Clutch Cover Gasket - Is it Dodgy or Ok ?

LTGTR

XS650 Addict
Messages
215
Reaction score
701
Points
93
Location
Down Under
I would like to ask if this clutch cover gasket is okay to use.
As you can see in the picture, the section of gasket at the bottom of the "kidney" shaped hole is very thin.
There seems to be other gaskets around that have more material, like I have shown in red on the photo.
There are some Utube videos that show a couple of people preferring to use the ones that have more gasket at the bottom of the kidney shaped hole.
Questions please:
Does the thinness part matter.
What role does that part of the gasket play.
Is there a particular brand to buy that is better.
Ebay shows plenty with the extra material, but I dont trust the picture. Some Ebay sellers suggest Athena is the one to buy, but some pictures of Athena show the "thick" and the "thin" type - so its probably a generic picture. Some Ebay sellers say "made in England" but the gasket has got "made in USA" written all over it.
When fitting this gasket do you use any sealant.
Also - I have done a search to show the oil flow path through the oil pump and filter inside the cover, but I still cant understand it. Could somebody explain it in laymans terms please.
Thanks for your help - Regards Ray.
P1030677.JPG
 
Hi Ray,
The gasket you have should be fine. Let’s take a closer look at what’s going on with that opening.
Here is another gasket, the opening you’re asking about is a little smaller on this one.
1BA9044F-117D-4C68-9326-B3B688C1A90B.jpeg
Here is a look at the engine case on that side, you can see that curved opening in the upper right corner.
4FDDB847-111B-4DB9-BBD9-E0389560284D.png
Now here’s what’s going on, with that opening. It’s an oil passageway. In the photo below, the yellow lines represent the path of oil being pumped through the case. The red arrow is your oil pump. The green arrow is where your right side oil filter resides. That curved opening is the passageway that leads to the oil pump.
73E1F1AE-3E21-46DB-A8A6-E63C03BD8EF5.jpeg


I hope this helps you visualize , that thin part of your gasket rests on a thin part of the case.
Good luck, Bob
 
well if this beat up old motor and prolly original gasket is any indicator you should be fine.

20201204_204718.jpg


some info on oil path https://www.xs650.com/threads/oil-delivery-pipe.31130/#post-314021
I also use hylomar on the cover to gasket side only not on the side facing the case, well little dab at the front and rear crankcase joint just like the factory did it.
 
Hi
There is one brand better than others ---Yamaha
I remember them days when all others was called " Pirate Parts "
There are different quality and different thickness.
Some places cant take a to Thick gasket it can fex offset the mechanical function
Thick is better if one has something possibly little warped or with marks on.
Which can be a factor on older bikes with unknown background.
Depending on where --not much sealant is used nowadays as a recommendation
I don't think BMW sports bikes has any gasket at all on some places and rely on --Silicon i Believe
I Use sealant and quite a lot of it .. I have tried reduce it but end up with leaks and Swearing do it all over again.
Feeling like a fool.
Permatex and Plastic Padding products .am I satisfied with. Both are good. Last time it was a rather thick asphalt looking PP Compound I used on two different bikes . Using torque wrench I believe it was first time ever with no leaks or re torquing.
There are other that gets good press Yamabond.
Silicone some puts on to much and it ends in the motor.
Some use grease to stick the gasket in place and it can move a bit when tightening
But I get the result with gasket + sealant .And then with correct tightening sequence and Torque
The gasket should hit a mating surface not stick outside .I have seen that on the side cover i last installed
In this case it seems to be in the oil flow which is bad .In general terms. It can restrict flow and break off. " Pirate Part "
I also have a material roll ( Klingersil ) of multipurpose thickness at home so I can make my own gasket if needed.
 
Personally, I don't use any sealer here (or on most of the other gaskets either). I just put motor oil on it. That allows the cover to come off easily without sticking later and the gasket can be re-used. I can usually get 3 or 4 cover removals before I need to replace the gasket.
 
The Curved oval part normally has a very small width of gasket at it's end and some makers had it down to about
1/16" or less. I sent Athena in Italy an engine case so they could make this area the correct width and they made it a bit wider.
Gaskets are stamped in a press in a stack and after a while the die wears or distorts. Mike Lalonde
Note: Athena IS the maker of ALL Oem gaskets sold in Europe.
 
Thanks everybody for your replies and help.
I have learnt that the thin part of the gasket isnt a problem because it matches the thin part of the housing inside the cover. However, if it bothers me I should buy a Athena gasket which might have the extra gasket material.
I can choose between sealant or just oil. If I go sealant them Hylomar or yamabond.
I can see the oil path - that is: picks up in the bottom of the crankcase, through a passageway (hole) into the oil pump which is in the cover, through to the small filter and then back through the kidney shaped hole into the motor.
Thanks for your time to answer.
P.S. things arent cheap these days - To purchase 2 guage damper rubbers and the 4 small rubbers for the studs under the guage buckets, including freight to Australia - 100 A$ (freight for those 6 tiny light things - 40 A$).
Regards Ray.
 
Athena gaskets have the right amount of material - about 1/8" the wrong amount is 1/16" or less.
As far as freight goes that's a non profit item for most . Postal shipping is the same if you are
shipping almost 0 weight as it is for 1-2 pounds. Companies like Amazon ship hundreds of
thousands of plane loads every day so they get it at below or about the post office cost.
 
Back
Top