First ride on the highway and it EXPLODED!!!

[joweaver88]

...no not really, but I did blow out the front right half-circle on my valve cover gasket. It was an oily smoky mess. So ok, I had to move last night so even though the bike was still having problems, I had to move it. I only needed to go about 12 miles (from Mountain View to Redwood City) 10 of which where on i280 so I thought I would be ok. Anyway, the bike actually did run absolutely fantastic on the highway for the first 7 or so miles. I did notice some things about the handling though and I need to cut the spacer down some more front suspension is too stiff (I have sonic springs), I also need to get the suspension adjuster tool for the yamaha r6 shock so I can adjust it too, it is also too stiff. Also before I got on the highway I realized the rear brake wasn't really working... I need to re-bleed it. But at highway speeds the engine really ran well, it felt like it had power in spades and sounded really good.

So then at about the 7 mile mark my right leg starting getting hot, now it didn't feel wet so I didn't think oil. I just thought the engine was getting really hot. I also didn't see smoke or smell anything until I got off the highway which at that point its less than a mile to my new place so I limped it there... pulled up in a cloud of smoke (when I stopped it was the first time I saw the smoke and it was BAD. I freaked cause my first thought was the head gasket. But then when I got the flashlight out and looked at it I saw the blown out valve cover gasket. But yea the bike was pretty much covered in oil down the right side and my leg was drenched in oil.

So yea... I think the gasket is probably just old and I should have replaced it. I cleaned the vent cover when I did the valve clearance check so I don't think it is clogged so pressure shouldn't have built up. So I don't see any other explanation for it to fail other than that it was in need of replacement. Thoughts?

PS. the bike is not going to be moving for a long while until I get all of these problems sorted.

[frylockjim]

it was most likely just a bad gasket. on the freeway you will usually be at higher rpms so that will cause the oil to gain more pressure and it will find a way out of any weak spot in the gaskets. just make sure everything is running okay and check your oil levels and replace the gasket before your next ride and you should be fine

[The Buddha]

Yea my current GS did it last year. But I thought I had reused a gasket ... and I put a new one on and it has held till now.
Cool.
Buddha.

[bombsquad83]

Did you use suzuki bond (the black stuff) on the corners of the half moons?

[scratch]

Shouldn't have to use the Suzuki (or the superior Yamabond) bond...could use Gaskasinch if you needed to...but, you shouldn't have to...

[joweaver88]

Thanks for the advice guys, I ordered a new gasket a couple days ago. What's this Suzuki bond stuff you're talking about?

[scratch]

It's liquid gasket, or a gasket supplement.

[The Buddha]

Gascacinch works better.
Cool.
Buddha.

[The_Paragon]

I used a little black RTV on the corners of the half moons.. Just like every other valve cover gasket Ive installed, be it other bikes or cars.

[gsJack]

Shouldn't have to use the Suzuki (or the superior Yamabond) bond...could use Gaskasinch if you needed to...but, you shouldn't have to...

+1 

I never used anything on the valve cover gaskets on my 97 GS for the 80k miles I ran it, changed gaskets twice (every 30k miles), and never had any leakage. 

Put a little green Permatex on the gaskets to stick them to the cover (never anything on head side) to facilitate assembly on my 100k mile 02 GS, 3 changes @ 30k intervals and no leakage.

Grew up in a world of green and red Permatex and never used or heard of the zillion new sealers used now. 

[bombsquad83]

Interesting.  I followed the manual and used Suzuki Bond on mine.  I didn't think it would seal if I didn't.

[The Buddha]

Gascacinch is pretty much rubber cement. Suzi bond, or yama bond is silicone ? The rubber cement is to hold it there while you wrestle with assembling it.
Cool.
Buddha.