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Reuse valve cover gasket?

I have reused them when they came off cleanly on one side but remained stuck on the head. They didn't leak much at all. I had a new one, but it is such a bitch to get it off of the head, and to pick the shards out of there.
 
If it comes off cleanly, I've managed up to 3 re-uses, usually starts to weep after that. :cry:
 
Some here have talked about greasing one side of the gasket to make sure it separates, but I'm not sure what grease to use. I tried it with bearing grease with only limited success.
 
Dogma said:
Some here have talked about greasing one side of the gasket to make sure it separates, but I'm not sure what grease to use. I tried it with bearing grease with only limited success.
Click to expand...
When I installed the one currently on there, I put axle grease on both sides. I haven't tried taking the cover off yet. We'll see what happens.
 
Even if it doesnt come off cleanly you can just use a bead of three bond all the way around ( very thin bead ) and reapply. On my 77 750 there isnt even a stator cover gasket at all..just a bead of three bond and she hasnt leaked in 2 years now. Thing is that in areas that arent subjected to actual oil PRESSURE and just need a seal to prevent leakage, such as the cam covers, the three bond is all that is needed.
 
No problem reusing it. All it takes is a coat of oil, wd40 to make it reusable. BE carefull. Stator cover should have a gasket. IF not someone has left out a thrust washer on the starter idler gear, that could cause an unknown noise
 
I did the same...sprayed both sides of a new gasket with WD-40 and have reused it many times for several years. Learned that trick here.
 
On my '80 GS1100L the valve cover had a chronic leak in front of the cam chain. Apparently from '82 up they put two more bolts in that area to correct it; but just a new gasket on mine, OEM Suzuki or otherwise, wouldn't stop it.
At the start of this season, I hung the old gasket on the wall (used grease when I installed it, so it's still in one piece.), cleaned the surfaces with mineral spirits and used RTV black and no gasket. I rode about 1500 miles this season without a leak from there; but I did find I'm leaking elswhere - probably the o-rings on the head bolts I reused last two times I had the head off.
It's amazing what a big mess a little drip could make; but still, much smaller than the mess I dealt with last year. Nonetheless - I'll have to leave the white pants at home until I get around to fixing the other leak.
 
Dogma said:
Some here have talked about greasing one side of the gasket to make sure it separates, but I'm not sure what grease to use. I tried it with bearing grease with only limited success.
Click to expand...

Charlie G said:
I read to spray with WD-40, which is what I used.
Click to expand...

SqDancerLynn1 said:
All it takes is a coat of oil, wd40 to make it reusable.
Click to expand...

gbw said:
I did the same...sprayed both sides of a new gasket with WD-40 and have reused it many times for several years. Learned that trick here.
Click to expand...
Yep, this is one of those few times when WD-40 is THE perfect item to use. :-\\\

.
 
"Real Gasket"

"Real Gasket"

I replaced the valve cover gasket a couple of years ago, with the "REAL GASKET", on my 850 and have not had any issues.
This winter I will be doing the 1100G with the same brand.
Silicone based and can be used many times over, minimal torque required compared to OEM gasket.
They are about $25.
 
Tom R said:
On my '80 GS1100L the valve cover had a chronic leak in front of the cam chain. Apparently from '82 up they put two more bolts in that area to correct it; but just a new gasket on mine, OEM Suzuki or otherwise, wouldn't stop it.
At the start of this season, I hung the old gasket on the wall (used grease when I installed it, so it's still in one piece.), cleaned the surfaces with mineral spirits and used RTV black and no gasket. I rode about 1500 miles this season without a leak from there; but I did find I'm leaking elswhere - probably the o-rings on the head bolts I reused last two times I had the head off.
It's amazing what a big mess a little drip could make; but still, much smaller than the mess I dealt with last year. Nonetheless - I'll have to leave the white pants at home until I get around to fixing the other leak.
Click to expand...


Yup, my 82 650 had a similar problem.

I went to the suzuki dealer to order valve gaskets(mikuni)
I took em home, it fit EXCEPT for the front Middle.

There was an Extra hole in this "new" gasket, and 2 other holes were slightly off-base.

The guy at the dealer told me that was the correct gasket, I told "no, it's not" We went back and forth.....

Eventually he looked in the computers and found a Second valve gasket for my bike, but was discontinued.....

So he wrote down the Part # for the Discontinued gasket.

Then he went into the computer and looked up an 81 GS 650 instead of my 82 650.

He noticed the Standard valve gasket Part # MATCHED the discontinued # we found on the 82.

Turns out, suzuki actually had many 81 Cylinder Heads left over after production, so they just bolted the rest onto the 82's.
Which is why "some" 82's require 81 valve gaskets.

-----------

I actually just "kept" the wrong gasket, did a little trim-work on it, and used a little RTV, and it ended up fitting on.

1 year later, no leaks at all.
(although I DID RTV the hell out of the outside cracks, lol.)
 
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