Head Gasket sealer ? 1976 GL1000

I just finished cleaning up my right cylinder head. Lapped the valves. I have new gasket ready to install. My Honda manual says use gasket sealer on both sides of the gasket. Also says to put moly on the head bolt threads. I thought head bolts are torqued dry. Any advise appreciated for both of these questions. thanks

I did a search and found answers to my questions. So I am going to use copper spray on both sides of the gasket and Moly grease on the head bolts and washers. 45 ft.lbs torque ?

Did you aldo read the warning to only LIGHTLY lap the valves? They are stelite faced, and too much lapping removes that, exposing soft steel.

is tha info from a factory service manual?
pidjones speaks truth. do not lap those valves, per honda.

I lapped the valves till the surface was clean. My Honda manual says lap the valves but do not grind the valves. Not sure the difference. I used valve grinding compound. What will happen to the valves ?

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Basically, if you take the (very thin) Stelite surface off, the valves will rapidly wear. Luckily, valves are available and reasonably priced.

Thanks for this info. To follow up will I have to do anything to the valve seats if I replace the valves ? I see the valves at Old Bike barn. Description just says replacement . Made in Japan. Does not tell any details about the valve. TIA

jryan19 said:

I just finished cleaning up my right cylinder head. Lapped the valves. I have new gasket ready to install. My Honda manual says use gasket sealer on both sides of the gasket. Also says to put moly on the head bolt threads. I thought head bolts are torqued dry. Any advise appreciated for both of these questions. thanks

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I have been a mechanic most of my life and a Honda car mechanic 35 years and never heard of putting sealer on a head gasket. I don't have a genuine Honda GL1000 manual but my Honda GL1100 manual says do not put sealer on the head gasket.

PartsNMore also carries valves for them. After having severely pitted seats ground, all I had to do with the new valves was install with new stem seals. I have Permatex spray-on copper coat head gasket sealer, but have never used or needed it on the three sets of heads that I have done. BTW, only one set needed valves and grinding (due to corrosion from being submerged). The others just needed stem seals and new gaskets (I did check the valves with Prussian Blue).

DaveO430 said:

I have been a mechanic most of my life and a Honda car mechanic 35 years and never heard of putting sealer on a head gasket. I don't have a genuine Honda GL1000 manual but my Honda GL1100 manual says do not put sealer on the head gasket.

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Thanks. I will install the head gasket with no sealer. My Honda service manual does say to use sealer but newer gaskets must not need it. I lapped the valves enough to remove the coating. I did this before I new better. I guess I will buy new valves and check them with blue dykem. And install new valve seals. Anything else I should check ?