Engine reasembly Gs 400

[Anonymous]

Hi i am currently reasembling a gs400 engine, i have got a new gasket set honed out the tub , lapped the valve seats and cleaned everything up , im just wondering when installing the head the gasket is metal around the pistons is it better to leave it dry or just litely coat that part with oil...and when installing cams can i use grease on the lobes and channels or regular oil, just for a dry startup....?

[SqDancerLynn1]

I would put the head gasket on dry! A dab of grease will not hurt, you don't want a dry startup

[Anonymous]

I would put the head gasket on dry! A dab of grease will not hurt, you don't want a dry startup

Yes, dry head gasket. I use assembly lube (moly) on my cams. I think grease would be ok.

[Anonymous]

When first starting a motor that has been apart, I give the carbs a little squirt of two stroke mix to guarantee that the upper cylinders and valve stems get lubrication until the real thing arrives. I just watched a guy make an assembly oil out of grease, stp and oil. Its all to do with that issue of the time lag until the engines oiling system supplies oil to the crucial spots probablty within 10 or 20 seconds so dont rev it up much during that time.

[Anonymous]

You're supposed to fill the engine with oil by dumping it over the cylinder head before the valve cover goes on.

Steve

[Anonymous]

I used the Lucas Oil additive stuff for an assembly lube b/c it is thick and gummy like. All but the metal head gasket I took a small art paint brush and brushed a bit of the Lucas on both sides of the gasket before installing them. I didn't buy gaskets, I bought a roll of gasket material and made my own, this can be very time consuming. It was a lot cheaper than buying the gaskets, and some of the gaskets were discontinued items. I wasn't able to loacte a gasket set for this bike. No leaks here engine runs great. This was done on an '85 450A Shaft Drive complete engine rebuild.

[Anonymous]

Well i could also take off the chrome nut on the stator cover and kick it over till oil comes out then i know oils going to be in the upper end within the next few kicks then its safe to start...i dont see how the head gasket would seal if its dry like that metal to metal and just paperie material against metal....so you guys are sure it would be bad to let it obsorb some oil?