Topic: Exhaust Gasket removal

[Bristledisk]

Hi All,
I'm fitting a new exhaust system to my 1977 CB400F. I removed the old headers but I'm having difficulty locating the old exhaust gasket.

In the attached picture, I'm looking into the exhaust port of cylinder 1.

Is the ring/ridge between the red arrows the old exhaust gasket or is this part of the cylinder block?

I'm loathed to start trying to prize it out until I'm sure.

Thanks in advance,

[Gene]

Looks like it to me and I just popped mine out.  Get a screwdriver in there - that metal is soft and will bend letting you know you have the right thing.  Don't go hammering on it, but don't be coy with it either.

[NobleHops]

You can usually hook it from the open side with a dental pick or similar and it will peel out. The braided ones can get semi welded in there, the copper tube ones generally pop right out with a bit of coaxing.

[Bristledisk]

Thanks. One gasket out, 3 to go.

[Stev-o]

Tip:  when installing the new gaskets, put a couple of small dabs of grease on 'em to help hold in place

[b1jackson]

I have a 750 and am about to tackle the same thing.  They definitely are in there but flattened out pretty good.



Can I use a little heat?  Pen torch or something?  I may have to invest in a bit more robust pick as I can't get enough pull-action to get at them properly.

[NobleHops]

Swing by a NAPA or Harbor Freight and get a cheap pick set with a stouter right-angle pick. I've seen these sets in Ace Hardware too in the $5 cheap-ass tool bin (a guilty pleasure, I admit). One good wedge and pull just behind that copper ring and those will pop right out. They are a snug fit when new and then flatten out making them snugger yet, heat is unlikely to help.

[Smudgemo]

This is timely, sort of.  I just installed my exhaust and wasn't sure how to remove them so I left them in place.  I have a paint can opener that someone sharpened to a V point that I'll probably use.  My dental pick seems somewhat fragile for such a job.

[toma]

Paint can opener. TomA

[78whiteorbs]

I always use a small deift punch at an angle and tap around with a small hammer and they loosen right seperate and fall right out. I have remove double sets of the coppers before were someone just jammed the new ones on top.

[NobleHops]

Paint can opener. TomA

I am gonna have to try that!

[eigenvector]

I've seen some gaskets that looked very much like steel rings.  I can see how someone would be confused about what they were looking at later on down the road.

Copper gaskets look like copper gaskets - there's no mistaking them.

For God's sake don't jam a flat screwdriver in there rooting around to remove the old one - paint can opener (Church key) or mechanic's pick.

[b1jackson]

Bought a better pick set today and they came out pretty easy.  They appeared to be copper covering an asbestos fiber style gasket.  I used my dremel and a brass brush bit to polish them out abit and remove the gunk so the new ones will seal good.

Dealer for new ones?

[dgreenbluet]

You definitely shouldn't do that.  Its really not that hard to them out.  Better to do it right the first time around.

[danyo]

I think he was talking about cleaning ports, getting ready for new gaskets.

Sent from my SM-N900T using Tapatalk

[Gene]

For God's sake don't jam a flat screwdriver in there rooting around to remove the old one - paint can opener (Church key) or mechanic's pick.

If you have the right flat-head it's essentially the same thing. Not trying to start a fight, just saying.