Local honda shop screwed me

[99400esex]

My local honda shop ordered the wrong freaking gasket for my hotcam install, they just gave me the regular head gasket instead of the head COVER gasket. looks like the cam install is gonna be put on hold yet again.

[CJM]

Is yours really that bad?

[99400esex]

Yeah its pretty bad. Some of the guys that work in there are cool but for the most part its just dumb kids who search parts on a computer, so they think they know there stuff. They also sold a friend of mine a brand new 700xx that ran pretty bad right from the get go. He had to take it back twice before they fixxed it right.

[PaRedneckRiders]

I see your from PA what part of PA u from??

[99400esex]

westmoreland county

[PaRedneckRiders]

o ok ive had to local shop order wrong parts before, ya it sux but it happens to everyone sometimes

[CJM]

Yea man after the backstory i totally feel for ya. Buddy of mine ordered the timing chain tensioner-or so he thought. he got the actual guide not the spring loaded pc.

I always order online, I lookup the part myself to be sure.

[99400esex]

Originally posted by CJM
Yea man after the backstory i totally feel for ya. Buddy of mine ordered the timing chain tensioner-or so he thought. he got the actual guide not the spring loaded pc.

I always order online, I lookup the part myself to be sure.

Yeah I always order things like this online. I dunno why I didnt this time but o well things happen I guess. I was just really looking forward to getting this cam in and seeing how well it keeps up with my buddies 700xx.

[togup]

yea thats the very reason I quit going to the dealer they could care less if they get the right part , Im sure the owner cares but the dead heads behind the counter that are texting or talking to their boy friends pretending not to see you makes me sick. If they finally decide to punch a couple buttons and order your part (which they will get wrong the first time) when it finally shows up they never bother to call you ,you have to call them 2 weeks later they dont know what your talking about you go down there straighten it all out then they have the nerve to say " come back if you need something else" ,think ill stick to the internet

[CarGuy7a]

When I was installing my Stage 1 hot cams, I stopped by my Honda dealer and checked the price on a head cover gasket. Got home and did a search online and found a whole top end gasket kit on rockymountainatvmc.com for the same price as they wanted at the Honda dealer for that one stupid gasket. I didn't really need the other gaskets except for the head cover but I still got the kit from rockymountain. I figured what the heck if I ever need valve seals or the other stuff in that kit, I will have them.

[JOHNDOE83]

Originally posted by 99400esex
My local honda shop ordered the wrong freaking gasket for my hotcam install, they just gave me the regular head gasket instead of the head COVER gasket. looks like the cam install is gonna be put on hold yet again.

I never go to the dealer for anything, last time I went was for some jets, they asked me why I would need to rejet it...lol.

The head cover, you could RTV that thing, If you wanted.

[jcs003]

when i rode yamamas i hated that dealer. but for the last 10 i have been on a honda with no issues.

im in southern allegheny county.

[coryatver]

that sucks I have had problems too. if i have to order parts from a dealer I look up the part numbers I need online before I go there.

[99400esex]

Originally posted by JOHNDOE83
I never go to the dealer for anything, last time I went was for some jets, they asked me why I would need to rejet it...lol.

The head cover, you could RTV that thing, If you wanted.

RRTV? Explain

[99400esex]

Originally posted by rpfeifer11
Where are you in westmoreland county?

Im in the murrysville area

[99400esex]

Originally posted by rpfeifer11
Ohhh alright you are not far from me at all. I am from Mt.Pleasant.


yea i know mt. pleasant, i used to fish around there and new stanton all the time. So your kinda close to the local community college, wccc, right?

[99400esex]

hell yeah i know that area and greensburg, irwin, north huntington and so on. where do u ride at around there?

[99400esex]

ohh thats cool, I used to ride in claridge if you ever heard of that, been riding there for at least ten years but the police ruined that for us.

[99400esex]

Originally posted by jcs003
when i rode yamamas i hated that dealer. but for the last 10 i have been on a honda with no issues.

im in southern allegheny county.

Southern allegheny? im about 10 to 15 minutes away from Monroeville

[JOHNDOE83]

Originally posted by 99400esex
RRTV? Explain

RTV, liquid gasket maker.

Pull off the cover, put a nice even bead of RTV around where the gasket would go, also around the bolt holes, make sure you leave no gaps in the RTV bead, only put enough to create a good seal without it spilling all over the place when the cover is bolted on.

The best way to do RTV, is to put down the bead, put the cover on, press it down in place by hand, put in the bolts, thread them in a few turns, dont tighten it down till the RTV is dried, once the RTV is dry, torque down your bolts and the process is complete.

IT works better then most people think, people use it all the time when removing the base gasket for more compression, They use it to seal valve covers on cars and alot of other easy fix it solutions. I have it on my engine cases with no oil leaks.

[99400esex]

is this stuff reliable enough, how hard is it to get cleaned off

[JOHNDOE83]

it cleans off very easily, what smooshes out the sides you just wait till its dry and rub it with your finger or trim it off with a razor blade.

if your ever removing it to put the actual gasket, you just clean it off with a razor blade, it comes off easier then old stuck on gasket.

Its reliable, like I said, cars use it, people use it on EXs and other ATVs all the time. Its on my engine cases, people use it when removing the base gasket to add compression, if it works for cars, its more then fine for a 400ex.

alot of people even put it on the actual gaskets for a better seal, if you have a problem blowing head gaskets, RTV on the new head gasket will keep it from blowing.

[99400esex]

I was just gonna say screw it and tear it all down, get the old cam in and just set the head cover on until the gasket arrives. I just hate leaving things in ten billion pieces and not finishing it in the same day.

[CJM]

I can vouch gasket maker is very good stuff, I use it all the time.

Best one to get for this job is the gray type made for aluminum.

[99400esex]

well is it good to use with the old gasket? or should I use only that liquid gasket?

[JOHNDOE83]

It depends on what the old gasket looks like, if its chewed up and half is stuck on the motor and the half on the cover, then id scrape it off and just use the rtv.

If it looks good and is only stuck to one side, then id use rtv on the gasket just to seal it better.

[TRXRacer1]

That should be a steel gasket, nothing to be stuck on one side and the other. Spray a little Copper Coat on a it a re-use it.

[JOHNDOE83]

Oh shoot, your right, been awhile since I had mine apart.

If thats the case then it will be easier then you think and the copper coat would be best.

[TRXRacer1]

Originally posted by JOHNDOE83
Oh shoot, your right, been awhile since I had mine apart.

If thats the case then it will be easier then you think and the copper coat would be best. Copper Coat is one of my favorite friends on the old chemical shelf, lol.

[99400esex]

Guys I got a big problem. I dropped one of the damn cam bolts down into the motor where the timing chain runs at. how can i go about getting this out? besides that everything went well and the gasket is reusable by the way.

[CJM]

Two things come to mind:

1. Magnet, smaller the head the better. Could even tie a heavy fridge magnet to a string and see if that works.

2. Open the case on that side and see if its in there.

[99400esex]

Originally posted by CJM
Two things come to mind:

1. Magnet, smaller the head the better. Could even tie a heavy fridge magnet to a string and see if that works.

2. Open the case on that side and see if its in there.

Yeah the magnet came to my mind instantly, I just hope im not screwed. I really cant believe I let that happen especially since I was just getting ready to bolt the hotcam in.

[CJM]

Dont feel so bad, I had the whole topend open and found no matter I couldnt get the piston to go into the cyl easily. I removed the piston and put it into the cyl outside the engine.

No big deal there, went smoothly.. Go to put the cir-clips on for the wrist pin, one side went on fine, other side I tried to get on and it flew off and into the bottom end! Thank god it was right on top and I had a magnet!

[99400esex]

Yeah it looked like that cam bolt flew way down in there too, im praying I can get it out somehow

[99400esex]

Hey guys, finally retrieved the bolt but the magnet method didnt work. we had to pull the clutch cover off and low and behold there it was. Im so relieved to have that out but my gasket for that is destroyed, im just gonna use liquid gasket for that though because im broke. thank god the process of the cam can continue.

[CJM]

use a very thin layer of rtv on that case cover-too much and it may pull at the clutch to much.