Proper Gasket Installation – the James Gasket way

Gasket Installation Techniques and Considerations
In these tough economic times, many riders are choosing to service their bikes at home rather than take them to their local shop or dealership. This can be a way to save a few bucks on labor. Keep in mind though, a qualified mechanic at a reputable shop will back his or her work which will give you piece of mind down the road, if your skills are sketchy.

Whenever possible, if you are not skilled yourself, you should use a trusted shop to perform the service on your ride. As many of us know, a poor job can lead to greater problems than just a leaking gasket or seal. No one wants to be stranded on the side of the road when the idea was to take a nice ride, clear your head, enjoy some scenery and good times with good friends. A blown head gasket, for example, can lead to more damage, cost, and frustration than paying the bill at your local shop or dealership to have the job done right the first time.

Nevertheless, many of us are confident, skillful, and take pride in the work we do no matter the task. This article is intended to provide some insight on proper gasket installation for those of you inclined to perform service on your own bike. No matter the application, any time a gasket is being replaced there are certain general procedures one should follow to help insure a leak-free seal. The specifics may change depending on the application. But, the basics always remain the same.

It is important to keep everything clean and free of any foreign debris. This includes engine parts, gasket mating surfaces, as well as the gaskets and seals. All surfaces and gaskets must be free of oil, grease, dirt, debris and water. Thoroughly clean all gasket mating surfaces of any remaining material and adhesive left behind from removal of the previous gasket. Aluminum parts can be easily scratched or damaged if proper care is not exercised. It is recommended that you use a gasket removal compound, such as Permatex Gasket Remover, to remove any gasket material or adhesive that does not readily come off upon gasket removal. Several other manufactures, including Loctite, market spray-on or brush-on compounds that work in 15-30 minutes. Once the chemical has loosened or softened the debris, gently scrape away the remaining material being careful not the gouge or significantly scratch the gasket mating surface. Scrapers that hold a single-sided razor blade work well for this process.

We do not recommend using a whippy wheel or other high-speed apparatus on aluminum parts as this can, sometimes, push some of the debris into the metal or, worse yet, damage the surface if proper care is not exercised. If you must use a mechanical device, such as a drill, use it at low speed and do not “over-clean” or polish the castings gasket mating surface. On some castings, tool marks from the machining process are purposely left on the gasket mating surface. This technique is used to provide a surface that will bite into the gasket and keep it from creeping during service. This is especially important with the softer paper materials common in many applications.

Special attention should be paid to the threads; both internal and on the fastener itself. Dirty or damaged threads can lead to false torque readings and a potential gaskets failure. Thoroughly remove any remaining thread locking compound from all threads. The compound can build up in the bottom of a threaded hole and cause the fastener to bottom out and, again, giving a false torque reading. Carefully clean all of the threads with a pick or, ideally, a thread chase tap and blow out any remaining compound with compressed air. If you do not have a compressor, compressed air in a can is available from your local hardware store or office supply chain.

One of the most important seals on our bikes is the cylinder head gasket. Accordingly, special considerations apply when performing cylinder head gasket installation. Keep the gaskets clean throughout the installation process and, when possible, leave them in their package until you are ready to do the install. In addition to gasket quality, several factors come into play to achieve a durable, long-lasting seal. Let’s take a look at each of these issues and address the conditions and remedies.

The surface condition and finish on both the head and cylinder must be inspected for gouges, deep scratches, pitting, or metal erosion. Look for any flaws that create a depression, cavity, low spot, or ridge producing a potential leak path for oil or combustion gasses. Pay close attention to the areas around the cylinder bore where the head gasket armor or embossed bead lands as this is the most highly stressed area of the gasket. If such imperfections are found, the cylinder and/or head should be taken to a machine shop for refinishing to the original factory finish.

Inspect the condition of both the head bolts and cylinder studs for damaged threads. Replace cracked head bolts and nicked or gouged cylinder studs. Clean the threads of both with a wire brush and inspect for nicks, thread deformation, or warn threads. If any of these conditions exist, the stud or head bolt must be replaced. Harley-Davidson recommends replacing the studs after each use as some stretching may have occurred. However, this is not always feasible or necessary.

A key in minimizing the effect of torque loss is proper installation and torque procedure. Once the gasket is on the cylinder and the cylinder head is in place, apply a small amount of oil to the head bolt threads and under the head. Install each head bolt hand tight on both cylinders and verify proper alignment to the intake manifold. It is important to torque the heads down slowly and uniformly using a minimum 4-step tightening sequence.

Words: Ralph Cholez/ James Gaskets

This entry was posted in 45dgree Staff, Knowledge, Products, Tech & Mechanical and tagged , . Bookmark the permalink.

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