Valve cover gasket

I was curious if i can use a silicon gasket maker instead of a gasket. I'd use a real gasket but the nearest parts store had closed for business. If i had to get part i'd have to get online.

 

In a word, no.

 

Many of us on the XS11 forums use RTV for the valve cover with no problems.

 

No, no, no. This is one place not to cheap out. If you use RTV and it doesn't seal, you're going to have oil everywhere. Also, RTV will make future forays into the valve train that much more difficult since you'll have to scrape all that gunk off when it leaks, which it will.

Clean both surfaces well, use gasket sealant on the valve cover, install the new gasket to the valve cover, a bit of silicone-based grease to the now-adhered gasket (the mating surface to the head), replace the rubber washers on the valve cover bolts, and reinstall the valve cover.

If you do this right, it will never leak and you will have easier access to the valve train. There are lots of other strings on this subject. Read up.

 

IF it's a YICS motor. If it's not, this wouldn't apply. If it is, those are critical.

At this point we don't even know what bike we're discussing; however the advice given so far is solid: NO.

YICS or pre-YICS; neither will work well just using RTV for the valve cover gasket.

 

Just did my Maxim over the winter. Why temp fate with questionable process and future clean-up issues. New gasket and valve cover bolt washers with proper torque. Not a drop of oil leakage!