Jcarlson Posted May 24, 2011 Report Share Posted May 24, 2011 So what's the trick to getting those pesky little exhaust gaskets out of the head? I'm wrenching on an 82 Suzuki GS450L, putting on new(er) pipes. As you can imagine those gaskets have been encrusted in carbon for almost 30 years. I've tried yanking them out with a hooked pick like thing (it worked on my other bikes) but these are stuck pretty good and all I'm doing is chewing them up. Is there a spray of some type I can shoot in there and soak them for a while to dissolve all that crud? PB Blaster? Carb Cleaner? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Butters Posted May 25, 2011 Report Share Posted May 25, 2011 man up and keep prying....aint gonna hurt the bikealso, any penetrating oil should help if you really really cant get it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jcarlson Posted May 25, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 25, 2011 Man up!! You're funny. Brother, I'm all about bustin my knuckles but man these suckers won't budge. I'll try the oil. thanks Bro! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Butters Posted May 25, 2011 Report Share Posted May 25, 2011 np...try some PB or WD...or try heating them up with a hand torch and prying them off - dont heat them to the point of warping the head, just get them hot enough that they become more pliable or a combination of the two....but be careful since penetrating oil does burn lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReconRat Posted May 25, 2011 Report Share Posted May 25, 2011 I thought they were all copper crush sealing rings. They come out with effort.Some chemicals will break up the carbon, that helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Butters Posted May 25, 2011 Report Share Posted May 25, 2011 I thought they were all copper squish sealing rings. They come out with effort.Some chemicals will break up the carbon, that helps.every one ive seen looks like thisor a thicker ring style like this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReconRat Posted May 25, 2011 Report Share Posted May 25, 2011 LOL, this isn't a Ford... they look like this, only squished flat:yeah, I know... I'm living in the past... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Butters Posted May 25, 2011 Report Share Posted May 25, 2011 LOL, this isn't a Ford... they look like this, only squished flat:i was talking about bikes - not a truck that looks like thisi didnt say they dont have squished copper ones - but i am saying that ive worked on a few bikes (all yamahas) and none have used the gasket in the picture you posted, they either had one of the two i posted - hence the "ive only seen this kind and this kind" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReconRat Posted May 25, 2011 Report Share Posted May 25, 2011 (edited) on a gs850 they will be the o-ring shape, but will be either copper or non-asbestos fiberedit: ok, now I see you're working on a GS450... those o-ring shape but are copper, fiber, or a combo of fiber and metal. Edited May 25, 2011 by ReconRat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReconRat Posted May 25, 2011 Report Share Posted May 25, 2011 (edited) Aircraft gaskets are pried out with a set of brass picks, that are softer than aluminum. So they won't scratch the sealing surfaces. I hate to say that most people (including me sometimes) go right ahead and chisel it out with a small steel screwdriver. It's easy to damage the flat part of the head where the seal mates, and there might be a small exhaust leak from that. I used to have a chisel made from walnut or hard plastic that I used on stuff like that.Sometimes hitting the gasket with a punch, drift, or chisel, will loosen it, bend it, or pop it up where you can get it out.Since no damage would likely result from gently tapping on it, I would start with that. Tap around on the gasket all over, and see if it breaks the bond or seal it has going with the cylinder head below it. Hopefully it wasn't glued in with some sort of high temp gasket sealer. That would be a pain to get out.edit: don't tap on it to the extent that it expands and becomes harder to remove. You might wind up cutting it out. Edited May 25, 2011 by ReconRat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jcarlson Posted May 26, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 26, 2011 AHHH!! I have a prick punch I can try!! Drive that sucker in the side and pop it!! I'm workin on it this weekend. I'll let you know.Thanks guys!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Likwid Posted May 26, 2011 Report Share Posted May 26, 2011 Break Free?That and as others said, stop being a pussy and pry that shit off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReconRat Posted May 26, 2011 Report Share Posted May 26, 2011 AHHH!! I have a prick punch I can try!! Drive that sucker in the side and pop it!! I'm workin on it this weekend. I'll let you know.Thanks guys!!Yes but, a punch is not a pry bar. Don't break it. It's tempered metal and can fly off like a gunshot.Safety glasses if needed, use them. Beats getting crap in eyes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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