Valve cover gasket VF750

Hey guys,

I finally got the bike back from the shop! What an ordeal, 4 and a half weeks to replace both tires, front valve gasket, front brake switch and fork seals! Anyway...

I noticed it's got an oil leak that seems to be at the back of the rear head closest to the tire. It also looks to be a valve cover gasket, when the bikes warmed up to running temps the leak appears and it drips down onto the exhaust. There's also a small puddle under the bike because the leak will continue until the bike cools down. Do I need to remove the engine to replace the gasket?

 

Google Docs heres the 83-85 shop manual, and no you dont have to drop the motor to remove the cover, though it is a tight fit

 

I doubt it's the valve cover gasket that is the cause. What makes them leak is not enough down pressure on them. There is a rubber grommet thingie that applies pressure to the cover to seal it under each bolt. These rubber grommets get permanently compressed and don't apply enough pressure to seal the valve cover gasket. That's what I have always found. I just put eight news ones on my 83 because of that. You can also use some thin washers on top of the grommet and below the chrome cover do-dad that sets on top. Or you can buy new ones here:

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Item #5. These guys ship fast also. But it may not be worth it because of shipping. I used two .030 shim washers on each of mine for years.

 

Thanks guys, especially for the manual! I think I'll take your advice and install the washers on the bolts but I may as well replace the gasket while I'm at it. I can clearly see small cracks in the gasket all along the cover. I can't pinpoint a leak at the rear of the head so I'm assuming it's leaking from the gasket and it only seems to do it once the engine has been running at operating temps for twenty minutes or so. While going down the road the oil drips can be seen burning off as it drops onto the exhaust. But I don't seem to be losing "much" according to the oil dipstick.

 

I had to do this to my 83's valve cover gaskets too. I picked up a handful of nylon washers that were 1/8" thick i believe, I had to trim the corners just a bit for them to fit into to cover but it did the trick.

I noticed the leak starting after a long day riding when it was 90+ outside.

 

Thanks for the tip WhoDak. Did you pick up those washers at a hardware? The only thing coming to mind is rubber washers for a garden hose!

 

ace hardware and probably homedepot will have nylon washers, they are a hard plastic, unlike the garden hose ones which are probably neoprene

 

I replaced the gasket and it seems to have been the culprit! The rubber grommets looked new to me and have plenty of flex it seems. I've ridden it a few times since the new gasket and all seems well. Thanks once again for the tips.