silicone (sic) valve cover gasket

[Guest]

OK, I admit it... I bought a valve cover gasket on eBay from some unknown source to save a buck. Oil seeps at the juncture of the the cover and cylinder head. I don't want to use gasket sealer so am going to buy another gasket. The cam end plugs appear to have a little leaking going on but it may also be from the cheep-o valve cover gasket right above... I will take a look at the plugs but probably won't be able to tell for sure.

I know that folks will tell me to buy genuine Suzuki gaskets. I get it. Just asking a question about an alternative I saw on eBay:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Suzuki-Silicone-Valve-Cover-Gasket-RG-11173-49004-FITS-GS1000-/281417817311?hash=item4185cf1cdf:g:jCcAAOSwq7JT669L&vxp=mtr

Silicone (sic) gasket is supposed to be re-usable and probably wouldn't stick and be ruined if the cover comes off. Torque is only 15-20 inch/lbs. so they must be pliable and compress. These gaskets are also almost $36 shipped so they had best show some real advantage over paper gaskets. Has anyone tried one and if so, what did you think? If you have NOT tried one, I already know that the rule around this site is OEM gaskets ONLY but I am curious as I haven't seen this type gasket before. They also sell stator and clutch cover gaskets and a gas cap gasket (not silicon but nitrile rubber with no application given). The stator and clutch gaskets have applications for my 80 GS1000. Interesting!

The other gaskets are in their eBay store.

[Steve]

I tried one, but sold the bike before I could get any experience with it.

Fortunately for you, your bike will accept one with no problems, but the stock paper ones are so much less hassle, why bother? You can get gaskets from Z1 for $10-12. If you oil it before installation, it won't stick and you can re-use it at least 2 or 3 times. So, ... for the same $36 (or so), you can get one silicone gasket or three paper ones that will last through about 9 valve adjustments.

Personally, I have stuck with paper after that one (non-)experience.

.

[Dogma]

That looks just like the one that used to be sold as "Real Gasket". Some folks love them. I tried one for a while in my 850, but you have to use very light torque on the cover screws to keep from splitting them. I eventually did split mine trying to get even pressure that wouldn't leak. I went back to paper gaskets too.

[SVSooke]

That looks just like the one that used to be sold as "Real Gasket". Some folks love them. I tried one for a while in my 850, but you have to use very light torque on the cover screws to keep from splitting them. I eventually did split mine trying to get even pressure that wouldn't leak. I went back to paper gaskets too.

If you look they are sold by REAL Gasket.From the word here DO NOT use them if your bike has the tach gear on the cam cover.Also remember members having sealing problem and cover screws backing out with the light torque. Connoitered them for my 78 1000 but ........(wait for it)........when OEM

[Buffalo Bill]

I've had a valve cover Real Gasket on my 1100G for so long I forgot it was there. Maybe 6 years and 10,000 miles.

I was comparing gasket notes with Charlie G. when he was at my house. For the paper gasket, he thought it was a bad idea to cut the little bridge connection between the intake and exhaust covers, just above the spark plugs. Cutting that may contribute to early gasket failure.

[geol]

I couldn't bring myself to pull the trigger on the silicon cam cover gasket. Couldn't comfy up to the very low torque needed to keep the gasket from being ruined. Bought an OEM 11173-49004-H17 and hope it works better than the ui gasket I had purchased. I also bought 4 new cam end plugs; while I doubt they were leaking as they didn't leak before the cheapo cam cover gasket, I was too lazy to pull off the round covers and investigate so I will change them as well. Nothing bugs me as much as a drop of oil not inside the engine! I just replaced the oil idiot light sending thing and the gaskets (orings I guess) associated, rebuilt the slightly leaking cam chain tensioner and of course my slightly drooling tach drive seal/oring. Bike runs great but rides are not much fun when I see a drop of oil somewhere...

[Burque73]

I've had a valve cover Real Gasket on my 1100G for so long I forgot it was there. Maybe 6 years and 10,000 miles.

I was comparing gasket notes with Charlie G. when he was at my house. For the paper gasket, he thought it was a bad idea to cut the little bridge connection between the intake and exhaust covers, just above the spark plugs. Cutting that may contribute to early gasket failure.

This is interesting to me, as I have been cutting those bridges off, hope it doesn't cause a problem. Mainly because the engine on my 850 is black and the gasket I got this time is pretty bright colored almost white. I never thought to shop for a darker colored one.

As far as the real gasket, the 1100L I had earlier this year had one and it leaked so I replaced it with a paper one.

[Steve]

For the paper gasket, he thought it was a bad idea to cut the little bridge connection between the intake and exhaust covers, just above the spark plugs. Cutting that may contribute to early gasket failure.

I would be interested in seeing the argument for this.

It's just there to help keep the front and rear "legs" aligned during installation. After that, the cover bolts hold everything in place, the 'bridge connection' just looks silly and gets in the way of spark plug access.

.

[geol]

I think that expecting the piece of paper to do anything to add integrity to the valve cover is not a valid expectation.

[Ghostgs1]

Real Gaskets have been very reliable for me, used them in a couple of GS1000's. I remember reading of someone who tightened the cam cover too much and damaged the gasket. He said the folks at Real Gasket replaced his even though it was his error.

[bobgroger]

I have a Real gasket on the 850, no leaks for 3 years. I did put red Loctite on the bolts. I think the proper length sleeves inside the bolt holes of the gasket would be a great idea, to give something to torque down against without crushing the gasket. A lot of modern car gaskets are like this.

[niclpnut]

I had a real gasket on my 1100es. (Electronic tach) I liked it at first, but like some the low torque value for the cover bolts caused issues. Seepage mainly when a bolt got loose. I never used any lock tight.

Not to mention how wiggly the damn thing is trying to get it lined up and stay in place. ��

A bit of spray with WD on the paper gasket and it usually comes right off with hardly any scraping. I've used paper on my es now for the last two valve checks and will continue to use them.

Nic

[JJ]

I have a Real gasket on the 850, no leaks for 3 years. I did put red Loctite on the bolts...

Red Loctite, as in threadlocker Loctite??

[geol]

Red Loctite is their permanent thread locker. I would hesitate using this on my cam cover bolts even though low torque values involved; it sometimes takes heat to break it loose and the threads would have to be chased every time you reinstalled the bolts as the stuff leaves a lot of thread locker material on the hole thread.

[JJ]

Red Loctite is their permanent thread locker. I would hesitate using this on my cam cover bolts even though low torque values involved; it sometimes takes heat to break it loose and the threads would have to be chased every time you reinstalled the bolts as the stuff leaves a lot of thread locker material on the hole thread.

That's why I asked him if he meant the red threadlocker Loctite. I'd never use it on cam cover bolts.