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  • #1

    leaky valve cover gasket

    I just pulled the valve cover to address a slow oil leak and want to know whether to use gasket cement to reinstall the gasket or to just wipe the oil off it and reinstall dry. One of the black machining plugs was leaking so I have already replaced that. I know the oil pressure in the camshaft area is low, but the leak is was making my engine look like crap. Wet or dry?
    _________________
    John
    78E
    79 SF (2)
    80 G "The Beast"
    81 H "The Dresser"
    79 XS650 II
    82 650 Maxim
    70 DT-1 Enduro
    66 Honda CL-77 Scrambler
    96 H-D Road King

    "The road to hell is paved with good intentions."
    Tags: None
  • #2
    I believe I've seen on here where people were putting PAM cooking spray on the gasket. That way the gasket is still easy to remove without destroying it, but still had a good seal. Maybe someone who has done it will chime in...

    I do know it has to be torqued down evenly or it will fail eventually, and needs to be retorqued occationally to keep it in shape. Also, I haven't heard of anyone using just RTV sucessfully. It needs a gasket.

    YMMV
    80 XS1100SG
    81 XS400SH

    Some men miss opportunity because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work. - Thomas Edison

    A Few Animations I've Made

    Comment

    • #3
      If it was me and my bike I would reinstall with old gasket and a LIGHT film of RTV. New gaskets I install dry. I reinstalled my leaky cam plugs with a light film of RTV 8000 miles ago and NO leaks. Some will disagree with me and that's ok. The key to installing gaskets is CLEAN surfaces. My clutch cover has a broken gasket with a light film of RTV, my shifter cover has no gasket just a light film of RTV on the cover and a light film of grease on the case. No leaks anywhere.
      79 F full cruiser, stainless brake lines, spade fuses, Accel coils, modded air box w/larger velocity stacks, 750 FD.
      79 SF parts bike.

      Comment

      • #4
        John, I've used Pam with no problems. They even have a high temp variety !!
        Sorry I missed riding with you last month. Sounded like you and TC had a good day.. Hopefully another time.
        80 SG
        81 SH in parts
        99 ST1100
        91 ST1100

        Comment

        • #5
          Red Bandit, do you RTV the gasket to the cover and leave the engine clean and dry?

          JW, I hadn't heard the Pam story before. Wouldn't it be almost like wiping the gasket with oil?
          _________________
          John
          78E
          79 SF (2)
          80 G "The Beast"
          81 H "The Dresser"
          79 XS650 II
          82 650 Maxim
          70 DT-1 Enduro
          66 Honda CL-77 Scrambler
          96 H-D Road King

          "The road to hell is paved with good intentions."

          Comment

          • #6
            For the Pam users, have you ever tried it on a used gasket with dino oil on the gasket? What does the Pam do, make the gasket material swell up a little, or just act as an oil block?

            Dean,
            yeah, wish you could have made it TC and I tried some more video stuff and rode some nice roads in my area. I'm lucky to have some great roads very nearby.
            _________________
            John
            78E
            79 SF (2)
            80 G "The Beast"
            81 H "The Dresser"
            79 XS650 II
            82 650 Maxim
            70 DT-1 Enduro
            66 Honda CL-77 Scrambler
            96 H-D Road King

            "The road to hell is paved with good intentions."

            Comment

            • #7
              used gaskets I put RTV on the cover and grease on the engine, a very light film of each. Grease and or Pam make removel easy on engine. If RTV or grease sqush out...you put toooo much on. If this method continues to leak I would put RTV on both sufaces.
              79 F full cruiser, stainless brake lines, spade fuses, Accel coils, modded air box w/larger velocity stacks, 750 FD.
              79 SF parts bike.

              Comment

              • #8
                Originally posted by oldbiker648
                Red Bandit, do you RTV the gasket to the cover and leave the engine clean and dry?

                JW, I hadn't heard the Pam story before. Wouldn't it be almost like wiping the gasket with oil?
                I haven't actually tried it, was just relaying what I've heard on here. I would assume a light coating of oil would achieve the same thing. All the regular PAM spray is, is canola oil in a spray can. At least, that's what the can I have here says.

                Unless you're planning on eating the gasket, it'd probably be best to avoid the flavored ones.

                MMmmmm, butter flavored gasket.
                80 XS1100SG
                81 XS400SH

                Some men miss opportunity because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work. - Thomas Edison

                A Few Animations I've Made

                Comment

                • #9
                  Since I pulled the cover the first time (in 1981) on my 79 special I have always put the cover gasket in dry. to me, the key is to make sure the all traces of previous gasket material is removed from head and cover surfaces. Then tighten the capscrews down evenly and use a light hand with a T handle to insure you dont strip out threads. The capscrews only get tightened to about 7.5 pound feet which is barely measurable on the average torque wrench. I start at the center by the cam chain and work to the outside in a criss-cross pattern to 'iron down' the cover as I tighten it. I use a new gasket if I have one but have re-used the old gasket without any leaks provided it was still supple when I took it off.
                  Mike Giroir
                  79 XS-1100 Special

                  Once you un-can a can of worms, the only way to re-can them is with a bigger can.

                  Comment

                  • #10
                    Time to bite the bullet. I wiped all of the old oil off the gasket and took some crocus cloth to the engine mating surface. I'll try the PAM first and if that doesn't work, RTV. I think what happened was the last time I had a valve adjustment, the shop which worked on the bike didn't torque the cap screws down enough, OR, I probably should have pulled the tank after 500 miles or so and re-tightened everything and missed an opportunity. Heck, as busy as I've been I'd rather ride than wrench right now. Let me see if I can get this thing back together and cleaned up. Thanks for your thoughts and comments. I do have an inch pound torque wrench, so that will be good where I can use it, but some of the screws will not lend themselves to use of that tool.
                    _________________
                    John
                    78E
                    79 SF (2)
                    80 G "The Beast"
                    81 H "The Dresser"
                    79 XS650 II
                    82 650 Maxim
                    70 DT-1 Enduro
                    66 Honda CL-77 Scrambler
                    96 H-D Road King

                    "The road to hell is paved with good intentions."

                    Comment

                    • #11
                      Valve cover reinstalled and torqued, horn bracket and coils bolted back up and plug wires connected. Just oiled the K&N pods and only have to install gas tank, seat and pods tomorrow, probably 1/2 hour to 45 minutes depending on how much "assembly fluid" I ingest after work on the way home. Sprayed both sides of the gasket with PAM. Man, that stuff eats up newpaper ink. Weather is cooling off here and I want to ride to work on Wednesday. Thanks for the help!
                      _________________
                      John
                      78E
                      79 SF (2)
                      80 G "The Beast"
                      81 H "The Dresser"
                      79 XS650 II
                      82 650 Maxim
                      70 DT-1 Enduro
                      66 Honda CL-77 Scrambler
                      96 H-D Road King

                      "The road to hell is paved with good intentions."

                      Comment

                      • #12
                        Put a little over 200 miles on the '80G since cleaning up the valve cover gasket and using the PAM method to re-install. Jugs are dry, so it appears to have worked. Now I need to remove the old cooked on oil and get the engine looking good again. Thanks!
                        _________________
                        John
                        78E
                        79 SF (2)
                        80 G "The Beast"
                        81 H "The Dresser"
                        79 XS650 II
                        82 650 Maxim
                        70 DT-1 Enduro
                        66 Honda CL-77 Scrambler
                        96 H-D Road King

                        "The road to hell is paved with good intentions."

                        Comment

                        • #13
                          valve cover

                          I took MY cover off to check the valves and I jest put a light coat of atv on the top and bottem let it set up and put it back together no leeks

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