So I picked up a new head gasket for when my head is rebuilt and ready for install and one area looks different than the old. There is an oil passage that leads through the head and into the cam cap. The old gasket is fully open, but the new one is mostly solid over that passage. Its only the middle layer of the gasket, and there is only a small hole in the center.
I'm wondering if it is a mistake in the manufacturing, maybe I'm supposed to punch it out,or maybean update in design?
Any ideas?
Pics:
Overall view



Close up of original gasket

Close up of new gasket

 

gaskets change from different manufacturers, see if you can cross-reference the gasket to see if it is compatible. what did the old gasket come off of?

 

03 636
New gasket is Kawi part

 

It looks like a restricter holefor the oil passage. Check in the Kawasaki parts manual online to see if the gasket was superceded.

 

You would think that a gasket would not be meant to restrict anything going through a machined hole. If it were my gasket I would just cut the hole out to match the machined hole. Gaskets aren't meant to do that kind of job. If you leave it like that my thought is that you'll end up with gasket material floating in your engine because it got broken down by the heat and constant pressure from the oil trying to flow through that hole.

Edit: Just to reiterate.. That is just what *I* would do. I don't want to say that's what you should do because I'm not gonna take any blame for this. BUT, if it was working fine before without the restriction, logic would state that it would do the same if you made the new with the same hole.

 

Deuce, kinda my thoughts as well. Even if it were an updated part, why would it only be in the middle layer of the gasket?

 

Get a hole punch and puch it ou to the same size as the original gasket. Extra oil flow to the top-end can never hurt.

 

I called Ron Ayers Motorsports today and got them to call Kawasaki. No real answer from Kawasaki. The Kawi guy said that he wasn't aware of any changes in the part. His suggestion was to order another and see what I get. The Ron Ayers guy said I could go ahead and punch it out to match the original if I was concerned about oil flow. I actually am concerned about oil flow, strangely enough! Any reason you could think of where resticting the oil to the cam cap would be beneficial? Boosts oil pressure below it, I would guess... Onceoil gets into the top of the head, I suppose it wouldn't need much pressure. Just needs to get there. I honestly don't know, I'm hardly a mechanic. Just like to take broke stuff apart and put it back together fixed.

 

Restriction of oil flow will lead to higher pressure below the gasket and possible gasket oil leak. It's better to have ample supply of oil to the cams than not enough. Punch or drill out the hole bigger.