Van Islander's TX650A - Quest for a Daily Rider

Paranoid me never wants a leak so I apply sealer to both sides, but I curse the day when I go to disassemble the part, because now I’ve added extra work to clean the stuck gasket and sealer off. Jim offers good advice as this cover will probably not come off that often. For occasional removal, while saving the gasket, 5T and Raymond’s advice is sound.
 
Ask 5 guys get..........
I'm with Jim here but have no place in my shop for that "aviation" gasket sealer. My goto is Hylomar Blue, should be so thin you can see through it. A bit on my finger then spread on the gasket.
You shouldn't let chemicals get on your skin............
 
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Ask 5 guys get..........
I'm with Jim here but have no place in my shop for that "aviation" gasket sealer. My goto is Hylomar Blue, should be so thin you can see through it. A bit on my finger then spread on the gasket.
You shouldn't let chemicals get on your skin............
Gary where do you get the Hylomar? I checked local suppliers and they don't stock it. On Amazon, much of it is available from the UK.
 
I'm with Jim here but have no place in my shop for that "aviation" gasket sealer.
Well, it's served me well for about all my years of wrenchin', so... nonsense[7].gif
 
For occasional removal, while saving the gasket, 5T and Raymond’s advice is sound.
For something like the sump plate, which comes off frequently, I'll put sealant on one side and oil the other. My rule of thumb.... put the sealant on the side you can lay on the bench to scrape it off... never the side that's hard to get to.... Like the engine.
 
Hylomar was originally developed by Rolls Royce for their aircraft engines. That's maybe why you see lots of it for sale from England. Years back, it was the recommended stuff for use on our old BMW R bikes. I used to get a kick out of telling people I had Rolls Royce gasket sealer on my bike motor, lol. I think Permatex sells it in the U.S., so it's pretty easy to get here at most auto parts stores.
 
Hylomar was originally developed by Rolls Royce for their aircraft engines. That's maybe why you see lots of it for sale from England. Years back, it was the recommended stuff for use on our old BMW R bikes. I used to get a kick out of telling people I had Rolls Royce gasket sealer on my bike motor, lol. I think Permatex sells it in the U.S., so it's pretty easy to get here at most auto parts stores.
I checked on line with local industrial suppliers but nobody lists it as available. I have a similar product I purchased for the beetle. It’s named Curil T2. Maybe I can use that instead of Hylomar in the appropriate applications.

https://www.elring.com/fileadmin/Da...Dichtmassen/Curil_T2/Curil_T2_TDB_2020_EN.pdf
 
Well, I certainly didn't intend to start a gasket sealant argument when I posed the question :rolleyes::)
That said, I do appreciate all of the feedback and I think that all concerned are correct considering all of these recommendations have been made based upon each person's own successful experience. How is that for a typical Canadian response? ;)
I have the permatex aviation product in my shop because that was Jim's recommended product in the top end rebuild thread in the Tech section. It has worked well so far. Thanks Jim.
I also do appreciate the value of not using any at all in certain applications and not using too much. It took a long time to remove the old crap, whatever it was, from the starter gear cover plate. The PO had way too much in there.
 
When I first started wrenching that permatex aviation sealer was what the counter guy handed you for sealer. It's OK, my prime gripe is that it dissolves in gasoline. I've been burned when some damned PO used it to seal a petcock and or carb gasket, the gasoline dissolved it, pulled it through the system and plugged every fricking jet, orifice, and passage, in the carbs leaving me to fight that gunk back out, Grrrrr.
What Jim and I trade a few pleasantries?? Never happened.
Apparently Hylomar is still closely held not sure if it's patented or the formula is secret, and there have been several changes in who is allowed to sell, distribute it in the USA. Been using it for 20 years and am on my second small tube there is still some in the first tube so I have one in the garage, one out in the shed. For me it never goes bad. sub zero 100 degree temp swings for years it stays just like the day I opened the tube. I'd hate to guess how much rubbery silicone seal I've thrown away over the years. Don't use sealing goop when assembling fuel systems. If you gotta seal a pipe thread, Teflon tape cuz it don't dissolve. Shrug.
 
This is where the bike is now. I'll be replacing a few leaky gaskets and I'm mocking up how I'm going to route the PCV into the air cleaners as previously mentioned, now that I have those check valves. Still waiting on rear wheel bearings and seals to be delivered. The out of place aluminum angle ahead of the left rear shock was a previous lame attempt of mine at a centre stand stop to avoid denting the bottom of the muffer, which unfortunately the PO did on a few occasions. I'll be replacing that.
20220128_205942.jpg
 
NTN brand? No, I don't think so. It does look like a nice Japanese bearing though. I don't replace them unless they need it. I will pop the seal off and put fresh grease in though. Stick your finger in the bearing and turn it, see if it moves smoothly or has too much play. That's how I judge them, not very scientific I know, but it's pretty easy to spot a bad one.
what I do even with brand new bearings is I pop one of the seals out using an o ring hook tool as its got a curved hook fine point then add some diff oil to the grease inside plus a little more grease as have you seen how little grease there is in there from new, then push the seal back in. The diff oil allows the now semi fluid grease to lubricate the balls continuously and not be pushed into the spacer holding the balls apart. I do this with my boat trailer bearings, normal trailer, bike wheel bearings and car.
I have never had a failure since.
I don't over grease as then you have expansion problems when they warm up, my theory about the diff oil is how often will your differential bearings fail even after high mileage :umm: thats my view thought it was worth chucking that out there.
 
She’s looking very pretty VanIslander - keep on keepin’-on!

For my money, Hylomar Blue is good stuff. I have found that it is the one sealer which can keep an XS650 petcock washer dry.

Pete
 
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Been following this, very nice Van Islander. I do like that cinnamon brown model. There is, or was one the same for sale at Windbell motorcycles in North Van, but as usual, too much and too rough. So still looking.
 
I'm pretty sure the factory used sealer on the cover side of the sump gasket, probably Yamabond. I've encountered quite a few sump plates that were done up that way so I'm assuming the factory did it.
 
I am so stoked I got the rear wheel mounted on the bike again today after installing some nice new Japanese wheel bearings :cheers:
I had ordered an All Balls bearing kit from Fortnine online and ended up just using the seals. I couldn't use the seals I took off as they were too rough, and I had decided that I just wasn't going to use the Chinese bearings. This took a while as I was supposed to receive the Fortnine order over 2 weeks ago but Canada Post lost the package for a while. Crazy considering there was a new 21" tire for my DR in the same box. Not like it was a small box.
The wheel turns beautifully. So happy I did that as it is a big difference from before. As I was waiting for a while I polished a bunch more aluminum. Next step is reassemble the rest of the bits onto the bike and then I can finally install that new electronic ignition!
 

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