Valve clearance check done, gasket Question

Easy Flyer · Feb 20, 2012

Howdy,

I am on the tail end of my valve clearance check,
Everything is in spec, all measurements are on the high side (ie close to max specs) minimal wear. ~20k miles on engine, 1st inspection as far as I know.

I just found out that the valve cover gasket I got is not the right one for the bike

dealer got me the wrong part

and it took em a month to get it in..

I set aside this week to work on the bike (time off work etc) and now I can't finish.... GRrrrrr......

Should I re-use the old gasket? shop manual says to replace it to prevent leaks. I have gotten away in the past 'w re-using the valve cover gaskets... but its soo much work to get to the bandits cover if I have to replace it due to leaks...

Also, what are you guys using to seal around those little half-moon shaped parts of the gasket? the shop manual is not clear what should be there? it says something about a bonding agent? and then oil both sides of the gasket?

What have you guys done 'w the gaskets when doing your own clearance checks?

Should I try to get an emergency part order and get the right new gasket in?
Or chance the old gasket?

EF

PhilS · Feb 20, 2012

Easy Flyer said:
Howdy,

I am on the tail end of my valve clearance check,
Everything is in spec, all measurements are on the high side (ie close to max specs) minimal wear. ~20k miles on engine, 1st inspection as far as I know.

I just found out that the valve cover gasket I got is not the right one for the bike dealer got me the wrong part and it took em a month to get it in..

I set aside this week to work on the bike (time off work etc) and now I can't finish.... GRrrrrr......

Should I re-use the old gasket? shop manual says to replace it to prevent leaks. I have gotten away in the past 'w re-using the valve cover gaskets... but its soo much work to get to the bandits cover if I have to replace it due to leaks...

Also, what are you guys using to seal around those little half-moon shaped parts of the gasket? the shop manual is not clear what should be there? it says something about a bonding agent? and then oil both sides of the gasket?

What have you guys done 'w the gaskets when doing your own clearance checks?

Should I try to get an emergency part order and get the right new gasket in?
Or chance the old gasket?

EF

If the gasket is pliable and not torn or cracked anywhere, then reuse it. I did and it's fine.

The sealer around the half moons and such is a semi-hardening sealer. I use Honda Bond 4 - semi drying gasket in a tube. Works great.

Phil

supersport · Feb 20, 2012

Try to find some Hylomar gasket sealer, skim coat the gasket with it. The valve cover will come off easily next time you remove. But it can be hard to find.

If you get a new gasket clean the cover and use the Hondabond on the gasket to the cover and let it dry. Then use the Hylomar to skim on the gasket to engine side This way the gasket will stay in place with the cover when you remove it next time and the Hylomar will allow the cover will come off easily. This is what I use on my CBX cam covers and on my 95 CB1000, and I reuse the gasket as long as it stays pliable.

JT

Tasi · Feb 20, 2012

Ive re-used mine 3 times (still in ) no problems .A tiny smear of
silkaflex on U bits and i mean tiny .

MCRyder · Feb 20, 2012

Just to give my gasket experiences. I did my valve check at 17K and reused the gasket. Cleaned it, oiled it, and used Honda Bond 4 like PhilS to seal it. At 20K no leaks even after some hard runs in Arkansas.

BTW a :thpt:

for the dealer getting you the wrong part. The valve check can be complicated enough without that happening.

txbanditrydr · Feb 21, 2012

Over 127,000 miles and nearly a dozen valve checks - same valve cover gasket. To avoid leaks I clean the gasket sealing surfaces of all oil/grease and I also don't remove the gasket from the half-moons. I'd say you're good to go.

Diderich · Feb 21, 2012

Tasi said:
Ive re-used mine 3 times (still in ) no problems .A tiny smear of
silkaflex on U bits and i mean tiny .

tiny is the operative word. You don't want some semi hardend goo to ooze out and lodge in an oil passage.

MCRyder · Feb 21, 2012

Easy Flyer said:
Howdy,

I am on the tail end of my valve clearance check,

Out of curiousity, on what model motorcycle was the valve check done?

Easy Flyer · Feb 22, 2012

Howdy,

Thanks for all the info everyone.
I just put the bike back together, re-using the old valve cover gasket. It was in pristine condition, no tears or cracks, very soft rubber. Used a tiny dab of sealer on the 1/2 moon sections, looks good.

The bike I did this on is a '07 Bandit 1250, ~20k miles.
All valves were well within spec, all were on the loose (max spec) side meaning minimal wear on engine. I won't bother doing the check again until ~40k miles (~60k km)

EF

MCRyder · Feb 22, 2012

The reason I asked what model. On a Bandit 1250 a precaution during a valve check is to make sure that the black rubber block (cam chain wear strip) found inside the valve cover is properly in place. It's held by friction on a couple of pins. The best way to secure it is to use a little valve gasket sealer to adhere the block to the cover when reinstalling it.

A member on Maximum Suzuki posted his experinces on what happens when this isn't done. The block slipped down into the valve train and got chewed up into fragments. He went 1000 miles before his engine locked up. Luckily he was a mechanic and was able to do the (many) hours of work himself. But it still cost him $400 in parts.

Easy Flyer · Feb 22, 2012

Thanks for the head's up on that plastic strip.
I read the old valve clearance check thread on here, it too mentioned that plastic strip, so I made sure to double and triple check it when working on the bike.

Mine for some reason stayed well attached to the valve cover, and even with some poking and prodding would not come off, so I left it be. When re-installing the cover, just before the final lowering onto the head, I checked again to make sure its in place, and it was.

I'm sure that thing floating around the valve/cam area would play havoc.
Years ago I had an incident where a bike I was working on had one of the cam hold down plates split and come off, float around for a few mins of the engine running and lock up the cams, chain skipped off the cam sprockets, floated all the valves... engine was scrap (too old to fix)

I was not terribly impressed to see that the valve cover was held down exactly the same way as it was on that old engine, but the plates holding down the cams were FAR beefier on the Bandit 1250 than they were old the ol XJ750.

EF