ive done a few heads on autos and i would never think of reusing a headgasket.i have read different opinions by googling....mostly just general answers soneone was parroting out.---------it would seem like it would be fine to me but i wanted to ask here.thanks in advance.

 

The same reason you would never re-use head gaskets on a car should be applied to your bike.

You need to always clean the mating head and cylinder surfaces before re-assembling. The copper gakset will have formed to this crude creating a seal. When you put the old copper gasket back on those small scratches and dents will be left and create gaps for oil to leak from and create places of compression being lost.

Why take the chance of having to do the job twice.

 

If you anneal the gasket (heat it with a torch) correctly, you can reuse it. The annealing process takes the old surface impressions out of the copper and "plumps" it up so it will seal correctly again. I used to do this on old Triumphs, mostly out of necessity. If I could get a new gasket relatively easily, though, I think I'd just buy a new one.

 

I always heard you could reuse them once, if you use copper coat sealant.

 

You might get by using the gaskets one more time, but why do it? Two head gaskets will cost you $9.98 for the pair plus postage. If they don't seal.....you get to do the whole job over again and will still will have to buy the head gaskets.

That alone should convince you to get a new pair, along with rocker box gaskets, 12 cork push rod tube washers, 4 new oil line washers (for oil tubing alongside the push rod tubes) and I would get new intake O rings while I was at it.........pg

 

For the price of new gaskets, why would you even try to reuse any?

 

You can heat the gasket with a propane torch to the point where it gets cherry then put it in cold water This restores the ductility of the copper I have done this several times It did work but for the cost of new copper gaskets (unless 50 dollars a set ) why!!

 

since they were copper i wasnt sure.i didnt know you could get them for 10 bucks a set.----that kinda is a no brainer...even for me.a new set it is.--thanks.

 

never reuse a copper gasket its design is to crush to seal ur best choice is to buy teflon coated head gaskets they are about the same price an can be reused they also seal better