Head gasket

[strom]

Or the lack thereof...

After dunnohowmany miles, I discovered my main (head) gasket just sitting on the top of a closet in the garage. I checked, it should be in the engine... well, I guess I forgot to put it in :P

The engine DOES work without one LOL

Kids, don't try this at home....

gonna put in a new one... just in case...

LP

[randy]

If I remember my Yamaha history correctly, only the European models were designed to work without head gaskets. They were designed that way due to the anticipated lack of parts availability in Eastern Europe. Remember, this was before the Wall came down. Maybe we should ad this to the maintenance posts?

P.S. I just posted a bridge for sale on the Classified Forum. Pick up only. Located in Brooklyn, NY.

Sorry, couldn't resist!

[skids]

Lemmee guess... if you forgot to put the new one in, you probably forgot to take the old one out, right?

[strom]

Nope, took the old one out to have it duplicated by a guy I know (20$ against yammie original 100$ or so).
Never got around to it... :P

LP

[cbird]

Sometime's I worry that I myself am running around with no head gasket . Lead on, Strom!

[bikerhawk]

Well, I definitely know I have a head gasket, because it leaks. Wouldn't have anything to do with using it twice, now, would it???

Does anyone know of a cheaper source for replacements? I don't need a full set again, but even that can be found cheaper than a single factory head gasket.

[Snow]

Even the head gasket in the Wiseco big bore kit is less than $50 and that is a graphite gasket. In fact, I am getting ready to order my 2nd replacement as I find myself needing to pull the head yet again due to the realization that I forgot to do yet another thing when I had the head off...replace the valve seals... I had better make sure there is nothing else I need to do in there...

Btw, I believe the gasket maker is "Cometco" or something along that line.

[randy]

Right, Snow. Although the smallest bore size Cometic gasket is 76mm for 1148cc. On a stock motor it would leave a 2.25mm space around the cumbustion chamber which should not affect performance in the least. The Cometic part no is D1052 and sells for $41.68 according to their web site.

www.cometic.comwww.cometic.com

[xssiveone]

Originally posted by randy
The Cometic part no is D1052 and sells for $41.68 according to their web site.

Isn't the whole kit, including the head gasket, from Dennis Kirk, only about $75.00?

[randy]

The complete set from Dennis Kirk, by Vesrah is $100.99.

[TopCatGr58]

Hey there Snow,

When I first did my top end job, I had the engine together, torqued, but then did a bench compression test and found a bent valve!!!!! Had to tear it down to fix it and then put it back together with the same head gasket. The machine shop/ race bike guys said that it was okay with that head gasket from Wiseco, that they do it all the time. However, the bike had not been run!!! I'm assuming that you have had your engine running and that's how you've found your valve seal leaks!!

Randy, I have to disagree on how the engine might behave. The chamber seal of the gasket is reinforced with metal, and if it's larger than the required opening, it could cause some strange combustion patterns to occur in the gap between the head and cylinders, not to mention the proper amount of pressure being exerted on the cylinder edge from the head, but possibly beyond the sleeve edge and into the aluminum jug, and I don't believe that it's designed to hold up to that kind of temps and pressure vs. the steel sleeve!?!? Just theorizing here, but seems plausible to me!?

****Just checked the Cometic web page, and checked the VINTAGE models, they show the XS1100 gasket model #
C8046 available for $38.95 !!! This I believe is the "STOCK" version, vs. their overbore size!! Check it out!
T.C.

[randy]

Nice pick-up, topcat. I didn't even look at the Vintage section of the Cometic site. Sometimes you have to slow down to make progress. I forget who told me that, but he must have been a wise man or I wouldn't have remembered it.

I hold my opinion, though that 2.5 mm won't make a bit of difference in performance / sealing. Just to be sure, has anyone out there had a failure using this method? or a success? Please post it for the rest of us. Thanks.

[bikerhawk]

So does Cometic sell to individuals, or do they only work with distributors? I couldn't find an order page on their site (looks pretty new--some pages are still under construction), and the only phone number I could find was 440-354-0777. I guess I'll try calling them next week.

[strom]

A guy who makes gaskets charged me bout 20$ the last time. I brought the old gasket, so he could copy it. Put it in, worked OK, but when I replaced valve seals, I forgot to put it in.
My advice... find someone who makes the stuff.

LP

[strom]

Took off cyl. head today... definetly no gasket there. 3 hour job with a some ziggies and beer
Banged my hand twice when trying to loosen camshaft sprocket bolts and taking off the exhaust took the most time, since it didn't want to come off...

LP