Scan 'em if you got 'em - VF500F Head Gasket Patterns

Lol - see post 31, 32 above

Good eye on the gaskets, I had not looked at them that closely.

 

Oops! I had only seen the post about buying the kit from the seller in the UK!

 

No worries at all...I haven't received the Gasket Kit A yet - I'll post these patterns when they arrive.

Re. the eBay auction - they are two different patterns - the one in the package is for an '84 VF500F rear head (according to the seller) the other is the front head gasket which fits all years.

 

They both have the port for the blow by emmissions that is only on the rear cylinder, so they must both be for the rear.

 

If you have a chance, would you mind circling this area on the image and posting here?

The seller specifically gave me the Honda part number on the sealed gasket as 12252-MJ8-405 which is the rear head gasket for the '84 VF500F.

The coolant passages have different designs so I was thinking (and the seller said) that the other gasket was for the front head...perhaps these are two rear gaskets as you are suggesting - one for the '84 and one for the '85 & '86...

 

Look at the picture of the head that you posted in post 17. See the big port in the top right corner? That's the one.

 

These fellas?

 

Them be the ones. So, both are rear gaskets.

 

...also an excellent example of the two different types of rear gaskets!!

Look at the differences in the small round hole on the left of each gasket. Note also the second coolant hole on the right hand ones. These are the differences that I was describing earlier in the thread and what this thread is all about. Now, which is the evolved gasket? My hunch all along is that the one on the right is the evolved gasket.

 

The gasket on the right should be the '85 & '86 version then.

Honda, from what I have gleaned, is very specific about part numbers so they must feel that the '84 rear head requires a different head gasket pattern compared to the '85 and '86.

Perhaps we can get a few photos of '84, '85 and '86 front and rear heads, posted here, to see if there are also changes in the coolant passage layout/design across the three years.

 

I received the OEM '84 Gasket Kit 'A' today...





The front gasket looks to be a bit different...

 

Image rotated and mirrored for clarity:



vs.

 

Yep, that is the early 84 design just like the left hand one in the ebay picture. I should have gone back and corrected my note with my scan. My scan is clearly the later design with the closed and reduced cooling passage holes, so not an 84.

Who did you order from?

 

I ordered this - Gasket Kit 'A' - through a seller, located in the UK, on eBay. I checked with several sources here in the states and David Silver Spares in the UK and this gasket kit is NLA. The seller has several in stock - I noted the eBay auction number in a previous post in this thread. Shipping was reasonable and the kits are priced below what was the list price.

 

Here is the rear head gasket for the '84:





I noticed that the front gasket is stamped 'L - RJ' and the rear is stamped 'J' (see arrow above). Perhaps 'J' references the earlier style with 'M' being the later style...

 

According to his current auction he has more than 10 available.

*NEW* HONDA VF500 VF 500 TOP END GASKET SET 1984-1985 on eBay.ca (item 230135284186 end time 08-Aug-10 11:48:15 EDT)

It is more expensive that the kit at part-n-more, but theirs is the later design. It sure would be nice to know for certain why Honda made the change. I still can help but think that it was a evolution.

 

Is the kit at part-n-more OEM? Thx!

 

"Fits Honda VF500C (83-85) V30 Magna, VF500F (83-85) Interceptor.1
34 piece Top and Bottom End Engine Gasket Set, Includes Head and Base Gaskets, Valve Stem Seals, Exhaust Manifold Gaskets, and all O-rings. 1
High Quality, Made in Italy by European OEM suppliers Athena.1
This is the most complete Gasket Set available from the aftermarket."

Ignore the 83 typo.

https://www.partsnmore.com/motorcycle-gasket_sets.php?make=honda&category=gasket_set

Someone else here used them. That is how I found them. $76.

 

Yes, I've seen these listed. I am not sure of the quality but the price is very reasonable. Vesrah also makes kits for the '85 and the '86...

http://vfrworld.com/forums/1st-2nd-generation-1983-1989/27592-vf500f-gasket-sources.html

I am always a fan of going with OEM - if possible - but as parts are getting harder to find it's very good to have other aftermarket options.

 

Here is the '85 and '86 rear head gasket (12252-MJ8-406) - note that the gasket is stamped 'M':