Silicone with valve cover gasket

My 750 front valve cover gasket is leaking. Can I use silicone and the old gasket to reseal it.
Dealer does not stock it and wanted to do this weekend.

 

Product called PermaTex make several different products specializing in gaskets and sealers for different applications and temperatures.

 

I have had good results with Permatex black silicone, oil resistant, gasket maker-sealer in similar situations, but can't say with certainty that it will work in your application. Good luck!

 

Permatex, make sure you clean the old rubber gasket well. Clean the grove with brake clean and soak a rag with brake clean and wipe off the gasket seat well.
The black permatex is for medium temps. Blue is for medium to high. I have used blue without issues, but its not as oil resistant as black. When you get some, read the package carefully and select the correct one for your use. If you can use a higher temp one.

Use: place a small bead in valve cover gasket grove. Insert old gasket, apply small bead to exposed gasket face. Only enough to cover 1/3 of the width of the gasket face and make sure its centred. More is not better.

 

Thanks I am aware of all the products as I have been a mechanic for years. Just read a post somewhere Never to use RTV silicone on motorcycle valve covers made no sense to me so I thought I would ask the experts.
I have black, red, blue and grey.

 

I use Hondabond or Yamabond, it comes in a yellow tube, use it to bond your cases together too (since as you know, its really the glue that holds them together and not the bolts.)

Cheers

 

+1 on this. Hondabond/Yamabond (Pretty sure made by 3M, there is a 3Mbond that is the same stuff) are the best. They make a high temp version as well. I have done many engines and recently some VF750F valve cover gaskets and grommets, results always good.

 

I have used HondaBond a lot on small engines, works great, use sparingly, but completely.

 

Replace the bolt rubber seals before mucking about with the main seal. The bolt seals shrink and don't put pressure on the main seal.

 

Good looking out.
I had the same problem and replacing the 4 bolt rubber pieces on each valve cover cured the leaking.

 

I will also check the bolt rubbers, great idea. Thanks a lot.