VStar 1100 stator cover gasket

[ALD]

Yesterday I had quite some trouble installing my stator cover onto the bike & dealing with the magnet was not helping.
After an hour I finally got it in place, but when I was struggling with the cover the gasket broke in the top center of a couple holes near the edge where the bolts go through.
The break is very small the same as if someone had three hole paper & the paper tore at the top of the hole near the edge.

This is the only thing that happened & the rest of the gasket is still intact, but my concern is if there will be a leak.

 

[Lightcycle]

V-Star?

The answer has to be Yamabond!

 

[ALD]

On the gasket where the bolt hole is cut out it is narrow & the crack is in this narrow part in the center of the bolt hole, but further away from the interior of the engine.
If I do not use yamabond do you think there may be a leak?

 

[Lightcycle]

Without seeing where the gasket ripped, I couldn't say. My thought is if the rip is outside the bolt hole and there is still gasket intact between the bolt hole and interior of the stator, then it shouldn't be a problem. Especially if the tear is at the top, as opposed to the bottom.

But one of the smart guys on here will probably chime in soon and tell you to buy a brand new gasket.

 

[Brian P]

^ This. But new gasket only if the situation is not what was described in the first paragraph. As long as there is no direct path through the leak from the inside to the outside, put it together and send it.

For extra insurance, dab a SMALL bit of oil-resistant RTV meant for sealing crankcases and gaskets right on the spot where the gasket is torn before re-assembly. Yamabond is a good choice but any oil-resistant gasket-maker sealant from Permatex or Loctite etc will work, and you can get those at Canadian Tire. If the leak is potentially below the liquid level of the oil inside and you do this, let it cure for a few hours before you expose it to oil.