When replacing the head gasket on a gs with a new one, does any compound have to be applied to the gasket before it is installed?

and what about the breather gasket??

No. The head gasket has a special coating on it already.

On the OEM steel ones, no. Just make sure that the gasket and surfaces are VERY clean and unscratched.

Same with breather gasket.

Just out of curiosity, are there different thickness and compound gaskets available for the head? And is the steel gasket a plain shim gasket or does It have a coating on It? Love the little GS500 and the forum.

C.......

You can get copper and steel aftermarket gaskets for various bore sizes and thicknesses.

The OEM gaskets have a coating of what looks like black paint on them.

Ah, OK. One reason I ask Is because when I use steel shim gaskets on small block Chevy's et al, I coat both sides with spray Copper Coat. Plus you can get different thicknesses for compensation of deck height/compression ratio desired etc. The only bike motors I've built have been HD and those are the simplest things on this earth. Love the bike and this forum, thanx.

C.......

I have a 2000, have any of you tried the $55 head gasket kit from ebay store? the store says they only work on 89-96 but I don't even know where to look for a head gasket for my beautiful, oh so beautiful 2000 GS.

No it will work on yours too. but $55 is pretty pricy for one gasket...

$55 is for a gasket KIT. There are about 40 gaskets in the kit.

man that KIT makes me wish I had a 96. Now where do I purchased a KIT for a 2000? thnx much

Is this gasket kit offered by partsnmore.com the same thing?

It's a few dollars more, but "always" available, as opposed to come-and-go ebay auctions.

I can't think why the gasket set would be any different all the way up through the 2003 model year.  The 2004 might use an additional gasket or two because of the new oil cooler, but as for the engine itself...?

Partsnmore sells them on ebay as well. That is where I originally found them. The kits are made by Athena in Italy //www.athena-spa.com

They will work with 89+ GS's. Awesome deal since the head gasket alone is $25 from the dealer.

He said $55 for a HEAD gasket kit.  

I've gotten a couple of the Athena kits off ebay. They are pretty good, enough to do a complete rebuild especally for the price.

Sorry I did not realize there was a kit form of the head gasket. I always thought that it came as a 1 piece item.


:mrgreen:

Well you have the head gasket, but also all those cylinder stud seals and the copper washers that you aren't supposed to reuse.
:mrgreen:

ya, that's the kit i used for my head gasket replacement

Quote from: JamesGWell you have the head gasket, but also all those cylinder stud seals and the copper washers that you aren't supposed to reuse.
:mrgreen:

No wonder I have a pile of those copper washers.  :mrgreen:  

Actually, I did use new copper washers & o-rings stud seals on the latest rebuild.