Gasket pieces fell into cam chain area!

[gregzbutt]

This afternoon I took the valve cover off my 1980 850G for the first time in 20 years. The gasket was in pretty bad shape. The areas where it was leaking oil weren't too bad, but sections that were dryer basically disintegrated. It was a really huge and time consuming deal getting all the old gasket material off the head. I did my best, but a few tiny chunks flew into the center area where the cam chain is. I used a shop vac and compressed air to the get most of the gasket material remnants out from the upper areas of the head, but it's a long way down in the middle there.

Should I be concerned about these chunks of gasket? Nothing big got in there, maybe a 1/4" square at the most, just some smaller bits that remained stuck after I got all the bigger sections peeled away. Should I try flushing some oil through the cam chain valley and hope it comes out the drain?

Thanks for help!

[hikermikem]

Should I be concerned about these chunks of gasket? Nothing big got in there, maybe a 1/4" square at the most, just some smaller bits that remained stuck after I got all the bigger sections peeled away. Should I try flushing some oil through the cam chain valley and hope it comes out the drain?

Thanks for help!

YES - you need to try & remove all the gasket pcs you can. Worst case is a small hunk of gasket material chokes off an oil jet & the top end starves for oil... bad thing.

I would do as you have suggested, try flushing clean oil through & check to see if gasket material is being drained out. You can most likely use the oil again (assuming it's new oil to start with) if you pour it through a strainer (small piece of screen in a funnel).

[1980GS1000E]

No cause for alarm, here. Any oil that gets pumped through the engine must first get sucked through a fine screen before going through the pump and then goes through the oil filter before going through the oil passages in the engine. Any chunks of gasket material will probably not even make it through the screen, and if any small ones do, they will be stopped by the filter. Just change your oil and filter.

[hikermikem]

No cause for alarm, here. Any oil that gets pumped through the engine must first get sucked through a fine screen before going through the pump and then goes through the oil filter before going through the oil passages in the engine. Any chunks of gasket material will probably not even make it through the screen, and if any small ones do, they will be stopped by the filter. Just change your oil and filter.

Ha, good to know things never change here !!

When I was a noop here a few years ago I did the exact same thing & posted here for advice... the concenus was pretty much 50/50, half said as you have (not to worry ), the other half predicted engine death .

I like to err on the conservative side myself, so I flushed it through a couple of times (several bits-o-baked-gasket came out), then rode happy & changed the oil & filter rather quickly to seal the deal.

Also, for piece of mind - you can slit open your oil filter after your first change & inspect for gasket pieces...

Ride safe

[nastyjones]

I drag raced with guy a few years ago who used to slit open his oil filter every change looking for metal, etc.
It's messy but good advice next time anybody changes their oil try doing this for peace of mind.

[gregzbutt]

Ok, cool. Thanks for the advice guys. I like to err on the side of caution as well. I'll flush some oil through it, and then probably do a quick change after that. I'm hoping my next my valve job doesn't take nearly this long!

[hikermikem]

Next valve adjust will go much quicker... a good tip is to apply a light layer of grease on both gasket mating surfaces - it will allow the cover/gasket to be removed without sticking & if you're carefull (or "thrifty" like me), you can get several uses out of the same gasket.

I'm hoping my next my valve job doesn't take nearly this long!

Wait until you get to replacing that original base gasket !!! That one is is a real PITA.

[hampshirehog]

If you are going to flush it through drop the sump. It's much more effective. Plus it'll give you the opportunity to clean out the strainer - and you'll be surprised at the amount of congealed gunge stuck to the sump plate.

[chuck hahn]

Post 3 response...so you advocating leaving foreign material in an engine that..if NOT getting to the screen first..may get stuck in say a ring, into a crank bearing, wrist pin, or whatever else? Original poster..please do ALL you can to remove the stuff. Take a 1/2" ID length of clear vynly tubing and stick it in to the shop vac hose and duct tape it in so youve got suction on the 1/2" tubing and you can use that like a surgical suction to probe in and suck anything up you can get to. I do not advocate EVER leaving anything in an engine even iif i gotta drop the oil pan and go in from the botom to find it.

[chuck hahn]

Actually, dropping the pan may be a good idea as well anyway. Get the sediment out of the pan, clean the pick up screen, and get the chunks out all at the same time.

[1980GS1000E]

Post 3 response...so you advocating leaving foreign material in an engine that..if NOT getting to the screen first..may get stuck in say a ring, into a crank bearing, wrist pin, or whatever else? Original poster..please do ALL you can to remove the stuff. Take a 1/2" ID length of clear vynly tubing and stick it in to the shop vac hose and duct tape it in so youve got suction on the 1/2" tubing and you can use that like a surgical suction to probe in and suck anything up you can get to. I do not advocate EVER leaving anything in an engine even iif i gotta drop the oil pan and go in from the botom to find it.

It's relative. He said there were some small pieces. I seriously doubt anything will happen. Pulling the sump is always the best option, and while in there check the pump, strainer and replace all the hardened o-rings. Flushing the chain tunnel without pulling the sump may flush it out, but, like I said before, any debris has to get through the strainer and filter before going to the engine galleries.

[1980GS1000E]

I drag raced with guy a few years ago who used to slit open his oil filter every change looking for metal, etc.
It's messy but good advice next time anybody changes their oil try doing this for peace of mind.

Any debris on the GS filter will be evident on the outside, not the inside. The oil flow enters the filter chamber and is passed through the filter pleats and then through the core of the filter.

[chuck hahn]

Nuts and washers are heavy and will most likely just fall to the sump and not vibrate around and get slammed around the engine by the crank...But then again its all relative..right? AGAIN..I dont care if its mouse chit. If you drop ANYTHING IN AN ENGINE, your taking a risk of even the smallest soft and harmless "thing" causing an avoidable problem. The engine doesnt even have to be out of the bike to remove the pan. I take off the tank and drain the oil. Then I roll up my big 12X16 tarp in to a big "pillow" and lay the bike over on the clutch side, remove the pan, do whatever needs done and button it back up!!! Laying it over makes for easy access and quicker maintenance as well.

[posplayr]

This afternoon I took the valve cover off my 1980 850G for the first time in 20 years. The gasket was in pretty bad shape. The areas where it was leaking oil weren't too bad, but sections that were dryer basically disintegrated. It was a really huge and time consuming deal getting all the old gasket material off the head. I did my best, but a few tiny chunks flew into the center area where the cam chain is. I used a shop vac and compressed air to the get most of the gasket material remnants out from the upper areas of the head, but it's a long way down in the middle there.

Should I be concerned about these chunks of gasket? Nothing big got in there, maybe a 1/4" square at the most, just some smaller bits that remained stuck after I got all the bigger sections peeled away. Should I try flushing some oil through the cam chain valley and hope it comes out the drain?

Thanks for help!

Next time stick a rag down the center cavity to avoid things dropping in. Nuts and bolts are much worse to drop down there that paper gasket.

Also remember not to forget the rag and remove before putting the cover back on. Ties a long string on it so you remember.

[hikermikem]

Also remember not to forget the rag and remove before putting the cover back on. Ties a long string on it so you remember.

Now that sounds like the voice of experience...

Happy B-day BTW Jim.