Hey, when I go to check or change the valve shims do I need to replace the headgasket as well or is it reuseable?

 

It is reusable. You do need some Kawasaki Bond (gasket goo), but you only put it on the rounded lobe part on the right side. Be sure and only use a little bit as you don't want enought such that it squishes out on the inside on the engine and could possibly fall off and clog an oil tube. That would be bad as it could starve the head for oil.

EDIT: I'm assuming you are just taking about the valve cover gasket. If you ever actually remove the head, then the head gasket needs to be replaced it is not reusable. But you don't need to remove the head to check or adjust the valves, just the valve cover. That's a rubber gasket, just low pressures under that, not like the actual head gasket.

 

Pullingthe whole head? Do you mean the cylinder head cover gasket (valve cover gasket)? Ithink you can get away with re-using it if the rubber stilllooks good and is not smashed down too far. For the curved sections(half circles that go over the cams), it's alwaysgood to use siliconerubberin addition to thegasket, to prevent leaks.

 

My mistake, yeah just referring to the valve cover gasket. NoBrakes could you circle the area that I'd have to use some gasket goo on on one of your motor pics you've got?

 

Note on the right side of the engine, the valve cover gasket has two half-circle sections. Just put sealer on the bottoms of those to help hold them in place.

 

I've got Permatex clear silicone adhesive/sealant and the blue sensor safe sealant. Any preferences? The blue says not to use on any surface that will be exposed to gasoline or headgaskets. I'm guessing the gas will eat it and the headgasket has too much pressure?

 

I think the blue will do just fine. Some of the clear stuff is OK too, as long as temperature rating is suitable. My dealer's shopprefers to use silicone over that Kawasaki bond stuff. My father -the retired mechanic-has used silicone for decades. He threw away his gasket goothe first time heused silicone.

 

Black RTV silicone??? I'm just about to embark on my big bore upgrade..

 

That should work fine, only takes a speck.