Cylinder Head Gaskets

[nortins]

When I replace the gaskets underneath the acorn nuts on both sides of the engine do I need a sealant for those or can I just put them on?????? ????????????????????????

[chef1366]

Sixteen valve??

[bwringer]

No sealant is needed for any of the gaskets on a GS.

O-rings and seals get a light coat of oil or grease.


You use a specific type of sealer between the case halves, where there is no gasket. But you do not apply sealer to gaskets.


The exception is if you are dealing with a damaged or gouged metal surface, where a very thin swipe of sealer in the problem area will make sure the gasket seals correctly.

[hampshirehog]

I think he's on about the copper washers under the outside head dome nuts. They are just copper washers and as long as they ain't mangled just put them on with no sealant.

Make sure you torque the head in the right sequence.

[nortins]

Ok so those are copper washers??? Why does suzuki call them gaskets? Anyway that is what I am replacing the copper washers underneath the nuts on the side of the engine mine are very work and there is a small amount of oil or residue leaking from that spot. So no sealant?!?

[juicydangershow]

This is based on my GS850G, yours may be different!

My Vesrah gasket kit came with the head gasket with copper rings built into the gasket around the four corner bolts, 4 gasket washers (as it was listed on the packaging contents list) AND the 4 copper washers that go under the acorn nuts. Gasket sets do not come with instructions or anything else for that matter... so familiarize yourself extensively BEFORE you start putting things together. I ended up having to waste a night working on the bike because I was unsure about those thin washers and needed to do some investigating first.

The 4 gasket washers were thin metal with rubber (like crossbreeding an o-ring with a very thin washer). Other kits may have different styles. Some have these rubber-washer things built in to the 4 corners (I think Suzuki head gaskets do). At first I thought that the rubber washer fit between the copper washer and acorn nut... I don't know why. But from what I found on the forums is that they go on top of the head gasket fitted over the 4 corner holes in the gasket. Then install the head, taking care that the washers don't move. The 4 regular copper washers go under the acorn nuts with no sealant.

Do not put any sealer, oil, grease, WD40, etc, etc on your head gasket. It goes on clean and dry.

[gustovh]

If not damaged, put em in and torque to spec.
V

[Suzuki_Don]

You use a specific type of sealer between the case halves, where there is no gasket. But you do not apply sealer to gaskets.

.

Brian I am getting close to putting my cases back together. So are you basically saying that sealer goes on the jointing surfaces only and not on the semi-circles in the case that hold the mainshaft and layshaft ends on both sides and the crankshaft outer bearings and seals. Are these half round areas on the crankcase joint left clean. Does anything go on the seal outer circumferences before the crankcases are put together.

Any info greatly appreciated. I am going to use ThreeBond 1194, is that OK.

Cheers
Don

[psyguy]

Brian are you basically saying that sealer goes on the jointing surfaces only and not on the semi-circles in the case that hold the mainshaft and layshaft ends on both sides and the crankshaft outer bearings and seals. Are these half round areas on the crankcase joint left clean.

thats correct, don
the "plastic" bits are the oil seals themselves, if they re functional they should not need any extra gasket material

[Suzuki_Don]

thats correct, don
the "plastic" bits are the oil seals themselves, if they re functional they should not need any extra gasket material

OK. Thanks for that. Some of the manual are not real explicit when it comes to clarifying fine details.
Cheers