I recently removed the oil sump and cleaned up everything inside my 82 r100 rt. I replaced the gasket and did not use any sealant as an article that I read said not to. I have not filled it up with oil at this point. I recently read two separate articles that stated a sealant should be used on this gasket or seepage will occur. What has been the experience with the membership - use sealant or install dry? Thanks in advance for your advice!
Thanks Scott
I will keep the gasket clean and re-torque the pan bolts after first ride this Spring.
John B
As with any gasket job, 99% of "leakproofing" is in the surface prep and not the gasket itself. I run a stone around both mating surfaces to remove any burrs or dings. You'll be surprised to find how many people pry covers and pans off by forcing in a screwdriver blade and destroying the gasket surface. Then wipe both surfaces down with a thinner to make sure they are oil-free.
Like Scot warned, torquing the pan bolts is a must.
► As long as the pan is off, consider installing a deep oil pan by Mac. Here's The Link ! Those add another quart to an R100, or can allow you to run a slightly lower oil level if you have the "always 1/8 inch low on the dipstick" issue. At any rate, with the deep pan and more oil, any oil loss becomes far less critical since it's a smaller percentage of total amount.
R60 and R75 readers can increase their engine oil capacity VERY inexpensively by simply fitting a used R100 pan, which are easy to find at give-away prices and hold 1 qt more.
Owning an old Airhead is easy.
Keeping an old Airhead running great is the true test.
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