6 Excellent Tips to Replace Your Motorcycle Engine Gasket

No matter how old or new your motorcycle is, there is an absolute need for overhauling services after your vehicle covers a certain distance to keep it in best condition. The reason being, due to regular running motorcycle undergoes a lot of wear and tear on the road and that can severely result in low efficiency and maybe untimely and sudden breakdown.

While you plan for the upkeep of your bike, replacing worn-out gaskets should make it to top priority as replacing old gaskets with new ones shields the engine components by ensuring tight and well gripped seals that prevents entry of fluids, gases and debris. Replacing engine gaskets however is not that simple as it may seem because if it is not properly chosen or installed, it can lead to recurrent problems with vehicle. Here are some very helpful tips before you go ahead with gasket change:

1. 1.  Orientation Check: Before starting the job of substituting old gaskets with new ones, make sure you thoroughly study the orientation of old gaskets. Gaskets fitted upside-down may look similar but if wrongly placed, the seal fails and get prone to leakages and damages.
2. Avoid Re-use of Gaskets: Make sure you do away with old gaskets since re-using will only hurt efficiency of the engine. Besides, care must be taken while removing used gaskets and avoid employing metal tools while such operations as it might affect the surfaces and seal.
3. Prepare Mating Surfaces:Thorough cleaning of mating surfaces off chemicals and oil residues or nicks in the engine metal before installing new gaskets is indispensable. Properly study the manual for cleaning methods and cleaning agents to ensure absolute removal of dirt and chemicals. In case, the components are irreparably damaged, it’s advisable to replace them first.
4. Refer Instructional Manual: Every motorcycle company provides instructional manual that carries specification related to upkeep, oils, sealants and additives for precise installation of gaskets. The manual also informs you about various kinds of gaskets that go into the bike like clutch cover gaskets, cylinder base gasket, cylinder head gasket and liquid gasket.
5. Quality Matters: Choose high quality right gasket and instruments for best results. You should be aware of different kinds of materials that are used for devising gaskets that promises durability and suitably fit your two-wheeler.
6. Gasket Kit: The repair and maintenance job gets even easier and productive if you have a complete comprehensive gasket kit with you. Several OEMs and aftermarket companies provide great offers on gasket sets like gasket sets with all gaskets, gaskets and seals packages or component specific gasket and seal kits. Purchasing right gasket set with one part number not only fastens the pace of work but also diminish the chances of ending up with unnecessary materials.

These are important pointers that should be kept in mind. So next time when you start up with overhauling preparation, take care of all the necessary procedures that are important for successful gasket replacement in your motorcycle.