Valve cover RTV half moons set.

[Guest]

Just adjusted valves on 16 valve 750 with RTV on round part of halfmoon wich i inserted backwards as per suggested in various threads.

Am not using RTV on gasket.

Should I let RTV set up as per normal before tightening down cover?

Also noticed half moons sitting a little high over cover gasket surface, evened them out so height is equal on both sides per half moon.

Is this something i should be concerned about?

[1_v8_merc]

nah it's fine, just tighten the Cover down.

you don't have to wait for the RTV to set up.
But DONT RUN the bike until the RTV has fully dried.

[Steve]

Also noticed half moons sitting a little high over cover gasket surface, evened them out so height is equal on both sides per half moon.

How did you "even them out"?

Some of that height is due to the squishy nature of the rubber on the half-moon. That will be part of what generates the pressure necessary to seal it when it is clamped by the valve cover. Hope you did not destroy that feature.

.

[Crankthat]

Thank you 1_v8_merc.

Ended up letting it set up for about a hour, its all good.

Was thinking it might cause some extra height with my half moons sticking above gasket surface, but me thinks a hour was ok.

And Steve ,It was a bad choice of words on my half, I should have wrote leveled.

Well that 's not correct either.

Will try distributed the extra height evenly between the two sides by pushing in the middle with finger until I saw the same height overlap on both sides of each half moon.

Thinking that might explain better???

Guess i should have taken a picture before I reassembled.

Did not change shape of half moons anyways.

Thank you for the heads up though.

[Steve]

If you have the time, the best way to install them is to apply the film of RTV, insert the half-moons and install the cover without the gasket.
Clamp the ends of the cover down (you only need to use the bolts on the outermost positions) and let it set overnight.

After letting it set overnight, remove the cover, install the gasket, put the cover back on and go for a ride.

.

[Crankthat]

Steve
Cover with gasket has been on for about three hours and everything is cleaned up now myself included.

I have a great memory though and will remember for next time.

Thank You
Andy

[Steel Toed Tank]

But DONT RUN the bike until the RTV has fully dried.

Hahaha, I fired my bike up the moment I had it back together, the first time I adjusted the valves.
Nothing leaked but yeah I let it dry overnight now.


Tank

[Crankthat]

I had decided to put bike on jack to do this, just so i would be able to sit.

And then decided i might as well take pipes off bike first to compare with 1100 pipes i picked up for free that i am going to weld some hd takeoffs on.

Figured i might as well take carbs and air box off and see what i could do to clean up/restring wires cause i was planning on taking coils off to clean up any road grime in that area to keep it from falling down in motor.

Of course now that its up on jack lets take the back tire and swingarm off repaint swingarm and clean up back tire.

Why leave the back break assemblies on the bike when the caliper is no longer attached to swingarm?

Might as well take system off and rebuild repaint.

Of course now that all that is off might as well remove rear fender and plastic fender restring the taillight/blinkers and clean that area of frame including rust and touch up with paint.

Managed to keep from deburring weld spalds, good thing my dremel took a crap couple of months ago.

Have hope that my interview this coming week will lead to me getting hired so i can replace my rear shocks while I am at this.

Did i mention that because I rebuilt the back breaks I feel I might as well rebuild front breaks?

I already have the caliper paint so I might as well right?

Who would have ever thought adjusting your valves would be so time consuming?

Needless to say I will not be running the bike until after the RTV is cured, well cured

[sedelen]

I had decided to put bike on jack to do this, just so i would be able to sit.

And then decided i might as well take pipes off bike first to compare with 1100 pipes i picked up for free that i am going to weld some hd takeoffs on.

Figured i might as well take carbs and air box off and see what i could do to clean up/restring wires cause i was planning on taking coils off to clean up any road grime in that area to keep it from falling down in motor.

Of course now that its up on jack lets take the back tire and swingarm off repaint swingarm and clean up back tire.

Why leave the back break assemblies on the bike when the caliper is no longer attached to swingarm?

Might as well take system off and rebuild repaint.

Of course now that all that is off might as well remove rear fender and plastic fender restring the taillight/blinkers and clean that area of frame including rust and touch up with paint.

Managed to keep from deburring weld spalds, good thing my dremel took a crap couple of months ago.

Have hope that my interview this coming week will lead to me getting hired so i can replace my rear shocks while I am at this.

Did i mention that because I rebuilt the back breaks I feel I might as well rebuild front breaks?

I already have the caliper paint so I might as well right?

Who would have ever thought adjusting your valves would be so time consuming?

Needless to say I will not be running the bike until after the RTV is cured, well cured

I love this!
And as you said already, "You just might as well"
We called this in the Air Force getting lost in the basement. It's where the Air Force used a scenario about going down in the basement to turn off a light and while you were down there you just might as well clean up the basement and do all the other stuff you saw that needed doing. They used this example to show us poor time management because you spent alot more time doing stuff other than what you set out to do. I thought it was just a bunch or garbage that they tried to stuff down our throats.

[XXWoodmanXX]

I love this!
And as you said already, "You just might as well"
We called this in the Air Force getting lost in the basement. It's where the Air Force used a scenario about going down in the basement to turn off a light and while you were down there you just might as well clean up the basement and do all the other stuff you saw that needed doing. They used this example to show us poor time management because you spent alot more time doing stuff other than what you set out to do. I thought it was just a bunch or garbage that they tried to stuff down our throats.

This is EXACTLY what I do in my garage. I always seem to get "lost" out there after wife reminds me I left a light on. hehe

[Crankthat]

If you have the time, the best way to install them is to apply the film of RTV, insert the half-moons and install the cover without the gasket.
Clamp the ends of the cover down (you only need to use the bolts on the outermost positions) and let it set overnight.

After letting it set overnight, remove the cover, install the gasket, put the cover back on and go for a ride.

.

Though you may already know this I thought I would chime in with a little learned (in this forum) knowledge.
That was a post from a member pertaining the half moons while I was adjusting my valves on a 81 750L
The RTV (I used the black/fuel resistant type) is for the rounded part of the half moons and a very lite film is suggested for them only.
Is also suggested that you replace the half moons and lightly oil the gasket for easier removal next time.

While you are in there it would be a great time to adjust the valves on those 16 valve motors if you have not already.
It is really easy and there is a tutorial on basecliffs website for the 16 valve non shim motors.
If you decide to do that I suggest buying two sets of feeler gauges to even out each adjustment.

May I also suggest you say your hello in the new owners section even though you have owned the bikes for a while.
Tell a little about yourself if you are comfortable with that and Mr Basecliff should come along and post some gs links for some great reading on a lot of maintenance tutorials and mods for a better running bike.

Welcome to GSR

[Crankthat]

oops wrong thread

[chuck hahn]

I like Steves suggestion of the cover without the gasket...makes everything settle nicely..well played Steve. This , of course, sparks my inventive mind off and was wondering what you would think of just setting a heavier piece os steel that has a flat factory edge over the half moons and not putting the cover on. Just let the steel settle them in and then let them sit overnight???

[Crankthat]

Howdy Chuck,
You should bump that luggage set with some picts.

Think a chunk of steel would do the trick, but I would be more comfortable with soft metal on soft metal myself.

Glad to see you are still around

[chuck hahn]

Yeah..I can do that Crank..going to the storage unit in the AM. I have been in "save my life" mode as of late getting a new better job and salvaging the finances as it were. I am getting back on track slowly and surely. Got MUCH MORE to do, but i got hope.

They are packed in a bid banana box way in the back right now.

Check back in tomorrow afternoon in the thread and I wll have some pics posted up by early evening.