Stainless Valve Cover Bolts and a Real Gasket...hmmmm

[koolaid_kid]

I was at least checking the clearances three to four times a year (usually only had to adjust anything once or twice a season) and I will admit to never using anti seize on any of my SS bolts. Not saying its un-necessary, just that I didn't do it.
And, ironically,the only time ive had a cover bolt snap was a stock bolt in the clutch cover of my 1100E, when I removed it to replace it with SS bolts.

Which brings up the question...most of the stock bolts were steel were they not? So the logic that SS bolts require anti-seize and stock ones don't doesn't really seem to make any sense....

A valid point Josh. Why is that? I recall that one bike I owned (it might have been my 67 T200, IDR) I installed aluminum allen head screws and it was a disaster. They stripped out and I had to grind them out. Stainless is supposed to be more inert than regular steel also. I do not use any anti-seize on any of my current or past bikes ((16+) and I suspect all of those bolts are steel and the cases are aluminum or aluminum alloy. What is with that?

[tas850g]

I've been using the real gasket and SS allen heads for 4 years with no issues. A dab of anti-seize and it has been recommended somewhere here to Finger tighten then 1/4 turn with Allen wrench.

About once every 2 years I do the valve clearance checks and have had no issues with corrosion and/or missing bolts. They are surprisingly loose when removing but with the sealing capabilities of the real gasket there are no oil leaks.

This method has been working for me so I'm sticking with it. Don't over think it.

[sedelen]

I have seen the effects of electrolysis and galvanic corrosion to the extreme where stainless mates to aluminum on outboard motors used in
salt water. The heads of large stainless bolts just snapped off the bolts holding on a lower unit when I tried to remove them. The "trick" was a torch on the aluminum which I found out after I broke the heads off. Zinc anodes placed on the lower unit helped reduced the corrosion.
Since were talking about bikes, I would as a minumum use lots of anti-seize on any stainless/aluminum mating surface.

[koolaid_kid]

I have seen the effects of electrolysis and galvanic corrosion to the extreme where stainless mates to aluminum on outboard motors used in
salt water. The heads of large stainless bolts just snapped off the bolts holding on a lower unit when I tried to remove them. The "trick" was a torch on the aluminum which I found out after I broke the heads off. Zinc anodes placed on the lower unit helped reduced the corrosion.
Since were talking about bikes, I would as a minumum use lots of anti-seize on any stainless/aluminum mating surface.

I agree, never ride your bike in salt water.

[Good Times]

Wow, ok guys. Thanks for ALL the advice. Cracks me up. This is one reason I love thegsresources.com. We're all family right?

I sent BassCliff an email to see what he does and what kind of experience he has had. He uses Permatex Thread sealer on his stainless bolts to fasten the head/valve/tappet cover and has had no problem with them seizing or coming loose. So that's his 2 cents.

I am going to give that a shot. It was either that or mix up thread sealer, purple loctite, blue loctite, antiseize and dip the entire bike in it.

I will be checking my valve clearances often anyway so it won't be long before the bolts come out again.

I will be using ample amounts of antiseize on every other SS bolt on the bike.

Please don't shoot me if I ever show up in this thread again asking how to get stainless bolts out of my head.

[TheCafeKid]

Yeah getting SS out of anything is a pita. Stainless is nice and hard, but it's also brittle. I've found that out the hard way on non-bike related projects.

[Mysuzyq]

Please don't shoot me if I ever show up in this thread again asking how to get stainless bolts out of my head.

Shooting you would be quite redundant, no?

[sedelen]

I agree, never ride your bike in salt water.

Near salt water (the air and spray), on the beach, or on a wet freshly salted winter road!
Salt is devastating to metal (unless it's stainless, monel, or gold),
it has staying power, hard to get it all off once it's there.
Wouldn't hurt to put a zinc anode on a ground wire at or near the bottom of the engine, sacrifical zinc to protect the aluminum.
I believe the use of sacrifical zincs will help cut down on corrosion, and also believe that salted wet roads have increased the galvanic corrosion to these bikes over the years, no wonder so many header studs have broken or frozen, in direct line of salt spray, which probably doesn't get washed off immediately.

http://www.boatus.com/boattech/casey/23.htm

[JEEPRUSTY]

[TheCafeKid]

Shooting you would be quite redundant, no?

Yeah really! Why waste one of OUR bullets when we can simply endlessly browbeat you until you shoot yourself, right Tony??

[Good Times]

What the..... is that a Gold Bike?

"Hey Honey.....I'm going to do something a little different with the Suzuki. It's to protect it from corrosion. Has to be done."

[GateKeeper]

about as good as the gold DeLorean....

[sedelen]

No corrosion on this '82-'83 Suzuki GS1100E.