Bonneville America Forums Forums Technical Forums General Tech removing left and right engine sidecovers

Has anyone took off their engine side covers to polish them or replace them with chrome ones? Is there anything tricky about it. I just don't want to have something fall out into my hands and not know how to put it back together. Any tips would be greatly appreciated.
modmaster

I have had the stator cover off and no surprises there, came right off with no issues or hidden snags. I also have put 4 on so far with just a little Ultra Black Permatex and no gasket with no leaks at all.

Get new gaskets on the way, as the OEM s are intermittently glued on, and removing a cover with a reusable gasket intact is akin to a modern miracle. On the left side, your main concern is the wavy washer on the starter, locate it as soon as you remove the cover and make sure it's back in place on reassembly. I bought six cheap 6mm extra long cap screws and hacksawed off the heads and use them threaded in finger tight to hang the new gasket on as well as a guide to slide the cover on straight and even. Triumph machines the mating surfaces good enough that you can get away with Ian s method and just use Permatex and no gasket, if you want, but it will be essentially glued together the next time you want to pull back off. I use a new gasket with a light smear of gasket adhesive on the engine side and a light even coat of non metallic anti seize on the case side, I have had good results doing this and haven't had to change out a case seal yet, but I still keep a new gasket at the ready just in case it tears or whatever.

Thanks for those instructions and gasket technique Ryk. I'll be doing it your way next time I have engine covers off. Btw, why do you specify non-metallic anti seize?

No chance of metallic oil contamination and I am lucky enough to have jug of it lying around, I got from a Nuke project I worked on in Calif. awhile back. You only need such a light coat applied and it's basically encapsulated 'tween the case and cover, so I wouldn't worry about using the regular grade of Anti Seize, if that's all I could get, just do not slop it on, as a light film rubbed into the outboard side of the paper gasket will keep it from sticking and tearing, upon a future dis assembly. There are several grades of A. Seize available, if you can locate one of the lube oil or bearing friendly types, I would recommend to use it, that's all.