affordable gaskets?

[exdirtbiker]

I have read many warnings about inferior gaskets here... I know to stay away from anything green.

but $89 for OEM head gasket alone ??? OUCH.

can someone direct me to a cheaper source of OEM gaskets?

Edit - many parts from ebay have been on shelf 20+ years - rubber parts get very stiff / brittle over time

( ask me how I know ... )

[Steve]

Hey, at least you're shopping in the right store.

There is another dealer that will happily charge you $122 for the same part.

.

[eil]

Sometimes NOS gaskets show up on eBay for a little cheaper. But motobike parts sellers on eBay are starting to get hip to OEM prices and tend to charge about the same amount (or more). But definitely go OEM on the head and base gaskets no matter the price.

You can also ask in the parts wanted forum, some members here have a seemingly vast surplus of parts and will sometimes cut a deal with fellow forum members.

[GSXR7ED]

I wonder how much that gasket would cost me?


Ed

[GSXR7ED]

Alpha Sports: $89.87

http://www.alpha-sports.com/suzuki_parts.htm?q=suzuki-bike-parts

Parts Outlaw: $65.64

http://www.partsoutlaw.com/oemparts/a/suz/50d400abf8700230d8b4e32e/cylinder-head

These bikes are not expensive to maintain...at least not outlandishly expensive. Considering this important component of the bike, price is not a factor for peace of mind. (But that's just me)


Ed

[exdirtbiker]

OK -sticker shock has worn off. I'll "just suck it up" when I get back from Buffalo Thurs.

BTW-
Parts outlaw is also $89, the $65 price above is not for a 2 valve 1000

[GSXR7ED]

I was pricing for my "T". Glad the shock is over.

Ed

[tkent02]

I can afford $89 a lot easier than I can afford the time to do it twice.

[exdirtbiker]

I can afford $89 a lot easier than I can afford the time to do it twice.

Agreed...
I have learned ( too many ) many times that doing it twice always hurts more than the wallet.

[exdirtbiker]

real Suzuki gaskets on ebay - cover, head, and base- all for about 1/2 price. sweeeeeet.

Now about those egg-shaped o-rings on cylinder base...
when I pulled the motor apart, both of them had squeezed in, so they were doing... nothing.
my new base gasket didn't come with them. leave them out, or are they required ? and the large rectangle o-ring on top? ( mine was filled with RTV)

[Brendan W]

real Suzuki gaskets on ebay - cover, head, and base- all for about 1/2 price. sweeeeeet.

Now about those egg-shaped o-rings on cylinder base...
when I pulled the motor apart, both of them had squeezed in, so they were doing... nothing.
my new base gasket didn't come with them. leave them out, or are they required ? and the large rectangle o-ring on top? ( mine was filled with RTV)

The egg shaped rings seal the oil riser. I wouldn't leave them out. Mine were pinched in when I opened up as you might expect as there is nothing to stabilise the sides of the rings. If you look close you will probably see that the ring was still working all the way around even where it was pinched in. The rectangular ring seals the chain tunnel and I wouldn't leave that out either. RTV is risky in either of these areas because any excess will end up either blocking oil supply to the top or clogging up the pump strainer. I used a tiny skin of threebond as an assembly glue on the tunnel seal to keep it in place. I wouldn't use anything on the riser egg shaped rings.
A recent thread here mentioned that many experienced builders do not use the sleeve base o-ring at all.

[520eek]

I want to jump in here as I am finally doing the top end reseal. I took out a black looking head gasket and on the 4 corners there is a embossed "o-ring" ( kinda what it looks like ) My new head gasket ( I bought about a year ago along with other seals/gaskets that I bought from a recommended source here ) Any how....the new head gasket looks to be multiple layers of a metal material and none of those "embossed o-rings". If I use it...will it leak at those corners?

Also after a quick look around, I am not sure what I have. Just a flat piece of metal the shape of a head gasket. Don't look like any head gasket I have ever seen. No "squish band " ring around the cylinder holes or anything...what is up with that?

[Nessism]

Try searching on "mls head gasket".

[520eek]

so I have a mls head gasket. what about the 4 outboard corners where there was the embossed o-rings? Does oil flow up through this? And if so ...to where?