Gaskets gaskets gaskets.

hello all,

I have a 1999 vfr 800 fixer-upper.

Sooooo I’ve just finished a new clutch instal and it all works and everything, BUT when I instal the gasket for the clutch cover it leaks. I’ve replaced it about 5 times, and feel like I’ve tried everything. I’ve used just a gasket, gasket maker (silicone), gasket+Honda bond(on the gasket itself and mating surfaces, Honda bond only on gasket itself, and Honda bond on the mating surfaces. I’m about ready to explode with frustration because I’ve bought so many gaskets. The mating surface of the clutch cover is slightly scratched from the razor blades I use to clean it every time and I’m not sure how many more times I can open it up without warping it. At this point I’m not sure what to do since I’ve tried everything I can think of or search on the internet.

 

place the cover on a flat surface and check that it makes even contact all around.

if you've mixed up any bolt lengths it could be a problem. it's important to tighten case bolts a bit at a time in 3 steps, working diagonally across.

putting in one bolt and just tightening it down is NOT the way to install a cover.

 

Yes, I do star pattern every time. In the 99 model of the vfr, all bolts are the same length. However I don’t do the recommended 12 or so nm of torque.

I’ll try checking if it’s warped that way when I take it off again.

 

A small scratch is usually all it takes to let oil seep by the gasket. I'd take a stone and go over the whole
mating surface and remove any nicks, high spots, and scratches. Let's face it, if it leaks it's either warped,
dinged, or scratched.

Also, check very, very closely for a crack. You may have one that doesn't show up until you put some pressure
on it by tightening the bolts. Since the bike is new to you, and you're having such issues, I'm leaning toward
this as your problem.

 

Might be kind of a dumb question... but like a literal stone? Or like a pocket stone for sharpening a knife?

 

Not a dumb question at all. I'm talking about something like a hard Arkansas/Inda stone. Very much
like what you use for sharpening knives, hard so you don't scratch just smooth out and remove
dings and scratches. I have several small, about 1" face, triangular stones that work pretty well.

 

Okay so I just took it off, dried off the gasket, used a stone the best I could, put hondabond on (only where the crankcase mating surfaces are) and let it dry for about 3 hours. Then I Took her out for a quick 10 minutes... aaaand still leaking, like immediately. Either reusing that gasket was a mistake or like FJ said, the cover is damaged.

Anyone know where I can get a new clutch cover that’s not $200?

 

it would be helpful if you could find precisely where it's leaking.

 

It really sounds like the case is cracked, maybe around a bolt hole from being over tightened. Like Squirrelman said, if you can find the spot it may be fixable for a lot less that the price of a new one. Or maybe a crack in a non-load bearing surface and some JB Weld can be used. Wonderful stuff.

Clean it off with alcohol completely around where it looks like it's leaking, then sprinkle on some flour in that area. The leak should show up and you can spot it easily.

 

So I took it off just now, and cleaned up the mating surface the best I could (bolt holes, and such not included) just to show the condition of the case cover. Anyways I have some pictures of the overall condition of the mating surface... is it too far gone? Grant it whatever hondabond has squeezed out from the million times that I’ve put this sucker on is still there. I’ll be cleaning it tonight. Also I found no cracks, and I’m going to do another warpage test tonight aswell. My dad tells me Grease + a piece of paper on a flat surface.

 

Those surfaces look good to me. There's no way they should leak. Don't forget to examine the mating surfaces
of the engine also.

 

Okay first off—
I want to thank you all for helping me through this trouble shooting. Im learning a lot, as this is my first “restore”.

Okay so I did a homogeneity test like before, and I did not find any warpage. However, I found a knick that runs all the way across the mating surface. It’s not deeper than anything in the pictures, but I figure I could put A thin layer of Honda bond on that one area. I inspected the crankcase mating surface too, and I couldn’t see anything worse than what appeared on the cover.

Moving forward, I just ordered a new gasket and I am planning on applying a thin layer of hondabond on expected problem areas and Tightening all the bolts to the service manuals specified torque. I’m hoping that every time I put the cover back on, I just didint tighten them all the way or something stupid like that. As of right now, I’m at a complete loss as to what or where the leaking is coming from.

Any suggestions before the gasket arrives?

 

If you're going to use gasket sealer, then use it all the way around, not just in a couple areas. You want the
sealing surfaces to be even all over.

Just a thought, I wonder if you aren't pressurizing the crankcase and forcing oil out through the gasket.
Maybe try just covering the oil fill hole with a rag or cloth instead of screwing in the filler plug. See if you
still leak. Just a total shot in the dark.

 

Okay so I may have messed up big time...

Tonight, as I was just butting everything back up I checked the service manual to see the torque settings for the cover’s bolts. 22 nm it said, as so I googled the lb foot conversion. 16.23lbs. So without thinking about it I proceeded to tighten, Star pattern, and was confused when I noticed a bolt wouldn’t go past 10lbs. I rechecked the book, and I was looking at the wrong torque spec. 9nm was for the crank cover. I had tightened them all just to 10lb when they really should have been at 5lbs. The threads might be stripped. I untightened all the bolts ever so slightly and I could feel some bolts come off with less pressure than others. They’re still tight right now but not 10lbs tight. How F’d am I? Could it be as simple as tightening to 5lbs (it’s actually specified torque) with some lock tight?

 

You could be pretty F'd, if you're unlucky. I think I'd try to tighten them all to the correct torque
settings and see how they feel. Unless you've got a very good 1/4" drive torque I wouldn't use a
torque wrench for that low of a setting. Basically 5 lb.ft. is snug, if you use a short-arm allen wrench
with no cheater, you should be okay.

 

[QUOTE="FJ12rydertoo, post: 586916, member: 8 Basically 5 lb.ft. is snug, if you use a short-arm allen wrench
with no cheater, you should be okay.[/QUOTE]

that's right !

people actually qualified to do work on their bikes know by feel how tight to turn a fastener and seldom use torque wrenches except for torques over about 20-30ft-lbs.

 

that's right !

people actually qualified to do work on their bikes know by feel how tight to turn a fastener and seldom use torque wrenches except for torques over about 20-30ft-lbs.[/QUOTE]


Thanks! One day I’ll get there, but until then I’m just gunna keep learning. I’ll post again when I loosen and retighten the bolts to snug.