Valve cover gasket removal...

[JT2Fast4u]

Hi...I'm in the process of adjusting my valve clearances, & was wondering what is the best way to remove the old valve cover gasket? I have tried just about everything, & nothing really seems to be working except for a new razor blade. But i keep gouging the surface & I'm afraid of getting those fragments down in the motor. What do you guys use to remove old baked-on gaskets? Any tips or ideas would be much appreciated. Thank You....

[Brendan W]

Razor sounds good. Pack the chain tunnel with paper towel. A little grease inside the 'rim' helps trap small particles. Keep more towel at the point you are working.
Solvents like kerosene or acetone will soften the old gasket. A plastic scraper is faster for removing the big bits.
Above all, patience.

[Steve]

I use an old wood chisel. It is only tapered on one side, so it's easy to lay it just about flat on the surface being scraped.

Gives it just enough bite to get under the gasket, but not enough to gouge the surface.

.

[Gorminrider]

Also handy and cheap ... get a thin, flexible one so it rides along flat surfaces.... just sharpen it to 90 degrees at the edge when dull....use a fine file and polish any burrs off against a stone.



You can also use the other edges of a razor knife...not the blade edge. Same principle as above scraper

[1980GS1000E]

Then soak the new gasket in wd40 prior to installation for easy removal next time. Retorque after a few days.

[JT2Fast4u]

Thanks everyone for your tips & advise. They have helped me very much. I'm now at the point of only having a few small bits left on there here & there. I guess patience is key here. Thanks again....

[limeex2]

I use an old wood chisel. It is only tapered on one side, so it's easy to lay it just about flat on the surface being scraped.

Gives it just enough bite to get under the gasket, but not enough to gouge the surface.

.

I second the wood chisel. They usually stick to the valve cover. On material left after the chisel, I used heavy duty toilet bowl cleaner applied with a q-tip and touched it up with scothbrite and rinse when done.

[JT2Fast4u]

I second the wood chisel. They usually stick to the valve cover. On material left after the chisel, I used heavy duty toilet bowl cleaner applied with a q-tip and touched it up with scothbrite and rinse when done.

Toilet bowl cleaner??? Ha-ha I have never heard that one before, but you know what, I'm gonna try it & I'll post back my results. Is their any particular brand I should use? Thanks for your help.

[chuck hahn]

The guys here wont like my response...seeing they all gasped at seeing my gas tank on top of a bon fire. BUT here it is anyway. The real stubborn ones that make me invent new cuss words get the propane torch treatment. I soak all the oil out of the bucket areas and get wet shop rags stuffed into the cam chain tunnel. Then the torch heats the gasket nice and hot while the putty knife follows along and scrapes the crap off. Smokes and stinks and an occasional small flair up but the gasket yields rather quickly. I use the torch on clutch covers and the cam covers as well.

[Brendan W]

I have no problem with the torch. Not everyone can control the heat.
If you know what you are doing the sky is the limit

[jsandidge]

Never would have thought of the torch. Next stubborn gasket I run into will certainly get that treatment. Heck of a lot better than gouging the surface.

[chuck hahn]

The flame heats through the gasket to base metal and releases the varnish and crap holding it down. I like to see the gasket get a little reddish glow to it as I go along. Its gonna take about a lifetime for the torch to get the head hot enough to start doing any damage.

[robertbarr]

I used heavy duty toilet bowl cleaner applied with a q-tip and touched it up with scothbrite and rinse when done.

Probably less expensive than my solution, which is the aerosol gasket remover (Permatex and others), but it's necessary to mask off the frame & painted surfaces. Scotchbrite is a good 'tool' for these bikes overall, and here especially.

[JT2Fast4u]

I second the wood chisel. They usually stick to the valve cover. On material left after the chisel, I used heavy duty toilet bowl cleaner applied with a q-tip and touched it up with scothbrite and rinse when done.

Well, I tried the toilet bowl cleaner & it worked surprisingly well. I wouldn't recommend using it on the cyl. head side thou (unless you have the head off the bike) because of having to rinse the cleaner off with water. But on the valve cover side it worked pretty well for me. Thanks for this tip, & all the other tips too. I really appreciate it. Thanks again. You guys are awesome. )

[Brendan W]

I usually go for a ride through the forest if I have a desire to smell the Pines : )