Do I need to replace gasket if I remove clutch cover?

[Noreg]

I want to replace the clutch springs, and the oil sight glass. Do I need a new gasket for that? Or will the old one be fine?

And should I get some spring depressing tool to replace them? Or can I just use my fingers or whatever.

[Rich82GS750TZ]

You won’t know till you take the cover off but you probably will need a new gasket. Maybe have your wife cut another one from the cork sheet. She evidently did a great job on the valve cover gasket. Try cleaning the site glass with a q-tip before knocking it out and replacing it. It may clear up. You don’t need any special tools to remove the springs on the front/outside of clutch basket. If it’s the springs on the back of the basket, then idk. That’s a bigger, uglier job, as I understand.

[Cipher]

I never once got a clutch cover off without a tear.
not lacrimal secretions but damage to the gasket.

I just fix with a bit of gaskert maker but its a great idea to have a oem gasket on hand in case it gets ruined.

[Brendan W]

The old one will probably be fine if you have a replacement.
It will probably not be fine if you don't.

[Steve]

The old one will probably be fine if you have a replacement.
It will probably not be fine if you don't.

VERY true.

As mentioned, no special tools needed, just the #3 JIS screwdriver to remove the screws on the cover and a 10mm socket to remove the springs.

I would recommend taking a piece of cardboard and drawing the outline of the cover. Mark where the mounting screws are and put the screws in those locations. The screws have differing lengths, it's good to keep them organized.

You can do a "quick and dirty" job by removing one spring at a time, but I would recommend removing them all, then removing all the clutch disks for examination and measurement. They are likely fine, but since you are already there, ... . Be sure to keep the disks in the same orientation. Not just alternating the fibers and steels, but keep the side that was facing out facing out.

Also note that if you keep the bike on the side stand, you will not need to drain the oil.

.

[Brendan W]

To add to Steve's advice about organising screws.
There is a mixture of screw lengths on that cover. 35, 30 and 25mm
A 30 will most likely go into the location for a 25 and give the impression that it has compressed the gasket but it hasn't and you can end up with a mystery leak.
This is especially true along the bottom edge. Also don't assume that they are correct right now. Someone could have put them in wrong earlier. If they have been replaced by new screws be especially alert. People take short cuts and even if they cut them it may still not be right.

https://www.cmsnl.com/suzuki-gs1000g-1981-x-usa-e03_model34160/partslist/BLCK0008.html

[Noreg]

VERY true.

As mentioned, no special tools needed, just the #3 JIS screwdriver to remove the screws on the cover and a 10mm socket to remove the springs.

I would recommend taking a piece of cardboard and drawing the outline of the cover. Mark where the mounting screws are and put the screws in those locations. The screws have differing lengths, it's good to keep them organized.

You can do a "quick and dirty" job by removing one spring at a time, but I would recommend removing them all, then removing all the clutch disks for examination and measurement. They are likely fine, but since you are already there, ... . Be sure to keep the disks in the same orientation. Not just alternating the fibers and steels, but keep the side that was facing out facing out.

Also note that if you keep the bike on the side stand, you will not need to drain the oil.

.

I have six new springs, is that enough? I need to take it into the garage to remove the rear wheel anyways, and I figured I might as well do something useful. I have the gasket for the other side, because that leaks for some unknown reason. So Im doing that as well.
I think the tach seals are simple to fix too, so I might deal with them. Not sure if I want to get started on the cam chain tensioner (have new o-rings, seal, rod and some sort of spring).

[Noreg]

To add to Steve's advice about organising screws.
There is a mixture of screw lengths on that cover. 35, 30 and 25mm
A 30 will most likely go into the location for a 25 and give the impression that it has compressed the gasket but it hasn't and you can end up with a mystery leak.
This is especially true along the bottom edge. Also don't assume that they are correct right now. Someone could have put them in wrong earlier. If they have been replaced by new screws be especially alert. People take short cuts and even if they cut them it may still not be right.
https://www.cmsnl.com/suzuki-gs1000g.../BLCK0008.html

I am so confused about compressing gaskets. With the cork gasket on the cylinder head cover I used like no torque, like I stopped when I felt resistance (like the amount to push a glass of water on a slick table). How can that possibly compress it? But then again, it doesn't still leak, so I must have done something right.

[Rich82GS750TZ]

I have six new springs, is that enough?

Keep wrenching, you're doing great, or getting lucky so far. But it's some comments like this that are leading me to believe that you're flying blind in some respects and maybe you still don't have or bother to reference a Factory Service Manual of Clymer's or Haynes manual. If you don't have a manual, they're available for free download on BikeCliffs Website. This is not a dig. I appreciate your thorough posts and excellent pics. And I like to help you if I can.

[Brendan W]

I am so confused about compressing gaskets. With the cork gasket on the cylinder head cover I used like no torque, like I stopped when I felt resistance (like the amount to push a glass of water on a slick table). How can that possibly compress it? But then again, it doesn't still leak, so I must have done something right.

That might not be tight enough on the head cover. Depends on how big the glass is I suppose
Check them again. If they are not tight enough they will vibrate and loosen up.
Tightening gaskets is an art. It's like riding a bicycle, you figure it out but cannot explain it.

[Noreg]

Keep wrenching, you're doing great, or getting lucky so far. But it's some comments like this that are leading me to believe that you're flying blind in some respects and maybe you still don't have or bother to reference a Factory Service Manual of Clymer's or Haynes manual. If you don't have a manual, they're available for free download on BikeCliffs Website. This is not a dig. I appreciate your thorough posts and excellent pics. And I like to help you if I can.

Generally my workflow is something like:
1. Look in my Clymer manual (PO gave it to me) - be confused
2. Read a few post on the forum
3. Forget the procedure
4. Buy parts
5. Disassemble planning to do what I remember while being pretty confused about the process

Sometimes if something is unclear I will ask. And I am very train-of-though when I write, so maybe my threshold to ask can sometimes be too low.

To answer my own questions in case someone else wonders, the six springs are horisontally installed, not vertically like you'd imagine from a car clutch. So no tools are required to compress the springs (some bolt does that). All six springs are accessible from right under the cover. Still not sure what the other springs being referred to is, but I don't have those springs, so that is a worry for another day.

I found the following blog useful to visualize the process: https://www.motorcycleclassics.com/m...-clutch-plates

I find the Clymer manual illustrations to be hard to follow if I can't already visualize the parts. If the way I imagine the parts and the illustrations differ I get confused. And when that happens I find it easier to just start trying to disassemble the parts and see what I found.

That might not be tight enough on the head cover. Depends on how big the glass is I suppose
Check them again. If they are not tight enough they will vibrate and loosen up.
Tightening gaskets is an art. It's like riding a bicycle, you figure it out but cannot explain it.

I have no reference what tight enough is. But the gasket has held up for more than 4000 kilometers, and that has included high speeds and long rides. It does lose some oil while standing on the side stand, from the rubber half moon on the left front side. I wonder if the rubber is bad, misinstalled or something else.

It did get oily when I was going through slow traffic, but it was warm and really slow. And not really leaking, just sweating.

I have an OEM gasket now, but I don't see any reason to replace it when it works.

The whole gasket situation terrifies me, it seems so obscure. But I can do a quick check and see if they are at the same torque as before.