Exhaust Gaskets Removal Tip Needed

[Guest JamesCates]

This might be a stupid question but my exhaust gaskets are so tightly mashed into the head/ports, I can't get them out. Anyone have a good/easy method to do this? I fear my prying will crack the damned head!

[Guest fe5ta]

Not done it on the X but on the other bikes I`ve done it on, Just get a fine flat ended screwdriver and scrape round the carbon until you can see the joint then gently prise from there but sometimes you need to tap the driver into the gasket then lever it out. I`m guessing that it`s an ally gasket and the mixture of salt and carbon have kind of welded it in place.

[blueboy 138]

HI birthday boy all the best, it may be worth giving the gasket a good spray with WD 40 and leaving overnight then try to only work on the gasket with a driver or a pointed awl .BRY

Edited April 16, 2010 by blueboy

[fast_eddy 712]

You could always leave the buggers in there... just put a smear of exhaust paste on when you reassemble them.

They'll soon carbon up again... don't risk it for a biscuit.

[Kenko 335]

As Eddy says..

[Guest raeman]

Not done it on the X but on the other bikes I`ve done it on, Just get a fine flat ended screwdriver and scrape round the carbon until you can see the joint then gently prise from there but sometimes you need to tap the driver into the gasket then lever it out. I`m guessing that it`s an ally gasket and the mixture of salt and carbon have kind of welded it in place.

That's how i've allways done it aswell, last time was on a cbr1000f, think the gaskets on that were copper. (could be wrong it's a while ago)

[Guest JamesCates]

Thanks all - that's what I thought too (on all of it). I've done it on other bikes but seemed a lot easier. Can't leave them in now, mucked one up trying to "pop" it out. Damn. Maybe get the one out and leave the others and exhaust paste. Problem solved, at least.

[Guest raeman]

Be carefull with the exhaust paste James. Everytime i've used it, it goes brittle and starts to fall apart after a while, plus the mess it makes is awfull and it's difficult to clean off if it goes on the headers or paintwork.

I would take them out and replace with new for peice of mind.

[x11r 386]

James they are only hollow copper rings , they have probably gone hard due to being squashed in the head , once you can get a decent bite under them with a decent screwdriver they should just pop out , as Mark says I would give exhaust paste a miss as they will end up blowing and you will have to take it all off again

[Guest JamesCates]

Thanks guys. I'll be prying those suckahs out this weekend - I've already got the new ones, so may as well use them!