Which head gasket to use...the continuing controversy

[renobruce]

I did a bit of searching and there seems to be alot of opinions on which head gasket to use. Most of the aftermarket gaskets have the big copper rings for the 4 oil ports going up to the head, and have a small rubberized steel washer that you are supposed to put with the copper ring. Is this supposed to be an upgrade to the old style gasket? Unless you get the rubberized washer on there just right, they don't seem to fit real good. I fear that they might shift while installing. I also have a gasket that does not have the copper rings on it. It is much more "squishy" than the other. So I'm debating on which one would be better to use.

[Nessism]

Good question. I've read threads on this subject before and both types of gasket seem to work fine. The factory Suzuki gaskets seem to go sans o-ring these days so that seems to indictate that o-rings are not critical. Quality of the gasket itself is probably more important than anything else.

[chef1366]

I only use Cometic head gaskets.
Glad to see your getting the Beast going!

[renobruce]

I only use Cometic head gaskets.
Glad to see your getting the Beast going!

What do they look like? Do they have the copper ring, or are they plain?

[80GS1000]

Is one of those head gaskets the one from your 1085 Wiseco piston kit?

[renobruce]

Is one of those head gaskets the one from your 1085 Wiseco piston kit?

Yes, the silver (plain) one came with all the stuff I bought

[chef1366]

Wiseco uses Cometic gaskets. Use that one in my opinion.
I wouldn't know about the oil ports. My 1100 doesn't have o-rings or copper........

[psyguy]

my vesrah had those oring inserts... yea, they want to move

[Matchless]

And then there is this one supposed to be the same as the latest OEM.
MLS gasket with no seals around the outer studs and overlapping the camchain o-ring position. The camchain opening is much smaller as those above.
This an Athena MLS (Multi Layer Steel) with 3 layers and outer 2 covered with Viton rubber

[Skyboy8950]

I had a head gasket leak once because of those rubber gaskets. When I took the head off, the rubber gasket was all buggered up and leaking everywhere. I say f*%# em.

[bwringer]

I have my doubts about Cometic -- the gasket they sent me for my 850 was a wavy POS I had to customize with a Dremel so it would fit.

Tired and in a hurry, I made it work and installed it anyway... There are no corner o-rings, nor do I think there are any on the OEM gasket. I did add a very thin layer of Hylomar at the corners just in case it might help.

No leaks or problems so far. Once I cleaned up Cometic's shoddy manufacturing a bit, the gasket seemed to flatten out and work well, and the materials seemed high-quality.

But as far as gaskets, it's Suzuki OEM for me from here on out.

[gs1197]

Have used several of the Cometics included in Wiseco kits...never had any leaks or failures.
But, every one that I've taken apart after a year or so, the head and cylinder surfaces have small patches of very slight etching/pitting.
Was told it's because of a reaction between the aluminum and graphite in the gasket coating. Don't know that for a fact.
I've wondered if maybe it was created by condensation from the heat/cooldown cycles which cause some corrosion.
Sounds worse than it really is though, pits were MAYBE a few thousandths deep. Never caused any sealing issues.

Have never used the copper and rubber ring type gaskets. But I can see where there could be problems if the rubber swells and/or splits around the oil drainbacks.
Wouldn't be my 1st choice.

Mike

[bwringer]

Have used several of the Cometics included in Wiseco kits...never had any leaks or failures.
But, every one that I've taken apart after a year or so, the head and cylinder surfaces have small patches of very slight etching/pitting.
Was told it's because of a reaction between the aluminum and graphite in the gasket coating. Don't know that for a fact.
I've wondered if maybe it was created by condensation from the heat/cooldown cycles which cause some corrosion.
Sounds worse than it really is though, pits were MAYBE a few thousandths deep. Never caused any sealing issues.

I've found the same pitting from the head gasket on every GS engine I've ever disassembled.

I guess as long as you get the sealing rings around the pistons, the cam chain tunnel, and the four oil passages at the corners clean and level, the rest doesn't matter much.

That's why I went ahead and installed my wavy Cometic -- as long as the corners, tunnel, and pistons were OK, I figured it would be OK. About 1,000 miles so far, and it's fine.

There are some definite advantages to air cooling... No water passages to fart around with.

[Matchless]

I have my doubts about Cometic -- the gasket they sent me for my 850 was a wavy POS I had to customize with a Dremel .....

bwringer,
Could you explain what is a "wavy POS" please? I need to make sure that I do not get any of those from now on!
Thanks

[Suzuki_Don]

bwringer,
Could you explain what is a "wavy POS" please? I need to make sure that I do not get any of those from now on!
Thanks

Andre I don't know what wavy is, BUT I think POS is PIECE OF S**T.

Excuse my French.

Just my guess.