Headgasket question

[Magua]

Suzuki want $150 for a headgasket for my rg150. I've been shown a shop that can wip one up for me for $50 + gst. Thing is they can't put those studs you see in the photo.

From what I can remember (i've been trying to put it back on in the same way) those studs remain outside when the head goes back on. So to me it seems like they wouldn't be required?

[Ixion]

Hm. What goes through those holes? If it is only (only!) a stud or bolt you might get away with using a copper washer or suitable bit of copper shim stock as a separate spacer. Best not to leave the gasket element out completely you could get distortion issues . Depends on what purpose the bolt/stud has, but Suzuki included a sealing element there for some reason. But make absolutely sure the spacer washer is not thicker than the gasket , when both are compressed. If it's just a spacer requirement fibre might be better.

If it's not just a plain bolt/stud (water channel ?) then you definately need the sealing

[imdying]

That sounds like a fair assumption without having seen it.

[SimJen]

Do you really need a new one? most often you can just reuse it.

[Brian d marge]

Very quick reply, just dashing out door

the gasket is there , so that the surfaces can be made to a lesser tolerance. the sealing agent is there so that a good seal is garrenteed in a production line situation.

If you lapp 2 surfaces fine enough you would be hard pressed top separate then, Slip guages for example.

With my Cr I lapp both barrel and head together then use copper gasket spray. they havent leaked yet !

The material you choose also effect heat transfer , on My older Royal Enfield I also lapp the head, to help with heat flow but it has a lip to help sealing

Just take care with the surfaces and you should be right

the sticky out thing in phot I think is just a sticky out thing
Stephen

[Racey Rider]

KR150 head gasket..... $35 :corn:

:nya:

On the KR, those bumps are just there to aline the gasket. Not really needed, as the head bolts aline gasket anyway.
But not sure about the RG system.

[Magua]

Okay, here's a pic of cylinder, head and gasket. It seems that the studs are definately not included in the sealing of the cylinder and head. Therefore not needed?

[Ixion]

I'd be inclined to agree. On the old gasket are there any marks that would indicate that anything ever tightened up on it ? But certainly from those photos I can't see any purpose for the gasket lug. Always makes me a tad uneasy though , such things. But sometimes it's cos they use the same part for a diferent model.

[Magua]

OK I suck as using macro mode on my camera. But there is a clear line visible, it's never been tightened as has been open to the elements. I'll pop into the engineering shop today or tommorow and order one then. :D

[imdying]

Being a small two stroke, perhaps it's there to help with gasket or head removal come rering time?

[stanko]

The gasket is probably 2 or 3 layers of metal. the stud is just the rivet holding them together in alignment.Because it is thicker than the gasket they just let it hang over the edge. The only other places they could have it was in the cooling channels or in the combustion chamber , neither ar good choices. just psray it with copper spray and re use it, keeping an eye on your coolant for a few days

[Motu]

Genuine is always nice - but it's fun to experiment.....

[Magua]

Aye, I just noticed the several layers. Well, I'm a way off from attaching the head anyway, so I'll deciede closer.

[Ixion]

Mr Stanko's theory sounds very probable. I do not see any other eyelet holding it together. Usually they do this round a water passage ort the like, but there is not so much to play with on these little gaskets. Makes sense.

[Motu]

Looking at my XT cyl base gasket it has the construction - 3 rivets that sit outside the flange base.So definatly a construction thing.

[Pixie]

sticky out thing is wot t'robot holds on to when assembling t'motor

[FruitLooPs]

Yeah they hold the three bits together. I had the $150 issue myself, i just reused mine and its fine :yes:

I believe the rivet also has a rounded side and a flat one, i read somewhere you can use it to determine which way is up, like there is a standard for gaskets.

When I put mine together the tags didnt come into contact with anywhere that would matter at all really, so in theory you could go without.