leaky cover

[jamak]

The top cover on my '80 XS1100's motor is leaking. I was going to call it the valve cover, but I guess it would be the cam cover?
In any case, I could only find one source,partsmore.com that offered just that gasket, as opposed to a kit. I only need the one, but it's made of fiber.
Am I correct in guessing that I want a rubber one, like stock? If so, anybody know where I can buy just that gasket?
The prices on this site were cheap, and they also offered a horn button that one dealer told me wasn't available anymore. Any feedback on the site?
Thanks,
Jamak

[CatatonicBug]

That is the valve cover, and you don't need a gasket at all. Just use Permatex. The only place where you really need an actual gasket on these things is the Head gasket.

[motoman]

Still available from Yamaha. Couple months ago, got the valve cover gasket and cam end plugs, but may be a bit pricey for your liking @ $40 with a local discount for both the gasket and end plugs.

[Crazcnuk]

Other than cost don't be scared to buy a complete gasket set. You will be amazed how handy it is having gaskets on hand!

[MindWebs]

check out partnmore.com and see what they have for your wheels.

prices are ok.

[b.walker5]

Permatex or Yamabond will suffice but if your really desperate to have a gasket you can print out a template and make your own from here.. http://www.benefiscal.co.uk/forum/in...43573#msg43573

[jamak]

leaky cover

Thanks. Permatex it is. I have no need to spend my hard earned unnecessarily. Any special type, silicon, etc. ? Permatex makes a lot of stuff.

CB, I know you're well versed here. My front brakes are making a clicking/ticking noise not unlike the old card-in-the-spokes trick you used as a kid. They squeak like mad too.It stops when I apply the brakes. Pads? I don't see anything loose or hanging. Speedo drive is tight, fluid level is good. The bike sat for a long time, but was running.
I'm trying to avoid anymore repeat posts on here. I found some on the above way down the list after I posted this, but didn't see one on this.
Thanks.

[CatatonicBug]

As far as the Permatex goes, any of the hi-heat ones will work. My new favorite is the stuff in a can called "the right stuff". It's a little more expensive, but the application is much easier.

As for the brakes - Are you sure it's the brakes? Does it make the sound when you just spin the wheel? You might try loosening the calipers and re-tightening. Have you had the calipers apart lately? If it sat a while, you need to take the piston out and clean the internals. Also try taking the speedo cable out of the housing and see if it still makes the noise.

[Ivan]

when you apply the permatex, use your finger to smear a nice layer on the surface of the head. Its rather difficult to get the valve cover back on with the silicone not rubbed off on the tops of the cam caps.

[b.walker5]

Remember that "less is more". Silicon is NOT oil soluble and any excess squeezed out inside the cover can get into unwanted places and cause infinite trouble. Over did some on a Kawasaki 400 years ago and the excess blocked an oil gallery. Found out the hard way when the engine siezed at 100km/h on a corner on a wet road. I slid on my arse for about 200 metres into the path of an oncoming car. The bike was sliding right behind me on it's own oil slick as the left engine cover ground off on the blacktop and dumped all it's oil. Fortunately the car moved, and the bike stopped before I did. Walked away with nothing more than bruised arse and bruised pride, and a new respect for silicon sealer.

[Ivan]

Sorry, but on the XS11 and most other engines I have worked on, the silicone would have to make it past the oil pump pickup screen, the extremely close meshing of the gears in the pump and then on past the micron measured paper filter medium before it ever saw the first and largest galley. Only way that stuff could sieze up the engine is if the screen, pump and filter failed, but even then, the engine would be dead long before that. The only possibility for oil starvation would be if there were enough slivers of silicone to plug the oil pickup screen. In which case engine noise, overheating, loss of power and general grumpiness would proceed complete catastrophic failure.

On some much older engines the filter was like a brillo pad that just trapped the stuff smaller than the average 2000 pound hay bail, where I could see the possibility of that happening. However, those engines were mautre in the obscelecense cycle well before the cure in place gasket was in common use.

I guess what I am trying to say is that while not entirely impossible, silicone slivers in oil galleys is less apt to happen than much more commpn problems that plauge engines, like falling out of the vehicle its installed in.

[b.walker5]

Murphys Law has it that "if it can happen, it will, somewhere, sometime" Just saying what i have experienced. If others can learn from it then well and good, if they chose not to then well and good too.

[jamak]

leaky cover

Thanks CB. I'll try all of that, see if the clicking goes away. The squeeking is annoying, but that could just be pads that need replacing. I tried to peek in the window on the caliper, but there's no 'red line' visable, so I'll go the full route to check 'em out.
Both points taken on the permatex guys. But I'm a safe than sloppy kind of guy; I'll err on the side of sparing application. My plan, actually, is to see if the old gasket is still in one piece, and reuse it, WITH permatex. If these are like the old Honda OHC 4's, that gasket is pretty tough neoprene, and can be reused. I'll have to evaluate it when I get it apart.
I can tell you it has gotten a lot worse the past 500 miles though. It looks like it's starting to weep out of the cam caps too. Might have to do this sooner than later.
Once I get the clutch and cam chain adjusted,(waiting on more gaskets), and determine where I'm smelling gas, I might be good to go. The rubber boots between the carbs and the head look like they could be the source. The petcocks look dry and I see no apparent leakage. I'll pull the air cleaner and check that too.
Appreciate all the input.

[cywelchjr]

When I smelled gas on mine it turned out to be the petcocks. Slight weepage from the gaskets that putting a partial kit in fixed (didn't do the diaphragm because of the short nose on the plunger, but I took the o-ring off the new one and replaced it on the original and that stopped the not sealing problem fine.

As for the clutch, I didn't use a gasket on mine, I just cleaned them up good, and used yamabond on there. Being nice machined parts, it has not leaked at all, not even that slight film of oil you very often see from a gasket. And I don't have to worry about taking it off, just clean off the yamabond, put some more on there and seal it back up.

I found how well that can work on my 400, as with it's head design you CAN'T use a gasket, just yamabond since the cam actually rides in the head and cam cover directly, so it has to be an extremely close machine fit, I figured if it works there, the clutch cover will be fine, and has been for coming up on a year now.

[CatatonicBug]

I agree. I've done several of the 2nd gear fixes, and NEVER used a gasket. That includes the clutch cover, oil pan, and shift cover for each one. Getting the old gaskets off is a pain, and the permatex comes off super easy if you need to. The gaskets are like tar paper, and are not very tough. Being paper, they also have the possiblity of wicking oil out through themselves (in theory anyway).

Personally, I would avoid using actual gaskets.