Scan 'em if you got 'em - VF500F Head Gasket Patterns

Discussion in '1st & 2nd Generation 1983-1989' started by invisible cities, Jun 13, 2010.

  1. invisible cities

    invisible cities New Member

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    On a recent thread it was noted that the while the front head gaskets (after engine serial number 2000094) are the same part number for all three years of the VF500F (OEM # 12251-MJ8-306) the rear head gaskets are different between the '84 (OEM # 12252-MJ8-405) and the '85 and '86 (the '85 and '86 share the same part number: OEM #12252-MJ8-406).

    If there are owners who have OEM or Aftermarket gaskets for these models it would be helpful to create a record of the different patterns.

    For clarity and to keep the format the same I was thinking that the gasket could be scanned or photographed with a scale ruler and labeled with the OEM part number.

    Here is the front head gasket pattern for the early '84 engine (up to engine serial number 2000094 - OEM # 12251-MJ8-405)

    [​IMG]

    In part, I am wondering what the differences are and if indeed - as I have previously read - that the heads are interchangeable throughout the three production years of the VF500F.

    Thx!
     
  2. Michael E

    Michael E New Member

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    I just looked at my used ones that were copied for the copper gaskets I had done and the holes that are "blocked" are the four circle coolant holes on the left of each cylinder. The holes beneath the cylinder are smaller on mine.

    The round hole above are the large oval shape. I will try to photo or scan later.
     
  3. invisible cities

    invisible cities New Member

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    Thank you for the post.

    If you do have a chance to scan the used gaskets you have this would be tops. Also, do you know the OEM part numbers (i.e. what year heads these gaskets are for) for the set that you have? Thx!
     
  4. Michael E

    Michael E New Member

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    Here you go:

    [​IMG]

    These are the later version, not the early 1984 version that have more coolant holes and a few enlarged ones.
     
    Last edited: Jul 22, 2010
  5. invisible cities

    invisible cities New Member

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    The scan looks great. Thank you for the post.

    Is this a front head gasket - OEM # 12251-MJ8-306?

    Thx!
     
  6. christbennett429

    christbennett429 New Member

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    Anyone know where to get these gaskets? I need a set for an 84 vf500f and would even be interested in reproduced ones as im really in need. Thanks. Chris
     
  7. invisible cities

    invisible cities New Member

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    Here are two vendors that make head gaskets for the VF500F.

    FYI, the '84 (after eng. serial number 2000094) has the same front head gasket as the '85 the '86 but has a different rear head gasket from the '85 and the'86.


    Please keep up posted on how you make out ā€“ Iā€™m looking for a spare set of head gaskets for my ā€™84 as well.

    Thx!
     
  8. slowbird

    slowbird Member

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    Do those companies know that?
     
  9. invisible cities

    invisible cities New Member

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    A very good question...I'm not sure that they do.

    I know Vesrah offers a complete gasket kit for the '85 (they also make a complete kit for the '86) but not the '84.

    My guess is that this is in part based on the '85 (and '86) having a different rear head gasket than the '84.
     
  10. Michael E

    Michael E New Member

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    Best bet is to send your old gaskets to them when you do the order and ask them to check for a good match.
     
  11. invisible cities

    invisible cities New Member

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    Sage advice!

    Hopefully we'll get a few more postings detailing the different head gaskets - esp. the rear head gasket for the '84...

    I am still curious about the interchangeability of the heads - I've read that you can do this (i.e. mounting an '86 set of heads on an '84) but knowing that the rear gaskets are different makes this suspect, IMO.
     
  12. slowbird

    slowbird Member

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    Still no more details about the interchange-ability of swapping heads?
     
  13. invisible cities

    invisible cities New Member

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    I kind of think they are/are not interchangeable.

    What I mean by this is that the mid-'84,'85 and '86 front heads appear (based on the same gasket part number) to have the same cooling passages (from the block) but the mid-'84 rear coolant passages appear to differ from the '85 and '86.

    I have read that all years are interchangeable and that the coolant passages somehow work themselves out (?) but it would be great to compare a mid-'84 rear head gasket to an '85 or an '86 to see what the difference actually is
     
  14. Michael E

    Michael E New Member

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    Assuming that the one that I scanned and the one that you scanned are the two different types, then there is your comparison. What I don't get is all of my front and rear gaskets lying around are patterned like the one I scanned. So why only one part number for fronts over all three years? I honestly don't know that I would worry too much about it. Although I am having heating problems, lol. I don't think that the gaskets are the cause though, since both my 84 and my 85 motor had these on them.

    Curious about whether the Magma gaskets have the same part numbers and changes over the years....
     
  15. invisible cities

    invisible cities New Member

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    Thank you for the post.

    The early '84 engine definitely has as different pattern than the 'second issue' '84 engine - several coolant passages are larger and one passage has been removed - based on the gasket you have scanned.

    On this note - is the gasket you scanned for the front head and do you still have the rear gasket (that you used for reference) on workbench?
     
  16. slowbird

    slowbird Member

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    Wow....is anything about these bikes straightforward. :crazy:
     
  17. invisible cities

    invisible cities New Member

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    Here is a bit more intel on the rear head - I checked the OEM part numbers and the '84/'85 VF500F and VF500C share the same part number 12220-MJ8-040. I could not confirm the '86 as they do not list an individual part number for the head - it is an all 'buy' on the '86 front and rear heads.

    The curious thing to note is the '040' part at the end of the OEM number.

    It appears that these heads went through a series of transformations where the original part number - linked to the engine serial number - kept being superseded from 010 all the way to 040.

    Here is a photo of the '040' rear head that fits both the '84/'85 VF500F and VF500C - OEM part number 12220-MJ8-040.

    [​IMG]

    It is interesting to note the design of coolant passages on this head and the fact that Honda lists this pattern as working for the '84 and '85 (and probably the '86).

    We need to find a rear head gasket (linked to an engine number) to confirm but I'll wager guess and say that they felt it was okay to change the coolant patterns from the block to the head where some passages were larger / some were shunted.

    Any thoughts on this would be most appreciated.

    Thx!
     
  18. Michael E

    Michael E New Member

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    I am heading out on holidays so I won't have time to dig through my heads and gaskets for a few weeks. Interesting stuff.
     
  19. Michael E

    Michael E New Member

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    The coolant passages on my 84 and 85 heads look the same as the picture. I continue to believe, as you state above, that the gasket was all that changed in order to "shunt" some passages as you say.
     
  20. Mobtown

    Mobtown New Member

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    It's not just these bikes Slowbird.
     
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