double gaskets

[supertex]

Can you double up on gaskets for engine covers? Mine are leeking and replacing them didn't fix the issue. I am a "wish I knew mechanic" so please help me out. Anything I can do would be helpful. I replaced both yesterday and found decent size puddle this morning on driver side. Could I have over torqued the bolts and if I did can that be reversed.

Sorry so many questions at once.

Thanks

[hondawolf]

Did you re-use the old gaskets? Did you try using any black silicon or gasket sealer? Sometimes I will use some rtv to help seal, when reusing old gaskets. Shouldn't have to torque the bolts down very tight. I would not recommend doubling the gaskets.

[supertex]

No I did not reuse gaskets but I didn't use sealant either. Should I empty, remove, and apply sealant. I looked before I attempted and could find sealant used in my repair manual, but I guess they would assume I knew.

[Kevin_70]

I wouldn't double up on the gaskets either. New gaskets and a sealant are your best bets.

[supertex]

what brand of sealant should I use?

[Jimtt]

You may not have cleaned all the old gasket material off both mating surfaces, it can take a while but it is absolutely necessary, Hondas don't leak.

[SwiftTech]

Also make sure to check the sealing surfaces. make sure they are flat and don't have any major imperfections/gouges in them.

[VT Viffer]

Be careful when removing old gasket material from aluminum surfaces - aluminum is a very soft material and can be gouged easily with a steel scraper or a razor blade.

DO NOT DOUBLE UP GASKETS, they will leak between each other.

[steven113]

As the other guys have said... do not double up on gaskets, make sure the surfaces are completely clean and free of gouges. if you feel you need to add some gasket sealant to your new gasket set(dont reuse the one you just put in). also buy a torque wrench and proporly torque the covers down with the correct pressure and sequence and there should be no more leaking problem.

[supervfr]

Go to a hardware store and get some sorta square or other tool that is perfectly straight (people at the store can help). put this over the surface and use a peice of paper inbetween the bike and tool (or even buy a feeler guage) to see if there are any areas where the flat surface of the tool is not flat against the bike part.

If the part is not perfectly flat then even a gasket will not seal it. some sorta gasket seeler can help. there is a small variance of warpage that can occur.

[supertex]

A little sealant and problem solved. Thanks for the help.