Gasket Removal

I thought I’d give the T3 a service, as it is sounding a bit tappety, and even though it looked extremely well cared for when I bought it, a change of oil will do it no harm.

Start with the tappets on a cold engine, 15 mins to get the rocker covers off and adjust, over an hour so far trying to get the old gaskets off the rocker covers! I have never come across such stuck on gaskets before! Anybody got any useful tips, as at this rate I will be spending the rest of the day picking bits of gasket off, so that I can get the rocker covers back on - WHEN I SHOULD BE OUT RIDING (sorry for shouting, but I’m a bit frustrated…).

You need something like this (if you don’t already have something)

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/cht437-gasket-scraper-set

I spent about 2 hours on Saturday cleaning up a gasket on the Husqvarna, it’s a horrible job but worth doing properly otherwise you’ll be doing it again in a few weeks!

Yep, scraping is the order of the day…

I had this years ago when I first did the V1000 I soaked the gasket with some WD40 and left it whilst I did the rockers each side then used a gasket screper and they lifted off , Due to using some sort of gasket compound I think. i may have heated it too. Nowadays I use some vaseline to hold a gasket in and do not often have to scrape anything.

Ah well, gasket scraped, rocker covers back on, out for a run. The bike sounds a bit better. Drained the oils - very clean looking! Never mind, at least I know now.

i always put a little grease on the gaskets

I use one of these as you can change the blade and they’re nice and small too. Yes, always grease rocker gaskets…

Scraper

Best gasket scraper is an old fashioned single sided razor blade, still available from craft shops, mine are made in Germany, about £1.99 for a pack of 5. Also always grease the gaskets both sides with silicon grease, good for a dozen removals/refittings.Cheers, Gerry.

I use a steel ruler when required.

For gasket scraping use a 6 inch offcut of copper pipe, flatten the end in a vice or with a hammer then sharpen the edge with an oilstone or diamond sharpener. The softer copper will not score the aluminium unlike a steel blade.

Nice tip.