Valve cover gasket installation

[Alan Schlosser]

So, I think I'm going to try and do my valves next week while on vacation. Z1 is only 20 minutes from my house. But a question.
When I reinstall the new half moons, I see that most agree to use a little sealer on them. For the gasket, I just have the stock replacement one. I saw someone mention once that they "wet" it with a little WD-40.
Your thoughts?

Thanks!

[mike_of_bbg]

I lightly greased one side of mine, with the understanding that this should help release it cleanly the next time for possible re-use. The last one got the same treatment and came off great, but it wasn't on for long before I damaged it doing the head gasket. YMMV.

A bit of threebond on the bottom rounds of the half-moons is recommended. Steve had a great suggestion, if you can wait, to tighten down the head cover without the gasket overnight to seat the half-moons, then re-install the cover with gasket. That should help set the tops of the half-moons down for a tighter seal around the gasket and less chance of weeping. Some also recommend, and I have started, installing the half-moons with the lip in. That should prevent the (rather small) possibility of the half-moons popping out, and also may help with cam float noise.

You could also look into Real Gaskets (www.realgaskets.com) valve cover gaskets. They're pricey but designed to be re-used.

[Steve]

A bit of threebond on the bottom rounds of the half-moons is recommended. ...

Just make sure it's just a LIGHT coat of sealer.

Steve had a great suggestion, if you can wait, to tighten down the head cover without the gasket overnight to seat the half-moons, then re-install the cover with gasket. ...

That is primarily if you are going to use Real Gaskets, but would work well for OEM, too.

Some also recommend, and I have started, installing the half-moons with the lip in. That should prevent the (rather small) possibility of the half-moons popping out, and also may help with cam float noise.

I never have figured that one out. What is going to push them out? If you have that much pressure in the cam cavity area over the head, you have other problems that are a LOT bigger than losing your half moons.

I tried flipping my half moons on one bike. They did not touch the cams, so did nothing at all for the cam walk noise. Even if they did touch the cams, where they did touch would wear away rather quickly, so any noise relief would be very temporary.

You could also look into Real Gaskets (www.realgaskets.com) valve cover gaskets. They're pricey but designed to be re-used.

They are not really all that pricey. I put a Real Gasket on an 850 that I had for a short while. Z1 was out of gaskets (about $10, if I remember), all the others were in the $22 to $28 range, plus shipping. The Real Gasket was $24.95, plus $5.00 to ship it, so it didn't really cost any more than OEM.


You still have the spreadsheet I sent you almost 5 months ago, or do I need to send you another one?

.

[smokydog]

Just changed my valve cover gasket

I just changed my valve cover gasket, half moons, and adjusted my valves. I left my gasket dry, I would be nervous putting wd40 on it, it has solvents in it I would not want in my oil. I put the half moons in with a small bead of Permatex Ultra Black under them and then a small film of it over them before putting the gasket on then hurried putting the valve cover on to push the half moons down good, then let it set overnight before starting it. Have rode it 1,000 miles with no leaks. The biggest part of the job is scraping the old gasket off, I used a razor blade and was able to remove large sections of it without breaking it. Make sure you dont mar the surfaces, finished scraping it off with a plastic putty knife. I took plastic bags from wal mart and crammed them down in the valleys around the valves and cam chain to prevent any gasket material from contaminating my oil.

Hope this helps, Jerry

[Steve]

..., I would be nervous putting wd40 on it, it has solvents in it I would not want in my oil.

How much solvent do you think your oil would pick up by spashing up against the EDGE of a gasket that has been wetted with WD-40?

You don't drench the gasket, then put it in place while dripping. You just wet it down a bit, then put it in place. NOTHING drips into where the oil will be, and even if it does, what's the ratio? A drop or two of WD-40 in a full gallon of oil? Not going to hurt a thing.

I put the half moons in with a small bead of Permatex Ultra Black under them and then a small film of it over them ... The biggest part of the job is scraping the old gasket off, ...

If you would simply put the gasket in DRY or maybe apply the WD-40 (hey, you can wipe it down with engine oil if the idea of WD-40 bothers you), and don't put any sealer on the tops of the half-moons, you will be able to simply lift the gasket off when you need to move it to adjust the valves.

Speaking of adjusting the valves, do you realize that what is probably the BIGGEST reason that the old gasket was stuck in place is that the previous owner(s) probably never adjusted them? That means that the gasket was there for a LONG TIME. Since you will now be riding the bike, the 3000-mile intervals will come up so much quicker, the gasket won't have time to get stuck.

.

[Darin Jordan]

For what it's worth... I just completed a valve adjustment, and used OEM gaskets... I put the half-moons on with some Permatex Grey RTV Silicone in the curves, with a little bit on each edge where it meets the gasket, and I put the gasket on bone dry out of the package... I loosely put the valve cover in place, let the silicone sit for about 5-minutes, then tighted everything down to spec. No oil leaks.

I considered using some Hylomar gasket dressing, which works every time (I did use it on the breather gasket), but thought I'd just try the gasket straight up. So far, so good...

[7981GS]

Permatex H-tach on the gasket side that goes towards the cover only and a dab
of sealant on the corners of the half moons installed dry:



Daniel

[Alan Schlosser]

Thanks. And yes Steve, I still have the spreadsheet, (and your shim)

[LarryC]

Backyard mechs use the old motor oil on gaskets. Dip ur finger and spread it on. Both sides. No measurin device needed. Works great. I'm talkin paper gaskets of course. Been doin that for.....decades at least. I'm amazed y'all haven't heard of that.