A compression gasket requires an even application of a known torque value range to work correctly.  Over torque crushes and ruins the gasket and warps the cover.  Undertorque is just less clamping force but it does not damage the gasket nor warp the cover.

Long time ago I bought me a little quarter inch drive "inch pound" torque wrench for compression gasket use.

Default values for me if there are no known torque values for the involved gasket screws/bolts is 80-100 inch pounds with stress being put on a multi-level cross pattern pull up and consistency on final torque.  This I got from oil pans on car engines -- the touchiest compression gaskets in the world for leaking over time.

I think our side cover gaskets DO have a spec at 6.5 - 9.5 foot pounds (given for 6mm crankcase fasteners) which translates to 78 to 114 inch pounds.  Them, I'd shoot for 100 inch pounds on the nose with a good 3 level repeat cross pattern with first level at 50, second at 80 and last round at 100 inch pounds.  This ought to do her jest fine.

Gasket torque wrenches cost $30 to $50 most places as they are somewhat "specialty tools" and are not big volume items by anybody's guesstimation.  Shame that, every bike mechanic really needs one.



==========   Ta Da !!!  ==========   Jedi science comes up with an answer !!



Now, for the budget minded amongst us Harbor Freight has the no-brainer 6 newton/meter (or 72 inch pound) install a gasket tool for your Savage engine for a whopping $3.97 price tag.  Can't get more reasonable than this.  

Yoda approved as it hits right close at the bottom end of the Suzuki/Clymer recommended gasket installation torque values.

(less a half a newton/meter off and the other torque wrenches don't even graduate that fine)  

That's six inch pounds shy to you English speakers.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=66269


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