Rivets on 3 piece metal head gasket? Should I remove these before installing?

[WildCoast]

Got an aftermarket Vertex gasket kit for the Honda XR650L; wondering if I somehow have the wrong gasket or if I'm misunderstanding how it works?

The 3 piece metal head gasket appears to be a bit different from the OEM Honda in that it has copper/brass rivets holding the 3 metal gasket sheets together. The rivets do line up with cavities in the cylinder side, but on the opposite cylinder head surface where those rivets would sit against is just flat/smooth so I'm confused with how it will seal??

Here is a pic of my cylinder and cylinder head with the Vertex gasket install on the cylinder:

You can see the brass rivet on the head gasket (red arrow). The cylinder does have a cavity behind where each of those 4 rivets sit. However, on the other mating surface (the cylinder head) the mating surface is flat (blue arrow) - how is that supposed to seal?

Can someone confirm if the Honda OEM head gasket is the same design with rivets? I don't recall seeing those when I took the old gasket off a few months ago. I tried to search for a pic of the OEM head gasket online and looks like no rivets:

 

[Trav]

The rivets appear to be in recessed areas and outside the sealing area. If they are there is nothing to worry about, this is very common with MLS gaskets.

 

[Cujet]

Do not remove the rivets. It will work perfectly as is.

 

[WildCoast]

Do not remove the rivets. It will work perfectly as is.

The rivet is raised well above the surface of the gasket on both sides. So I guess the flat side of the cylinder head mating surface will just press that part of the gasket with the rivet into the cavity on the cylinder?

 

[The_Eric]

Which of the 2 heads are you using? The one that gasket is sitting on looks like it'll be fine?

 

[Trav]

Post a picture of the barrel without the gasket.

 

[QwikKota]

At least 3 of those rivets look like they sit in a passage or cutout, they will not be a problem.

 

[slo town]

Also too, there is a rounded trapezoidal shaped hole on the cylinder head, between the round holes near the large rectangular opening. Why doesn't the head gasket have a cutout for this?

Scott

 

[Exhaustgases]

MLS, crap gaskets. In my opinion.

 

[Trav]

MLS, crap gaskets. In my opinion.

MLS are the gold standard for HG as long as the surface is flat and the finish on the block and head is good.

https://www.cometic.com/materials/head-gaskets

 

[WildCoast]

Also too, there is a rounded trapezoidal shaped hole on the cylinder head, between the round holes near the large rectangular opening. Why doesn't the head gasket have a cutout for this?

Scott

No idea, but looks like the OEM Honda gasket (last photo in my original post) ALSO doesn't have a cutout for this interestingly enough!

Which of the 2 heads are you using? The one that gasket is sitting on looks like it'll be fine?

What do you mean? The photo shows the cylinder and cylinder head, so those would be the two parts of the engine that will be mating together using the gasket. One has cut outs which the rivets sit in, but the cylinder head has a flat surface as you can see, hence the question!

Post a picture of the barrel without the gasket.

 

[The_Eric]

What do you mean? The photo shows the cylinder and cylinder head, so those would be the two parts of the engine that will be mating together using the gasket. One has cut outs which the rivets sit in, but the cylinder head has a flat surface as you can see, hence the question!

Yeah don't mind me... Evidently I was being retarded

You should be fine - the rivets are above the holes for the cylinder base fasteners - that is enough relief and wont stop the head from sealing.