I put the dowels on the crankcase side and then put the gasket in place using the dowels to hold the gasket in place (or so I thought).  (your option 1).  I also put a light smear of grease on the gasket to tack it on the mating surface.

I've got a new OEM gasket coming.  Hopefully its a better thickness and better cut.  And I just need to make sure it's situated perfectly this time.

Thanks Zevenenergie.  I thought about the thickness of the Ace hardware washer I installed and it possibly preventing a solid seal around the cover due to excessive thickness.  It “looked” the same thickness as the inner washer, but my eyesight isn’t great, I didn’t measure, and we are talking micrometers making a difference.  Here’s the brain dead thing about that …. I had put an exact correct washer in my Partzilla.com shopping cart 2 weeks ago when I discovered it was missing on the bike (or swapped out for an o-ring)…. When I put the gasket in my cart the other day, I saw it.  It didn’t click in my head. I forgot what the washer was for and removed it from my cart not remembering or realizing what it was for or why I put it in my cart.  I’m getting senile.

So the Ace Hardware washer is going to get filed and buffed a tad thinner before reinstalling just in case it’s the root cause of a poor seal.  Thanks for reminding me about the stupid washer!

youzguyz wrote on 02/21/24 at 07:16:13:
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Or, you could just order the correct washer and a spare gasket or some other maintenance items you know you'll need (if you need to justify shipping costs).

I would never use an OEM equivalent or performance part on an engine.  I wouldn't trust the quality of that washer.  Especially after you grind it down.  Every bit of that engine is machined to a higher tolerance and uses higher quality materials than anything you're going to get at ACE.  

And I love ACE!   Half of my motorcycle is built wither their hardware, but not in my engine.  

OhioMoto - see above.  I ordered the new OEM gasket and like an idiot I removed the correct washer from the shopping cart.

I really don't think it's the washer.  See my solution above, but I may go ahead and order the $2 washer and another $9 shipping charge.

Sorry SurvivingPhilly - glad you got the new gasket.  It should be an easy swap, but nothing ever works out easy.

The Clymer manual doesn't distinguish left from right.  It just says 6mm crankcase bolts 9-13 N.m. (6.5 - 9.5 Ft-lb).  I cranked mine down to 13n.m.

Oh, I missed that part (of forgot).  Sorry.

New OEM gasket.  This is interesting.  They only put the pre-applied sealant where the stator wires come out.

1) obviously a place prone to leak...
2) too cheap to put sealant all the way around...

Some things just make me shake my head!  All of the Chinese dirt bikes I've worked on put the stator wire exist on TOP of the cover.  Smarter design to me as you won't get a leak due to gravity or momentum to the lower rear side.

Thanks for doing that Verslagen!!  Cool!

You answered my question about the length of #17!  Glad to see its a nice long 50mm.  I'm waiting for mine in the mail!  I'm on the right path to getting this side 100% leak free!!