Gasket questions

I reassembled my kz750 and started to repaint and noticed the base gasket was split and sticking out where the oil passage is located.I put a small amount of gasket maker around the o rings,not sure that caused gasket to push out.With o ring and gasket maker will it leak?If I need to replace base gasket can I reuse the head gasket? This is a four cylinder .

Onther question,when I took the cam chain tensioner off I noticed the top bolt had epoxy around the tip,the hole is stripped.Is there enough aluminum there to drill and tap one size up?

Foulnd a gasket at a local shop but it's for up to an 82 Ltd and mine bike is a 83l3.Will this gasket work? I think he said it was for an H model.

Since you need to breakdown the engine to the base gasket, I strongly advise you to replace ALL gaskets and seals from the base gasket on up. This work will include, not not limited to: base gasket, head gasket, valve cover gasket, valve stem seals, oil passage O-rings, cam chain tensioner O-ring, and anything else I forgot to mention. Go to a site like Partzilla.com and you can look up the various part numbers for all these parts and also see what other model bikes these parts fit. Sometimes you can get the part number and then hit ebay and find the parts for cheap.

Piecing together a gasket kit this way is greatly preferable to purchasing some crappy aftermarket gasket kit which very well may leak.

I just rebuilt the top everything is new.Engine still out of bike that's why I was hoping to reuse head gasket.

G-Force wrote: I just rebuilt the top everything is new.Engine still out of bike that's why I was hoping to reuse head gasket.

Ahh, that's different.

I had a similar problem when rebuilding my 750 engine. One valve was tip cut to much so I had to pull the head after install and replace it. I was going to reuse the head gasket however since I used sealer on it per instructions in the factory service manual, the gasket stuck and separated a little so I just replaced it.

I picked up the base gasket for $10 and he gave me what left of gasket kit(versha) and said to use some copper sealer on head gasketAnd it should be fine.Going to pull it apart this weekend,I'm going to seal down base gasket this time though.

G-Force wrote: I picked up the base gasket for $10 and he gave me what left of gasket kit(versha) and said to use some copper sealer on head gasketAnd it should be fine.Going to pull it apart this weekend,I'm going to seal down base gasket this time though.

The Athena base gasket I used on mine did exactly the same thing. After first run, it hardened and split and started coming out of the gap. I ended up buying gasket material and making a new one, but you will certainly want to replace it for sure. The full torque of the head bears down on it and if it is at all flaky, you will have nothing but problems.

G-Force wrote: I just rebuilt the top everything is new.Engine still out of bike that's why I was hoping to reuse head gasket.

I reused the new head gasket after I had to tear it apart again after a couple of hundred miles to replace the base gasket. Sealed the head gasket with the copper spray sealant and it worked OK. But it's a risk reusing a head gasket.

I strongly suggest using Jaquish Motorsports
stores.ebay.com/Jaquish-Motorsports

High quality gaskets for the price, stands behind his product. Replace the head gasket, it has been torqued on. Ask yourself if the cost of a replacement gasket is worth having to do a tear down again do to leaky gasket. just my .02

kaw-a-holic wrote: I strongly suggest using Jaquish Motorsports
stores.ebay.com/Jaquish-Motorsports

High quality gaskets for the price, stands behind his product. Replace the head gasket, it has been torqued on. Ask yourself if the cost of a replacement gasket is worth having to do a tear down again do to leaky gasket. just my .02

I agree with everything he says