[jblouch]

I'm fixin' to put the top end of my 97 M900 back together (cylinders, head, etc) and am wondering what type/kind of goop I should use on the aluminum base gasket. My Haynes manual said I should use some, but it isn't specific as to what type/kind. Anyone have any favorites? I've got black, gray, hi-temp black, and some old fashioned Permatex (both the black non-hardening kind and the rust colored kind that hardens). Recommendaitons?

 

[chris]

just about anything will work on the base gasket. i normally use gray. be sure to "lap" the cylinder to the head with "fine" valve lapping compound. oh and i guess you should lap the valves, too.

chris

 

[crblouch]

Chris--I lapped the valves after cleaning up the heads, but I didn't know, nor has anyone or any manual mentioned lapping the head to the cylinder, although is makes sense. The studs are still in place. Seems like I'd need to remove them to get enough movement to do any lapping of those two surfaces. Is that what I would need to do. . . strip the studs from the crankcase? If I do that I think the Haynes manual says I'd need to replace them. . . yes? Thanks.

 

[chris]

do it with cylinder and head off bike. studs not in way then.

note you do not get much rotation. go back and forth some, then go to one "extreme" of rotation, pick up and set back down at other "extreme" and repeat...

chris

 

[jblouch]

Right! Thanks for the tip.