valve cover gasket

I searched but i couldnt find any real info, ims ure i could if is pent longer, but by the time thats done i could just as easily open the engine up and see for myself. im about to crack open the valve cover to replace the gasket cause im leaking oil. Are there any other seals/parts that i need to replace, other than just the standard gasket? my friend has the repair manual but its miraculously disappeared for the last month, so im on my own, any pointers, or maybe a walk through? Anything else i should check/adjust while im in there?

oh, its a 1979 KZ1000 E-1 (Shafty)

thanks in advance for the help,
Dan

The rubber end plugs sometimes get hard with age and leak.

You would want to check valve clearances while the cover is off.

You might want to make sure the tach seal is still good. Also adjust the valves while your in there.

After tiring of buying and waiting for new pre-cut gaskets, I tried making my own gasket the other day for my 550's valve cover. It probably took me an hour total, but it only cost a couple bucks from the auto parts store for a sheet of gasket material, I didn't have to wait for anything, and it's worked perfectly - no leaks. I put a thin fim of RTV on both sides of the gasket before I installed it to make sure it sealed well. That might not have been necessary, but I figure it's less of a PITA to scrape silicone off the mating surfaces next time I have the cover off than to scrape the gasket material itself off, which is pretty time consuming. Just a thought. I didn't have to deal with a tach cable on mine.