i just bought an 18 piece gasket set for my 95 savage. Head gasket was shot so I'm replacing all the gaskets I can. Problem is, all these smaller o rings(one orange one), and four cap like pieces with circle springs recessed into top...have no idea where they go haha can't find a guide anywhere online. Sure I would find them if I looked and dug into the bike enough, but would greatly appreciate some tips/pointers from those who have already done this job. Thanks!

If you are taking the bike apart (obviously), you just need to replace the gaskets that you encounter on the way.  An awful lot of those gaskets and seals may be for the the internal parts you may never get to...like the oil pump, transmission shift linkage, etc.  I know some of the O-rings fit in between the center cases to keep oil from coming our around screws that hold the case together.

The 4 rubber pieces with internal springs.....most likely are valve seals.  They go on the valve stems, and you can't get to them unless you remove the valve springs.

Well, if it was a weepy oil issue....most likely it was the rubber head plug and not the head gasket.  That rubber plug that goes over the right front cylinder stud did not have any sealant on it when it left the factory....and unfortunately  it will leak eventually.  You should be a new one, and apply the proper (Suzuki Bond, YamaBond, Hondabond or Three bond)....it is preferable to the over the counter RTV gasket sealants.

On occasion the nuts/studs that are directly under the intake and exhaust ports can week some oil as well if they come loose.  You should apply a bit of sealer to those when you install the washers and nuts.

http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1099227295

Runs great,  blown head gasket,  hmmm...
Wait till you get there and discover that was not the problem.

The common problem is an oil leak often diagnosed as a head gasket. One guy recently paid for it... but best I can tell, never saw the old gasket. I suspect the dealer fixed the leak, and charged for the head gasket job..
Why do people dive in, THEN ask questions?

we have a head gasket, we don't have a head cover gasket.

justin_o_guy2 wrote on 03/22/15 at 15:11:42:


That is my understanding as well.  Why doesn't Suzuki use a preformed/cut gasket like on the clutch cover gasket?   It just seems a lot simpler.

Best regards,

I've never seen a Savage with a blown head gasket (well the only Savage I've seen is my one...) but worked on plenty of other thumpers and changes a lot of blown head gaskets. On a big single, when it's leaking, you know about it. Makes a terrible noise, just like there's compression escaping the cylinder. funny, that. Often they'd run fine at idle but all goes bad when the throttle's cracked open. The Red hand grenade model Honda XR250 was bad for it- head bolts would pull free for no obvious reason, gasket leaks, compression blows onto your pants. Nice.
But anyway if the heads off, it's off. Put it back together with the same gaskets that came out, you'll be fine. The valve springs, can generally get them off with a hammer and socket, but you need the special tool to get 'em back on again  
An old guy I used to work for swore that spraying the steel gaskets with silver frost spray paint made them seal more reliably, but I dunno about that one.....
Happy engine building, buddy.

I actually made a copper head gasket for my own XR back then,now you mention it. Worked great. I needed a thicker gasket because the head had been decked too far after it had been repaired.