Top end gaskets

[Guest]

Can you buy a "head set" gasket set for a GS 850G like they sell for automobiles or do you have to buy each gasket individually ? I've had a weeping gasket for too long now and I'm tired of cleaning the mess. I plan on having the head checked and re-surfaced if neccessary. I don't want to buy a whole set if I don't have to......thanks

[ukjules]

Of course !
You can go budget via ebay or motorfactors or a dealers for possible better quality and assurance.

I have used Athena gaskets (aftermarket). Some hate them i was lucky and it worked.
Dont get me wrong i agree with what people say that you get what you pay for but i am testing
with my own sanity by perfect gasket surface prep and cheaper aftermarket gaskets ...

It has worked up till now ..... for a year

[fastbysuzuki]

Can you buy a "head set" gasket set for a GS 850G like they sell for automobiles or do you have to buy each gasket individually ? I've had a weeping gasket for too long now and I'm tired of cleaning the mess. I plan on having the head checked and re-surfaced if neccessary. I don't want to buy a whole set if I don't have to......thanks

yes if you go after market, if you want Oem then you order gaskets individually.
you will find gaskets are a much talked about topic here.
i have just gone down the Oem route here in uk it's expensive much cheaper in USA.

[Nessism]

The Athena gasket kits with the bright green gasket material, particularly for the base gasket, are utter and complete garbage. I've seen some newer Athena kits with a darker green gasket material so maybe they changed? No f'ing way I'd use Athena again though after a terrible experience previously.

[Grimly]

You could buy an aftermarket top end kit and sell the head and base gaskets on ebay, replacing them with OEM quality parts. Otoh, many of the seals and o-rings in the aftermarket kit probably won't be all that great either. Quality varies; Vesrah were great at one point, but fakes are around, polluting their name. Athena might be ok now, but as has been mentioned they were crap for a while. There are a few other names pop up on ebay and other places.

I still feel butt-rode after shelling out for individual gaskets, seals, o-rings and every single damned little thing at OEM prices - but it was worth it in the end, as those parts just worked properly and caused no issues. But if Suzuki had done a top-end kit it would probably have been 30% cheaper overall.
I've still got 90% of another engine ring, gasket and seal kit I assembled back then - recent inspection revealed all parts are still like new 20 years on. That's earmarked for a build.

[Big T]

The valve cover gasket is the most likely one to weep.

Have you determined the exact source of the leak?

[1_v8_merc]

I just buy old dusty OEM head gaskets off Ebay, you can usually find them cheap as hell.