O-rings and grommets for tappet adjustment (plus a sealant question)

[scott-s]

 Engine is from a '00 GSX750-F Teapot.

 

 I have it out and on the lift. No better time to check/adjust valve clearances while I have easy access. Watching some videos online and I see mention of replacing a bunch of O-rings and gaskets. The O-rings around the valve cover bolts, oil feed line, the "mickey mouse" gaskets on the underside, etc.

 

 How often are the changed? Is it truly necessary to do it every time? If they're supple and not torn, can they be re-used?

 

 Also, it's suggested to use RTV around the valve cover gasket (which I DO have new). Any particular brand/kind? I'm in the US, so keep that in mind when making brand recommendations.

[dupersunc]

Find another YouTube channel. 

No rtv sealant should go near the rocker cover.

personally I just replace the o rings on the oil feed, the rest I reuse if it's in good condition.

[Jaydee]

Only place I ever use gasket sealant in that general area is under the 4 half moon parts of the rubber rocker cover gasket. (Where the head is line bored for the cams) Tiniest sliver needed. Don't go mad with it as the excess usually ends up in the strainer in the sump

A lot of the time it can be a perished seal which is an easy fix, just replace. Sometime the seal leaks because the threads on the softer cam cap are stripped/rung which means the bolt can't torque down on the seal causing it to weap oil. Remove cam cap and fit an m7 helicoil or timesert if this is the case. 

Never mind Youtube comments. Half of them know what they are talking about but the other half are full of shit with no mechanical  experience whatsoever. Knowing which half to listen to is the problem.

 

[scott-s]

 The Haynes manual I have also mentions using sealant in the groove in the valve cover and under the 4 half moons. Someone used it there before, but not excessively. I didn't see any on the head mating surface.

[Gixer1460]

In my case with a stroked engine getting the cover out and back in without the gaskets dropping off or being scraped off whilst trying to wriggle it out is a virtual impossibility without having them adhered  with some RTV in the grooves. I've tried the 'old skool' trick using grease and it'll get you so far, but it's a shit load of faffing around to put it all back together only for it to leak all to save a few dabs of silicone.

[B12Mick]

Stag Wellseal is great stuff to hold gaskets/O rings in place when snaking cam covers back on.

[Jaydee]

5 hours ago, Gixer1460 said:

In my case with a stroked engine getting the cover out and back in without the gaskets dropping off or being scraped off whilst trying to wriggle it out is a virtual impossibility without having them adhered  with some RTV in the grooves. I've tried the 'old skool' trick using grease and it'll get you so far, but it's a shit load of faffing around to put it all back together only for it to leak all to save a few dabs of silicone.

I leave the gaskets off 1 and 2. Feed the rocker cover over the cam chain from right to left. Then lift back the rear of the cover and slip back on the gaskets. Not hard to do. Saves trying to fish gaskets out of the cam chain tunnel. Easy on bandit 12's and slingshot 11's as there's just enough room. Probably more of a ball ache on other models with less clearance though. 

[Jaydee]

7 hours ago, scott-s said:

 The Haynes manual I have also mentions using sealant in the groove in the valve cover and under the 4 half moons. Someone used it there before, but not excessively. I didn't see any on the head mating surface.

I dont use any sealant in the rocker cover recess. When I lift off the cover, the rubber gasket stays on the head as its bonded to the half moons. When putting the cover back on, it's easy to track the gasket back along the recess till it the cover slots down evenly. 

I've worked on engines that had the rocker cover recess caked in old hard sealant. Once you put the cover back on, the rubber gasket weeps/pisses oil where old sealant stops it sitting right. 

I use a wooden ice- lolly stick bevel cut, to clean out the recess of any sealant and put clean rubber gasket on dry. Never suffer leaks if everything is clean.

[Gixer1460]

7 hours ago, Jaydee said:

I leave the gaskets off 1 and 2. Feed the rocker cover over the cam chain from right to left. Then lift back the rear of the cover and slip back on the gaskets. Not hard to do. Saves trying to fish gaskets out of the cam chain tunnel. Easy on bandit 12's and slingshot 11's as there's just enough room. Probably more of a ball ache on other models with less clearance though. 

As you've quoted my post, you either didn't read or understand my particular situation. My block / head are 6mm taller than standard - exiting sideways is not an option - mine MUST exit rearwards which entails removing carbs / throttle bodies / plenum and inevitably dragging the cover on the back of the head and dislodging the gaskets. Didn't say everyone had to do it this way, just why I do it this way!

Whilst mine is a peculiar situation, I've seen and commented on enough posts on here of 'mysterious' oil leaks above exhaust ports to know that whilst it maybe easy to do, many times the 'mickey ears' do get displaced and so leak - often weeks after any work being done. A bit of RTV won't do any harm (note the emphasis!) but can save a lot of frustration!

[Jaydee]

1 hour ago, Gixer1460 said:

My block / head are 6mm taller than standard

I did mention it would probably be more a ball ache on other models and not always inapplicable.