Valve Cover Leak

Alright team a quick question about Valve cover gaskets.

Mine decided to leak very slightly above the cam chain tensioner on the back cylinders.   (no drip on the floor just some dust collected and obviously a slight oil weep)

So my question is can I simply open the cover and clean the gasket and sealing surface (no RTV or such added during the valve check) so i'm not sure why i'm leaking.  Bolts torqued to book spec however I might try to see if they want to tighten slightly more.

These gaskets run about 32 bucks a piece but the book doesn't mention replacing on the valve adjust.  Therefore i'm wondering what the group is thinking.  (The gasket looked in perfect condition upon removal and reinstall).

Thanks for any help you guys can offer.

I can post pictures later if it would help with the oil leak but I don't see any value added.

I had my covers off a few times for valve checks with no leak issues. I'd just remove and replace it, add a little sealant if you want to be totally sure.

In the F2 manual, it states to use sealant around the features, like corners and the semicircle sections.

use yamabond, hondabond ,  "your name here bond"

 its all the same stuff. :beer:

Permatex® Form-A-Gasket® No. 2 Sealant

I used perametex gasket maker in the low points per the manual. It didn't say to add any more or i would have.

I just read somewhere the gasket is a 3 flange unit that when clean shouldn't leak and that perametex wouldn't be required.

I suppose if i'm going to be taking the bike apart to take that cover off anyway the gasket replacement just makes sense.

Just figured I'd ask the group for some opinions.

its the valve cover gasket you dont need new ones. you just clean it off and add a  little permatex

heck you can cover the whole thing in permatex if you wish its not going to hurt anything. :comp13:

I wouldn't really worry about a "dust catcher" weep on an engine. As fiddling with such too much might just end up with you getting a bigger weep or an actual leak at that spot. I'd just give the area a good wipe with a paper towel once in a while. I doubt if it will ever get bad enough as to actually  start dripping oil on your garage floor...... maybe in 5 or so years worth of weeping without any wiping it might...

I agree with the above however if you just can't live with it...

Take the gasket off, and inspect it closely while you clean it thoroughly with hot water, and dish soap. Remove all traces of old sealant. If it looks good when dry i.e. not deformed, no damage, cracks etc. glue it to the cover with the sealer of your choice (I use Gasgacinch myself) and reinstall with a light coating of oil on the head surface. Using sealant on the head surface will almost certainly cause a leak despite what the shop manual says.

 These gaskets can be re-used many times as long as they haven't been damaged by careless treatment, and/or cooked by overheating.

After years of heat cycles they can eventually stop doing their job. Ive seen on forums guys using PB blaster to bring life back to O-rings and pretty much anything rubber by soaking them for some time. Might wanna give that a chance.

I did a valve check over a year ago and I have the dirt grime around mine.

After years of heat cycles they can eventually stop doing their job. Ive seen on forums guys using PB blaster to bring life back to O-rings and pretty much anything rubber by soaking them for some time. Might wanna give that a chance.

I did a valve check over a year ago and I have the dirt grime around mine.

pb blaster??

shhhesh. slather vasoline on it and let it sit.. goes for all of your faded plastics.