter aldoski
  • Start date Start date
A

aldoski

Guest
Hey guys I'm in the process of trying to replace my valve cover gasket, unscrewed the 16 bolts but the valve cover won't budge!! Am I missing something or am I just gonna need to muscle it off? The bike is a 650G.

Sorry if this is already covered but the search function isn't working for me, it's saying there was a "Fatal Error" :eek:

Thanks in advance!
 
They get stuck after thirty years or so. Smack it around a bit with a rubber mallet, it might loosen up. Sometimes you have to cut through the gasket with a blade of some sort. Be careful, it's easy to do serious damage to the head or the cover. Prying is bad, the cover can get bent, and it will cause gouges that are hard to seal.
 
aldoski said:
Hey guys I'm in the process of trying to replace my valve cover gasket, unscrewed the 16 bolts but the valve cover won't budge!!
Click to expand...
Before you do any damage, ... REMOVE THE 17TH BOLT. :eek:

I just looked back through your few posts and saw that you have an '82 650. (Please put this in your signature. :pray:)
The '82 models had a 17th bolt at the front, just left of center. You can see it in this picture:

11.gif


.
 
Sledge!!

Sledge!!

I have an '82, and has the 16-bolt pattern. I got it in very clean, pretty much unmolested condition, so I doubt it's got a replacement head on it, just an anamoly, I guess, as it has the '82 spec hex engine side cover bolts. I did actually use a 5-lb sledge on the 'bridge' castings on the head cover, but with a very short, gentle stroke, upwards, alternating left to right side with no problem, just looking for that sort of 'hollow' sound that told me it was ready for even gentler persuasion. It's also better, if you haven't done it yet, to take the tach drive out first as well
 
Last edited:
Ah okay yes I see it in the diagram now. Looks like I don't have it though so just gonna give it a good wack or two and hope for the best :D

Also, do those end caps need to come off?

Thanks guys
 
No, but they make it harder to wiggle the cover out from the frame once you have it loose.
 
tkent02 said:
No, but they make it harder to wiggle the cover out from the frame once you have it loose.
Click to expand...

Gotcha, I'll probably take them off to make it a little easier for me.

Thanks for the help! I'll take the ol' rubber mallet to it tomorrow after work and post my findings.
 
aldoski said:
Gotcha, I'll probably take them off to make it a little easier for me.
Click to expand...

The only way you are going to get those covers off in any condition to re-use them is to use a 2" long power driver bit and a 1/4" ratchet to drive it. The screws are mounted vertically in the two holes on the bottom of the cover. There is usually plenty of room to lift the cover up and over the cams, as long as you remove the breather cover off the top, first.

One more item: random banging on the cover isn't really going to do much.
noway.gif

There are two locating dowels on opposite corners (#3 in the diagram above). I can't remember if it's front-left and right-rear or front-right and left rear, but they keep the cover from moving sideways in any direction (looking at the diagram again, one appears to be in the left-rear, so the other would be right-front). When faced with a dificult cover like that, I have used a wide (1") wood chisel placed carefully at the seam and tapping it in just a bit. Concentrate around where the dowel would be (it goes around one of the bolts) to lift the cover off the dowel without torquing the cover.

.
 
The valve cover on the 650 changed to the 17 bolt pattern mid way through 1982. So an '82 model can have either valve cover, 16 or 18 bolt, depending on the engine number.
 
Just so happens I have a photo of the 17th bolt on my '82 gs650. :)
004copy.jpg
 
Ah cool stuff dave.

Came off pretty easy after a couple wacks with the rubber mallet. Got most of the gasket off, just need to get the residual off. I was just going to use solvent and a wire brush, but if you guys have a better way feel free to let me know! :)

Also am I going to want to put a sealant on with the new gasket or should it just be the gasket? Search function is still not working for me :(
 
Use grease so it doesn't stick next time, or even anti-sieze compound.
Maybe put it on one side, let it stick to the cover but not the head. Or grease up both sides, either way works OK.
 
tkent02 said:
Use grease so it doesn't stick next time, or even anti-sieze compound.
Maybe put it on one side, let it stick to the cover but not the head. Or grease up both sides, either way works OK.
Click to expand...
When I remove the cover, I would rather have the gasket stay with the head.

Since you will be sliding the cover out and dragging it through some tight spaces, there is less chance of snagging the gasket and damaging it.

As tkent suggested, grease, anti-sieze, WD-40, motor oil, just about anything, will work. I use WD-40. Just spray some on the gasket, spread it around a bit to soak it in, then put the gasket into place.

By lubing the gasket, you should be able to re-use it several times, unless you tear it.

.
 
tkent02 said:
Use grease so it doesn't stick next time, or even anti-sieze compound.
Maybe put it on one side, let it stick to the cover but not the head. Or grease up both sides, either way works OK.
Click to expand...

Awesome, thanks!
 
To remove the remaining gasket, I usually use a plastic scraper. Also, stuff some rags down in the cam area so the stuff does not get into the engine and block any oil passages.
 
So how clean should the valve cover be where the gasket was stuck? I used a razor blade to get as much of the residual off but there still seems to be extremely thin layers of sealant in some places. Should I take some 1000 grit sand paper to it?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top