Replace Head Gasket?

[David Barber]

Is it necessary to replace the head gasket any time you remove the head, even if you take it off and everything looks fine?

 

[IndyMX]

Is it necessary to replace the head gasket any time you remove the head, even if you take it off and everything looks fine?

Not if it's an o-ring type head gasket, otherwise, yes.

 

[mudpack]

Since all head gaskets are crushed into the various tiny "nooks and crannies" of the head and cylinder when proper torque is applied to the head studs/bolts, they should ALL be replaced when the head is removed. Even if you could get the gasket back in the same location, it will not be exact.
That said, you could probably use the same head gasket over and over just about indefinitely and still not have a failure in a stock engine. But, I wouldn't do it.

 

[NCFRC]

Any metal gasket with crushable sealant ridges should never be re-used . The price of the gasket is cheap compared to the hastle of taking it back apart. The gasket on a KDX is only .010 thick so when you send the head out to be planed , make sure they take about .015 off to help with the low compression .

 

[dansavage]

I am young but old fashioned when it comes to stuff like this....

Replace the gasket! Cheap insurance policy versus using the old and running the risk of messing something up!

 

[domino dave]

A long time ago I remember saying to myself ,"This old head gasket looks fine ... I'll just reuse it." A couple rides later it was weeping . Instead of having to re-do ,I always use new. Dave

 

[mudpack]

The only head gaskets I've ever known to be "re-useable" are the old plain copper gaskets used on the air-cooled two-strokes we ran in the '60's and '70's; they could be re-annealed (softened) and re-used if you couldn't get a new one in time for the weekend's big race.
I did it more than once, but money was really tight back in those days.