trouble gettign the "covers" from the end of the OHV

[swanders]

My son has a 82 GS 650 that all of a sudden started leaking oil and it appears to be coming from one of the ends of of the OHV assembly, where the half moon seals are on my 78 750. This bike has chrome caps on which are smooth and it is not very apparent how to get these caps off so I can see the seal. There are two "openings" in the bottom side of these caps but I am scared to pry to hard in there to try to pop them off. I have had such great luck with replys with issues I have had with my 750 that I am throwing this out here. Thanks in advance for any response...I am sure once I get these covers off and look at the ends I will see I need a new set of seals and OHV gasket but need these darn things off first.

[Nessism]

Screws come up from the bottom to hold the caps on. Bend down there or take a mirror and check it out.

[Steve]

You can either use a right-angle screwdriver or a driver bit in a small ratchet to remove the screws.

Some have also reported success in just removing the valve cover straight up until the covers clear the head. Apparently they don't have to be removed.

.

[Calvin Blackmore]

there may be a suitable manual on basscliff's website

http://members.dslextreme.com/users/bikecliff/

[hikermikem]

Some have also reported success in just removing the valve cover straight up until the covers clear the head. Apparently they don't have to be removed.

.

I just leave them on the valve cover when i adjust the valves on my son's 650.

You can get generic aftermarket half-moons from Z1 a whole bunch cheaper than OEM ones... I've used several sets across several GS models without problems.

[swanders]

got em off

Yep..a little coaxing, cussing and bending over got the offending cap off...and its leaking pretty good out of the half moon when the engine is warmed up...now the next question...can I get by just replacing the half moons...which means removing the ohv cover slightly I believe...(its not leaking any where else around the ohv cover) or do I need to do the whole ohv gasket and half moons...I know whats best..do the whole thing...but he just got home from college and it finally warmed up...so the less downtime the better...and from my experience...if I dig into this too far I will generally create more problems then I fix...thanks again for your advice and expertise..I hope to post pictures of both bikes soon...and my 250 which I will need lots of help with.

[koolaid_kid]

You would be better served doing it right the first time. You will already have the valve cover bolts loose, so just take them all the way out and remove the valve cover. Replacing both the gasket and the seals is an afternoon's job, at best.

[bwringer]

It would be silly to go to the trouble of removing the valve cover without at least checking the valve clearances.

[Rick65Cat]

It would be silly to go to the trouble of removing the valve cover without at least checking the valve clearances.

I was going to say the same thing about the valves.
I just did my valves, (using the "bent zip-tie" ) and while the valve cover was off, I replaced the 4 half moon rubbers. The easiest way I found was to put a *clean* slot screwdriver between the end of the cam and the rubber and simply pry outward. All 4 popped right out. Made sure the cutouts in the head for the rubbers were clean and free of any residue or debris, put a very thin film of oil on the new rubber, then pressed it into place.
Voila'

[koolaid_kid]

It would be silly to go to the trouble of removing the valve cover without at least checking the valve clearances.

I agree completely. OP, there is a good writeup that covers everything on BassCliff's site: http://members.dslextreme.com/users/bikecliff/
It's called Valve Adjustment (8 valve) and is on the left side of the page, partway down. It covers removing and replacing the valve cover, the rubber half-rounds, and checking the clearances.
You can also find a Service Manual and Wiring Diagram on the same site.

[Nessism]

Doing maintenance is good. Neglected valves will burn. Too many people wait for symptoms of poor running to show but by then the damage will already be done.

[swanders]

OK...I agree...its always best to do it right

I will order the parts and get to it as soon as they come in...It will be a learning experience for him....and I honestly would not tackle these types of things without the expertise and guidance I find from the users of this forum!
And I will probably be back for more expertise and guidance later...I have downloaded the guide indicated earlier and will follow that ....one question I never got answered fully was if I should coat the aluminum of the OHV with silicone sealant before placing the gasket...and if I should use that around the half moons....

[hikermikem]

No, DON'T use silicone - bits of it can break free on the inside and float around in your oil until they clog an oil passage or jet - bad things happen after that...

Clean all the old gasket material off both surfaces completely. If this is the first time it's been removed it will be a royal PITA to get all that old gasket material off. Stuff a clean rag in the cam chain tunnel to keep the gasket pcs from dropping down into the engine. Take your time and make sure you get it all off - I use a small wood chisel to scrape the surfaces, but extreme care must be taken to avoid gouging up the alum along those mating surfaces.

Removing the old gasket will be the hardest part of this exercise.

Once you're ready for re-assembly (after the valve adjust) simply coat both sides of the new OEM valve cover gasket (use OEM gaskets to avoid leakage issues) with a light layer of grease to facilitate removal the next time.

When I replace the half-moons, I coat the radius with a very light coat of Permatex Black (non-hardening) gasket goop.

Lastly, tighten down the cover bolts in a "star" pattern, starting with the bolts adjacent to the cam tunnel first and then work your way out towards the ends. Tighten the bolts down in increments to ensure the cover is flat.

Do not overtighten these bolts - I believe the torque is 7 ft/lbs for these, but check your manual to be sure.