1979 GS-850G Head Gasket Help

[Guest]

I had to remove the head on my bike - broken exhaust studs in the head... nuff said. Anyway I got a complete gasket set knowing I would need it. A friend of mine, who is a much better mechanic than me, noticed on the head re-install that the outer two head bolts on both sides came with a copper crip arrangement - but the kit came with rubber washers that WILL not fit if used with the head gasket. Are those washers necessary? If so, why won't they fit? Is the newer head gasket designed so those copper crips are needed? ANYONE have this same experience before? I hate to put this back together and have a problem.

TIA

[Nessism]

Can you post up some photos so we can see what you are up against?

Did you buy an OEM gasket kit? Pulled the cylinder off and replaced the base gasket? Remove the valves and replace the valve stem seals?

[Denny Lee]

1979 GS-850G Head Gasket Help

Did you buy an OEM gasket kit? Pulled the cylinder off and replaced the base gasket? Remove the valves and replace the valve stem seals?

I bought a gasket kit - (manufactured by - starts with the letter V.....) don't have it here. Pulled cylinder and replaced base gasket. Yes. Never touched the valves - not necessary.

noticed on the head re-install that the outer two head bolts on both sides came with a copper crip arrangement - but the kit came with rubber washers that WILL not fit if used with the head gasket. Are those washers necessary? If so, why won't they fit? Is the newer head gasket designed so those copper crips are needed?

This is my problem. I'll try to get some photos.

[Nessism]

Aftermarket gaskets have a bad reputation around here. Those seals you speak of are not part of the OEM gasket kit so it's very difficult to provide you with helpful advise. Photos would help. Check this link to help you post up photos...http://members.dslextreme.com/users/...t_pictures.pdf

Oh, and failed valve stem seals are very common on 30 year old bikes that routinely run 300F oil temps. I strongly advise you to replace them now while the head of off the bike. Click here for a video showing how to pull the valves using a C-clamp and custom PVC pipe adapter tool.

http://members.dslextreme.com/users/bikecliff/images/valve_replacement.html

[Denny Lee]

VESRAH Complete Gasket Kit - VG-360

I bought the above listed gasket kit for my 1979 Suzuki GS-850G. There is a problem.

I tore down the engine - stuck rings - and when I started the rebuild I noticed that the original gasket had a difference between it and in your kit. (SEE PHOTOS) The outer four stud bolts had - on the original - mated into the gasket - rubber seals. There is a "lip" on the original that allows the seals to become completely flush with the gasket. In the kit - (Part Number 09168-10017, Gasket Washer) and the Head Gasket - there is no lip to allow the washer to set completely flush with the gasket when the head is torqued down. It would seem there would be about 2-3 thousandths from allowing it to mate properly. The gasket washer in the kit is just a little wider than the hole into which it is supposed to sit.
What is the proper procedure to correctly seal the head with these pieces?







In the Photos - the red gasket is the one from the kit. The other one is the original.

[Nessism]

I appears that those rubber seals go inside that metal ring, but if they don't fit I don't know what to suggest. You are not the first person to complain about VESRAH gaskets; there have been various threads bashing them here, in particular the rubber parts. I made the mistake of using an Athena gasket kit on one engine build and had to tear the top end off after only a few hundred miles and fix a base gasket failure. After that experience I only use OEM gaskets. If you watch ebay OEM gasket kits come up pretty often for good prices.

Oh, and what's with the red sealer on the head gasket?

[Denny Lee]

Red Sealer

The pitting on the cylinder was such that a bit of sealer was just an extra pre-caution...

Thanks - I'll look for a OEM head gasket.

[Big T]

The pitting on the cylinder was such that a bit of sealer was just an extra pre-caution...

Thanks - I'll look for a OEM head gasket.

Expensive and worth every penny

Don't use any sealer on it, tho

Those O rings in the corner retain the oil, BTW