Reuse Valve Cover Gaskets? Spark Plug Life?

[Paul JK.]

At $80 a set, has anyone tried to reuse valve cover gaskets successfully after valve inspection/adjustment? How about extending life of spark plugs? Thanks.

[Guest Kakugo]

I've reused my head cover gaskets since day one. Never leaked, bike has almost 80000km on it and valve clearance is checked every 10000km.

As per spark plugs, local dealer has started changing them every 20000km instead of every 10000km as they used to with no ill effect whatsoever. Same "regular" NGK plugs as before, not fancy iridium ones.

 

Mind I have a Hexhead, so Camhead experience may slightly vary.

[Paul JK.]

Thanks. I successfully reused the valve cover gaskets on my oilhead but these seem thinner. I don't know if the hexhead gaskets are as thin or not. Guess I could always look at some at the dealer and make a decision then. Spark plugs are already going 20k km's but using iridiums. I'm thinking 40k km's as they are pricey!

 

[duckbubbles]

Valve cover gaskets are reusable as long as they are not damaged. Just wipe them clean and reinstall. My spark plugs were toast at less than 25,000 miles. I'll change them at 20K miles from now on.

 

I do oil and filter changes at 5K miles. Air filter and valve clearance check at 10K mi. Transmission, rear end, spark plugs at 20K mi.

 

Frank

[Paul JK.]

I pretty much will do that now that my bike is off warranty. 6k with synthetic motor oil changes, 24k for tranny and rear drive, again w/ synthetic oil. I'm undecided on the valve inspection but no problems at 6k and 12k inspections. I might just wait another 12k before doing again

Thanks for the input!

[lkchris]

Germans are different.

 

The basically paper gaskets on the old Airheads were reusable for years and years.

 

So are the plastic ones on the current models.

 

Don't bring much "chebbie" knowledge to German stuff, cause it ain't the same.

 

And for sure don't glue them on.

 

Oh, and German spark plugs come correctly pre-gapped.

[lkraus]

As per spark plugs, local dealer has started changing them every 20000km instead of every 10000km as they used to with no ill effect whatsoever.

 

I've seem some info that suggests running with worn plugs can shorten coil life. Anybody have any knowledge of this?

[dirtrider]

As per spark plugs, local dealer has started changing them every 20000km instead of every 10000km as they used to with no ill effect whatsoever.

 

I've seem some info that suggests running with worn plugs can shorten coil life. Anybody have any knowledge of this?

 

Afternoon Larry

 

Not so much worn plugs but spark plugs with excessively large electrode gaps. If the plug electrode gap gets large enough then the spark takes the easy path to ground so can jump internal to the coil to the RFI shield.

 

BMW used to give a max electrode gap.

 

 

[duckbubbles]

With these dual electrode type plugs used on the camheads, I think back to aviation spark plugs (same design). When the center electrode looks like a basketball, tennis ball, soccer ball- round it is new. When the center electrode looks like an American football, it is done.

 

Since it takes more energy to arc across a wider gap, possibly creating more heat, I can see the coil having a problem.

 

Frank

[6speedTi]

Remember that electricity is like water and lazy people. It takes the path of least resistance, so if you have one, two or four electrodes only one spark will jump across which ever electrode it feels is the least resistive of the two or four.