Engine Just Blew??

Any good posts on the dry block? I'm assuming they use the direct-to-head type oiling, but the block passages must be blocked off? What about the oil return? Just curious about that possibility. I think I have a slight seep at my base gasket too.

yes u would hve to block the oil passage. i'm not sure how that is gone. there is no oil return . thoil just lows out and drins back into the sump, as normal.
i hate leaks. the dry block my be a future project. there are a couple hear somewhere. tuxedotito has 1.
PM me your email addy and i'll send u a file .

79MKII wrote:

My valve cover gasket should be here today or tomorrow. Now I have to decide exactly what to do to try and stop the madness. I was talking about the silicone all over the gasket thing just last night. It's just weird that I never had to do anything like that before.

I also have a new can of gasgacinch and that's supposed to be pretty good stuff. Here's the really strange part though - I helped my friend rebuild his top end ('80 LTD 1000 with chronic base gasket seepage)and we used gasgacinch for the first time on everything. It worked super great on the base gasket, head gasket, and all other gaskets EXCEPT the valve cover gasket. He had a blow out right above his front left cam end plug. We just replaced it with another gasket and it's slipping out in the same area. It's not leaking yet but it appears to be only a matter of time. The bolts are tight, the surfaces are clean, the gasgacinch was applied and it still looks like it's going to slip out. There were no upper end components changed that would cause a valve cover seating issue and it doesn't leak anywhere else. I had never seen this problem before in over 25 years of owning KZ's and now I can't rebuild one without the valve cover gasket blowing out!! :S

Sounds like you're probably putting too much torque on the valve cover bolts. No matter how many you work on, there's always something that shows up on one that never did on 50 previous motors....

OEM gaskets are the best way to go but so expensive. Veserah are also pretty good.

If it continues to be a situation, you might try using a spring loaded prick punch on the surface. Put some little sharp edge dimples in for the gasket to bite to.

Another thing that will surely cure that is put case sealer on the surface or gasket. Just put it on one surface though and you might get lucky with reusing the gasket at valve adjustment time.

I have a gasket too that takes biscuits. Leaves a nice, slightly scuffed finish on surfaces. Allows the gasket to get hold of the metal.

hey i used a Athena gasket kit when i did my KZ750, i havent seen any neoprene, dosent mean they arent out there.

oh and i havent had any leaks with around 1,200 miles on it so far

This works for me every time thus no leaky!
I also add a little dab of Permatex gasket maker over the top of the cam end caps (mine are aluminum caps)....

That's what I used this last time - even that stuff didn't save me when the bolts came loose.

As far as overtightening the bolts - the gasket doesn't squeeze out, it gets blown out later while riding, after the bolts loosen up. If anything, maybe I didn't go tight enough? Whatever the reason is, I'll be checking the bolt torque more frequently and using loc-tite this time.

Thanks for the tips.

"bolts loosen up"...

I also use this on the SS bolts to aluminum threading, wonder if this is making a difference as well....

Yea, it's strange that the stainless bolts come loose in the aluminum head - normally you'd get galling from that which would make it tighter. I'm not sure what would cause them to loosen other than the new gasket crushing and the engine heating and cooling. Maybe they would have stayed tight if I had re-torqued them at least once.

Very good idea on the cam cap bolts - those steel bolts like to pull out aluminum threads for sure.

I hope to get it together tonight or tomorrow night and we'll see how it goes this time...

I use that crap on the valve cover bolts as well....

Actually on all my SS bolts to aluminum throughout the engine, side covers, pan cover bolts, engine/head etc...

Now on my original engine break in period, sure some bolts loosened up especially the head bolts but that was/is expected....

Maybe due to additional compressions in your build....
I like the lock tight idea but for one thing... We get into the valve cover quite a few times a year for valve adjustments and such and that crap seems to accumulate over time....

Maybe a flat and lock washer on your bolts.... I know, I know but if it holds what the hell....

If you come up with a solution let us know for if happening to you, it's going to happen to others as well....

One thing for sure, fix her for your KZ is just so damn beautiful and oil all over just wont work... I mean damn it, the motor is so clean I'm like, WTF does he even ride this thing....

I've been considering washers as well. I have some matching ss flat washers in that size but I'd have to find the lock washers. Maybe that's the way to go. I know what you mean about getting in and out of that valve cover. That's the thing I don't like about the loctite idea.

Thanks for the compliments on the bike. I've only got 180 miles since the rebuild, so I haven't ridden it much. Besides, I'm always having to wipe off the oil so it stays clean that way!:laugh:

are your bolts threaded to top or do they have a shoulder on them,could shoulder be botteming out against threads in head ?