CHANGING THE VALVE COVER GASKET

[Anonymous]

I have a small amount of oil seeping out my valve cover gasket on my 1980 GS850GT and want to change the gasket. I have a maintance manual and it look like this is a fairly easy job. Has anyone done this lately? If so how can I avoid screwing it up?
Thanks, Terry

[frosty5011]

Terry,

Just did this last week to my GS750. Was an easy job. The only "pain" was the old gasket having been sealed/glued on both surfaces - which led to it breaking into about 100 pieces as I tried to remove it.

Just make sure you have both surfaces clean before putting new gasket on. And try to avoid, during the scraping/cleaning of the sealing surface on the cylinder head, having any old gasket pieces falling into the engine area. Since you have the cover off, might as well also check your valve clearances. Also, if at all possible, use a torque wrench when tightening down the valve cover. It doesn't need to be as tight as one might think, and you definately do not want to strip any of the bolts.

[Anonymous]

I'm halfway through the job on my 'G. The gas tank has be removed, if it's not painfully obvious to you.
One thing to keep in mind is that if the cover is stuck, rapping on it with a RUBBER mallet is key to getting it to come off. If yours is like mine, there's two dowel rods (upper left and lower right in my case), that the cover sits on, these make it sit straight on the head, so you can't rock it back and forth to get it loose. Those two bolts are 5 or so mm longer than the rest.
I'm debating whether to use some sort of sealant when putting it back together or not. My gasket came off the head in one piece, but it put up one heck of a fight trying to get it loose from the cover (numerous pieces, and a bloody finger).
Thanks to Michael Falke for loaning me his valve tool and shims.

[Anonymous]

if you use the blade of a box cutter on an old single edge razor blade you will get the old one off easier. And if you coat the edge of the cover or the engine with a thin coat of moly lube before applying the new gasket, it wont stick and tear next time you have to remove it. Andy your shims and tool are on the way. If anyone needs any replacement cams off a GS550E, think it is a 78 model.. I just removed them off that old engine and they are in perfect condition. Don't think that old bike had more than 8 grand on the OD. What a shame it was junked so early. Will send them to whoever pays me the shipping!