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How many times can you reuse a value cover gasket or should you replace each time?

Thanks

Micky

I presume you are asking about getting more value from your "Valve" cover gasket

I reuse mine 3 times, for a total of four uses, and rotate the inner seal 90 degrees each time so their is fresh gasket under the dimpled area.
There are different instructions about doing this, but the only time I had one leak was when I didn't rotate it.

Thanks

I am going to replace the inner seal I will examine the cover gasket and go from there.

Micky

I figure I'll replace the gasket when it leaks? I'm about to do my 72,000 valve adjustment (a little late...) and still have the original gaskets. I did buy a few extra donut gaskets since they can sometimes give me a problem going back in correctly but I still haven't used them. Maybe I'll put the new ones in this valve adjustment and keep the old ones as spares.

Once I'm done with the vavlve adjustment, I verify the bike doesn't have any leaks. so far, so good!

+1 on what John said. I've had my valve covers off several times and have never had them leak when cleaned and re-installed properly. Including the head and valve cover surfaces as well.

I have had some leaking problems though when changing the antifreeze in the radiators. Not sure what's going on there.

I've never changed mine. No leaks.

Just take the cover off carefully and clean up the gasket with paper (kitchen towel or similar works well), including the inner one, and be gentle when re-assembling.

Also - ensure you wipe off ANY oil on the head and cover mating areas.

towerworker wrote:I have had some leaking problems though when changing the antifreeze in the radiators. Not sure what's going on there.

Obviously, you're not putting the radiator cap on all the way. RTFM!

Hi towerworker, I am sure it has to do with the counter clockwise swirl not working very well with the water pump designed in the northern hemisphere

I replaced mine at 66000, they were beginning to feel a bit hard, but I have never had a leak.

The plastic oil fill plug will go bad eventually, and I recommend changing that out for either a new one or a metal one (A&S has 'em), mine started leaking at around 75000 miles, but I think others have had it go bad way before that...
I bought the BMW replacement kit at the beginning of the season, then before I installed it I found the metal one, and put that in instead. I like it a lot.

they have several flavors, this is the one I bought:

https://www.ascycles.com/detail.aspx?ID=1912

I had the dealership do my 12,000 mile maintinance and they insisted on replacing my valve cover gaskets as part of the charges. I am not even sure if they actually replaced them or just charged me for them.

11

towerworker is not only still paying for the antifreeze, but also for the Helium/NOS they pumped in the tires, the charge was like $2800, but the bike sure is light and fast........

Don't listen to towerworker. One of the reasons I traded my bike was because of his bad advice. He told me to use the Helium and coolant...so I put the Helium in the radiator and the coolant in the tires...My bike was so light it almost floated.