Valve cover leak (advise needed)

[Frank Z.]

Valve cover tends to weep a bit of oil in same location (left forward corner), and have to re-torque bolt periodically. What's recommended?... Light weight thread lock on bolt? or good old permatex on gasket?

Thanks for any sage advice.

[koolaid_kid]

No Permatex, that stuff is BAD for your valve cover gasket.
I would use Purple Loctite. If you don't have Purple then Blue will do.

[Frank Z.]

Word. Thanks, Kid.

[1_v8_merc]

Permatex if you can't afford the gasket.(to patch over leak)
Otherwise just get the gasket.

[dr_fosg8]

You could see if they make a real gasket for your bike. They are made of silicone Hawley material, reusable too.
Realgasket.com

[smokydog]

Ultra Black

I used a brand new gasket dry, still leaked, used a new gasket with permatex 2, still leaked, scraped a hour to get that off, new gasket with permatex ultra black, 4,000 miles later still no leaks. Hope you get her plugged up, It sure is a hassle and if mine would have leaked again I was gonna sell her, lol. Whatever you end up doing, I wish you luck.

[Frank Z.]

You could see if they make a real gasket for your bike. They are made of silicone Hawley material, reusable too.
Realgasket.com

BTDT. Cobbled my real gasket back together with permatex —after over-torquing and pinching the blessed thing — so I could go meet Chuck and the boys at vintage bike show. (Of course, after i had her buttoned up, new Suzuki gasket showed up in the mail.) Anyway, made it the 30 miles up the road... nary a leak. On way back, pushing her a bit hard, and... POW!... my "handiwork" gave up the ghost. Oil everywhere, including me. Just finished boiling rear brake pads. Now, off with the valve cover and on to plan D... or is it E?

[chuck hahn]

Dude replace the gasket with the new Suzuki one and use some poly grip on each side...LMAO...Just kidding on the poly grip.