Sticky Exhaust Gaskets - What's The Trick?

[Jcarlson]

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?

[Steve Butters]

man up and keep prying....aint gonna hurt the bike

also, any penetrating oil should help if you really really cant get it

[Jcarlson]

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!

[Steve Butters]

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

[ReconRat]

I thought they were all copper crush sealing rings. They come out with effort.

Some chemicals will break up the carbon, that helps.

[Steve Butters]

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 this

or a thicker ring style like this

[ReconRat]

LOL, this isn't a Ford... they look like this, only squished flat:

yeah, I know... I'm living in the past...

[Steve Butters]

LOL, this isn't a Ford... they look like this, only squished flat:

i was talking about bikes - not a truck that looks like this

i 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"

[ReconRat]

on a gs850 they will be the o-ring shape, but will be either copper or non-asbestos fiber

edit: 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

[ReconRat]

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

[Jcarlson]

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!!

[Likwid]

Break Free?

That and as others said, stop being a pussy and pry that shit off.

[ReconRat]

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.