[MarcusPotts]

Hi all,



I have a pretty steady oil leak coming from where my crank case cover meets my crank case. Thinking about a new gasket? Anyone have ideas, thoughts, advice on this topic? My plan is to order it up, open the crank case and put the new gasket in, pretending all the while like I actually have a CLUE what I am doing! Hope you all have some thoughts...

 

[jonjon122]

yea.. new gaskets would fix that...

not a hard fix

 

[qwerty]

Invest in a hand impact so you don't end up dealing with stripped screw heads.

 

[tok-tokkie]

If it is the left side make sure the wires run in the groove. It is quite easy to trap them between the mating surfaces. Cover should fit all the way so it is tight against the crankcase by hand before tightening the screws.



I thought my bike was leaking like that but it turned out to be the oil seal on the engine side of the chain sprocket. My bike has a bash plate so it was not easy to see where the oil was leaking.

 

[MarcusPotts]

Mine is leaking on the right side. I was planning on draining the oil before I take the cover off. The impact driver is a great tip. Any others before I take her apart would be great!



Tok-Tokkie - mine is on the oil level indicator/starter side of the bike. I did have to take my skid plate off and clean some dirt and dried mud and oil off the engine to locate the leak.

 

[qwerty]

Be prepared to do some scraping to get the old gasket off. I've had the left side cover off several times and was always able to reuse the original gasket. I've had the right side cover off once, and it took 3 hours to clean the case of the old gasket.

 

[MarcusPotts]

Wow! That's a great tip, thanks. I would have been very disappointed - and confused - when the gasket didn't just slide right off the crank case/cover.

 

[MarcusPotts]

Will I use any chemicals or sealants or anything else in removal or application of the new gasket? Should I use a new set of screws when I put the crank case cover back on?

 

[qwerty]

No need for all that stuff, use a TIG welder.

 

[MarcusPotts]

Tig welder ... bit beyond my limited experience - and budget!



I took the crank case cover off tonight. I found that the screws, particularly in the lower side, were loose. I considered tightening them down again and skipping a new gasket. But I found, no matter how hard a I tried, a few of them just spun and spun, never seating themselves tight. So I took them off, finding that several screws were very loose in their slots - sloppy almost. I am ordering new screws tomorrow with a new gasket.



The screws being sloppy seemed really strange to me.



Additionally, what should I be careful with in scraping the gasket off. Will I scar that metal if I try to use a chisel or scraper?

 

[qwerty]

The cases and covers are aluminum. Very soft. A well sharpened paint scraper very carefully used to peal the gasket off. I've also used sigle-edge razor blades. Much care is required. If a bit of gasket is left, sutff rags in the case opening and try a bit of 600 grit sandpaper, very lightly.



If the screws won;t tighten up more than likely the previous owner stripped them out. Probably why he sold the bike. If you're lucky, he ruined the screws but the threads in the case will be okay. More than likely, the holes will need to be drilled and Heli-Coils installed to provide threads for the screws to hold to.



Once you get the screw situation sorted and are ready to reassemble the case cover, put a VERY thin layer of Permatex® Hi-Temp RTV Silicone Gasket Sealant on the case cover and fit the new gasket to over the RVT cout the case side of the gasket with a very thin coat of engine oil. This way the gasket will always stick to the case cover, release easily from the case, and likely be reusable several times. When the gasket does need replacing it can be easily removed from the case cover with an extra-fine sanding block, with the dust easily washed from the cover with brake cleaner, without risk of gasket bits from scraping and sanding ending up in the crankcase.

 

[RodneyReed]

When qwerty said "VERY thin layer of Permatex® Hi-Temp RTV Silicone Gasket Sealant", I think what he meant was, don't put any of that rtv stuff on your bike no matter what. First of all, your bike will look like crap from it spooging out the side, and even with "VERY" little, you run the risk of clogging up oil holes, and lastly, there is just no need for it. Go ahead and oil (or grease) the side that goes against the case, and leave the side that goes against the case cover dry. The dry side tends to stick to the aluminum on its own.



Did I mention that you should not use RTV? And if you have a tube laying around, take it out back and drop-kick it.

 

[qwerty]

VERY thin means wipe on with one finger, wipe off with a clean finger. If you can see it on the smooth parts of the mating surface, you've used too much. The purpose of the RTV is to fill any scratches from scraping, not to glue the gasket to the cover. After all, it is "gasket sealant", not "gasket glue". Most people use waaaaaaay to much of the stuff, and that creates problems. Some people use other products, like "gasket maker" instead of a sealant, and that causes problems, too. Used apropriately, it is good stuff.



This is the stuff you want. Don't use ANYTHING else. Use this stuff only, and only this stuff. Wipe on, wipe off, let set, apply gasket, coat other side with oil, then assemble. There will be nothing to break off inside the engine or clog oil passages if used correctly.



It really is a shame most people have bad experiences because they are too lazy and/or overconfident in their own abilities to read and follow label directions.

 

[Climbers TW200]

So the RVT sealant just is used to fill small nice and scratches in the cover, and the very thin layer of oil used on the gasket goes on the same side of the gasket that will go on the cover with the RVT?
this is correct?
Nothing needs to be put onto the engine or on the engine side of the gasket?

 

[littletommy]

So the RVT sealant just is used to fill small nice and scratches in the cover, and the very thin layer of oil used on the gasket goes on the same side of the gasket that will go on the cover with the RVT?
this is correct?
Nothing needs to be put onto the engine or on the engine side of the gasket?

Use the RTV as instructed, just a small smear, no extra. It will fill the nicks and scratches and give a little stickiness, then place your gasket on the cover, then a little grease or oil on the side of the gasket that is going towards the case, which will help seal it and also allow the cover to be removed later without ruining the gasket, so that it may be used again.

 

[mmclaughlin]

Two things,

1. If you are going to glue the gasket on, consider using Hylomar Blue and forget the gasket. Hylomar blue never really hardens, is reusable, and can be cleaned off with a stiff piece of plastic. You can still use the gasket if you need it for spacing or if it makes you feel better, but the Hylomar Blue doesn't need the gasket.

I first learned about Hylomar Blue from a guy who used to run a Harley shop. None of the Harley's he worked on ever leaked after leaving his shop, not even years down the road. I have used it on quite a few things and it is easy, clean, infinite working time, and you can break the seal loose and put it back without needing to clean, prep, or even put any more of the stuff on. It is night-and-day different from any gasket "adhesive" I had encountered before.

The Permatex that Qwerty mentioned is the stuff to use if you are limited to what you can get at a local parts shop. I ordered Hylomar Blue from Atlantic British for a little over $10, as I recall.

2. Helicoils are great, but if you have a bunch to do and/or any one of them gets messed up, let me know. I have a case half I will sell you for $20 plus shipping. $10 more on top and I will throw in the right side case cover.



Matthew

 

[Holdnon72]

I never heard of using a light coating of oil on gaskets? Ive always thought you want all your surfaces clean and dry?

 

[Purple]

You'll get a better earth for the TIG with a wipe of oil .......

 

[cnc200]

I agree that the female threads in the case cover are stripped out and that Helicoils are the proper solution. The male screw threads are probably fine, but the Phillips socket heads are most likely bad, too. What we used to do in the 70's was throw away ALL of the side cover screws and replace them with Allen head socket screws. That way, you can tighten them down and remove them on the trail, without having to carry an impact driver. They simply won't strip out, given any reasonable torque.
cnc200