Float bowl gasket prep?

Hello, all.

My 1997 KZ1000P started to seep gas out of several of the float bowl gaskets. I didn't have the time so I let my local Kaw mechs go to it. The two guys in this shop, Folsom Moto (was Mountain Moto) both worked for the dealer that sold and serviced the County's KZs back in the day. I asked if they were going to "Pemco" the paper gaskets during installation. They said they never prep paper gaskets. I've always done so. What is the correct practice?

Cheeers,

Dave

I never put anything on the carb bowl gaskets be them old or new.

I've always put mine on dry and never had a leak. Plus it makes them easy to re-use, and if you do replace them they are very easy to remove. Ed

Another vote for dry. In fact, I install almost all motorcycle gaskets dry.

I always lightly grease both sides of plain paper gaskets .
It allows them to settle evenly and stops them dry bonding and tearing on removal.
Some paper gaskets will ' wick ' oil or fuel and I have found most replacement float bowl gaskets to be prone to this.
Greasing them will reduce the porosity and stop the leaks.

imon_2nd wrote: Hello, all.

My 1997 KZ1000P started to seep gas out of several of the float bowl gaskets. I didn't have the time so I let my local Kaw mechs go to it. The two guys in this shop, Folsom Moto (was Mountain Moto) both worked for the dealer that sold and serviced the County's KZs back in the day. I asked if they were going to "Pemco" the paper gaskets during installation. They said they never prep paper gaskets. I've always done so. What is the correct practice?

Cheeers,

Dave

Those gaskets can never seep gas if the floats/valves are working and adjusted properly. That keeps the gas level correct. There is also an overflow pipe in case of flooding, but the bowl gaskets were never intended to seal gas from flooding out.

Actually, they do on my GPz when it is on the sidestand because it leans so much. :ohmy:

Just leaning the bike in normal riding conditions momentarily puts the fuel level above the height of the gasket.
Try riding with no gaskets and see what happens.
Even riding in a straight line will cause the fuel to surge fore and aft.
The gaskets ARE there to seal the float chamber and prevent spillage, why else would you have a gasket..

I agree zed1015. I also enjoy the twisies, and it would be unfortunate if they started leaking while I was dragging a peg in a curve.
However, I have never used anything on them and they have never leaked. And I have never used OEM gaskets.

imon_2nd wrote: Hello, all.

My 1997 KZ1000P started to seep gas out of several of the float bowl gaskets . . . .

Perhaps inapplicable to the carbs at hand, but some float bowls, when over-tightened, may acquire slightly deformed ears (where the screws go through) which prevents the bowls from fully mating and sealing against the carb boby when assembled.

Possibly, using two gaskets might seal the connection between bowl and carb, but it may be possible to carefully return the bent ear [no pun intended] to its original position, and thereby re-align the mating surface so that the gasket will seal as designed.

Good Fortune!

I have always used Vaseline petroleum jelley on ALL my gaskets, seals, and O-rings. It makes the putting together and removing easier on them.

I agree. Leaking gaskets usually mean carb needle sealing issues. Not a bad gasket. An old school trick is to place some very fine sand paper on a glass plate and put your float bowls on the paper face down and wet sand them flat. It's amazing how well this works and in just a few rubs, it's easy to see if the surfaces are distorted. Do this and install new gaskets. Set your float needle levels and make sure that your float needles arent grooved. You'll have no leaks. NOTE: This wont work on carb bowls with the long overflow pipes.