can i reuse copper head gaskets?
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 5,134
Likes: 146
From: texas
can i reuse copper head gaskets?
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.
Tourer
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 388
Likes: 0
From: West Tennessee
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.
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.
Road Warrior
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,441
Likes: 791
From: Heart of Dixie
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.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 3,035
Likes: 17
From: Houston Texas
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.
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
Road Warrior
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,854
Likes: 20
From: Eagle River WI
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!!
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 5,134
Likes: 146
From: texas
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.
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