Valve cover gasket?

[leatal]

Thinking out side of the box but anyone consider the pressure inside the crankcase over pressurizing and causing the weakest link (cam cover gasket) to blow out? The stock crankcase breather is working in a low pressure area thus creating a slight vacuum in the case. Maybe using after market filters, running the case breather into ambient air and then adding an additional filter to the breather hose, causing more of an over pressurization? Just a thought.

 

[warp9.9]

I have a hard time believing choice of oil would have anything to do with the gasket.

I put more faith in the words of @sonny , @Speedy , @Rocket Scientist , @warp9.9 -- I liken it to making southern biscuits.

A recipe might say, "Mix 2 cups of flour with 8 tablespoons of butter, and add a cup of buttermilk. Make 2" rounds, and bake at 425ºF"

There are 10,000 or more ways to do that, and NOT have biscuits. There are a mere handful that yield delicious biscuits of the correct consistency.

The devil is in the details here.

Is the gasket flat ?

Is the head flat ?

Is the head scrupulously clean ?

Have the bolts been lubricated ?

Can the cover be placed on the head without dislodging the gasket ?

Do you have the patience to torque the bolts in sequence ?

Do you have the clearance to actually get a torque wrench on each bolt ?

What about the shaved lard you were talking southern biscuits right not gaskets oh and that should be whole butter milk not none of the fat reduced (flavor reduced)crap

 

[Jvheli]

Thinking out side of the box but anyone consider the pressure inside the crankcase over pressurizing and causing the weakest link (cam cover gasket) to blow out? The stock crankcase breather is working in a low pressure area thus creating a slight vacuum in the case. Maybe using after market filters, running the case breather into ambient air and then adding an additional filter to the breather hose, causing more of an over pressurization? Just a thought.

Honestly Lee, I think it all comes down to factory or owner install that pinches the gasket with one of the shoulder bolts, gets oils where it shouldn't and the gasket spits out. Done with a little care and zero leaks.

 

[Boog]

I took a good look at today and could not find any bulging. The bike has 65K miles thus far and this seems to be one part that is actually holding up fine despite years of hard riding.

 

[Grumpy Ole Codger]

I took a good look at today and could not find any bulging. The bike has 65K miles thus far and this seems to be one part that is actually holding up fine despite years of hard riding.

Now you've gone an jinxed it

 

[barbagris]

I took a good look at today and could not find any bulging.

Poor Mrs Boog!

 

[Rocket Scientist]

Somewhere near 80,000 miles on mine. Still running factory installed gasket, it's been opened up probably 5 times now. I clean the surfaces and put it together dry. Still no leaky. Maybe the newer gaskets are shiite ?

 

[Joesmoe]

I still think this is similar to the challenge of making biscuits.

It would be useful if you could give some thought to those five times, and what you did, and what you didn't do, such as replace the bolts - re-use the bolts and replace the washers - re-use both bolts and washers, what kind of goo on the four half-moons, and so on. Are the throttle bodies always off ? I can find no direct line-up for all twelve bolts with the torque wrench, so what tools, techniques do you use to have some confidence in meeting the specified torque values. All in the details.

 

[Rocket Scientist]

I still think this is similar to the challenge of making biscuits.

It would be useful if you could give some thought to those five times, and what you did, and what you didn't do, such as replace the bolts - re-use the bolts and replace the washers - re-use both bolts and washers, what kind of goo on the four half-moons, and so on. Are the throttle bodies always off ? I can find no direct line-up for all twelve bolts with the torque wrench, so what tools, techniques do you use to have some confidence in meeting the specified torque values. All in the details.

All bolts and washers are original. I can only remember having the gasket completely removed once. I used a little Loctite black RTV in the scallops. Don't use the Permatex $hit, it WILL make your gasket squeeze out. Learned that on my Harley. I've never used a torque wrench on my cover. Just tightened them in a criss cross pattern stating in the center and working towards the ends. Torque really isn't critical on these bolts as they are shouldered. When the shoulder touches it puts the correct amount of squeeze on the gasket. Tightening any farther than that just stretches the bolts and strips the holes. It doesn't put any more pressure on the gasket. I probably tighten them to about 10nm. Just enough so they don't rattle loose.

 

[Joesmoe]

Thank you !