Blew the LH head gasket after exhaust valve adjustment
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- Earl43P
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Blew the LH head gasket after exhaust valve adjustment
Been driving it for 30+ miles.
Knew the the Aft LH exhaust valve was rapping, heard it clearly with a mechanic's stethiscope.
That side's exhaust was clearly richer, based on the wet soot.
Rode it home at 4-ish.
It was thoroughly cooled by 8, so I pulled the valve cover and followed the tutorial on valve adjustment.
Found it was over .007 and tweaked it to .005.
Did a check on the other cylinder, found both were spot on (confirming the nice swish sound on the stethiscope), made no adjustment on it. Didn't touch the other side. Rechecked the clearance on the LH aft exhaust valve, still perfect. Installed the valve cover, started the engine.
No more tap. Revved it to about 1500, sounded like butter. Perfect.
Revved it again, to 2 ground or so, it made a raspy ugly sound, and I see a spray on the garage door.
Immediately shut it down, quicker than a cat can lick its rearend.
Coolant is coming out of the exhaust joint.
Brand new HG's. Can't imagine why an exhaust valve (was loose, I adjusted it properly) adjustment would cause the head gasket to blow, but here I am!
Last edited by Earl43P on Thu Apr 05, 2012 2:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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KTM390A “Hootinanny”
04 ST1300 DDDD (Double darksided daily driver) Sold 4/2022
93 GL1500I Double darksided and SOLD 3/29/20.
99 Valkyrie IS, Fast Black Double Darksided
"Fishtailed, flipped and flung me, but wearing it well". Sold!
82 GL1100 retired DD, needs work.... Sold 3/3/17
- Whiskerfish
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Re: Blew the LH head gasket after exhaust valve adjustment
Wild guess but if the head gasket had been leaking at all it would act as a cleaner removing any built up carbon on the valve seats and that would effect the valve lash.
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"The book is wrong, this whole Conclusion is Fallacious" River Tam
"Yea I do dance awkwardly, and I am having more fun than you" Taylor Swift
2008 GL1800 IIIA "TH3DOG"
1984 GL1200 Standard
1975/6/7/8/9 Arthur Fulmer Dressed Road bike
1975 Naked Noisy and Nasty in town bike
Psst. oh and by the way CHANGE YOUR BELTS!!!!
- Oldewing
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Re: Blew the LH head gasket after exhaust valve adjustment
Wild, maybe but real good idea, I could see that happening quite easy.
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06 GL1800 Road bike, as in Rode alot...
Sometimes I wrestle with my inner demons.........
Other times we just hug.......
Team 898
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Team 76 R2B3
And always remember: beer has some food value--but food has NO beer value...
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Re: Blew the LH head gasket after exhaust valve adjustment
I have to believe this is just a coincidence and there was already a problem with the head gasket. The valve lash generally gets tighter as the seats get pounded into the aluminum head.
Out of curiosity were they Honda head gaskets?
Out of curiosity were they Honda head gaskets?
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(If you want to discuss the Trashmobile, Webers, Rearsets, Clubmans, or other stuff then send me a PM.)
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- MikeO
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Re: Blew the LH head gasket after exhaust valve adjustment
Maybe cam belt timing off piston hit valve this would explain extra clearance did you torque head 43-45 ft lb the torque was increased from Honda because of head gasket failure this was a memo out by Honda
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- robin1731
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Re: Blew the LH head gasket after exhaust valve adjustment
MikeO wrote:Maybe cam belt timing off piston hit valve this would explain extra clearance did you torque head 43-45 ft lb the torque was increased from Honda because of head gasket failure this was a memo out by Honda
Maybe a little of this. Also coincedence I think.
I will add though. Four hours isn't enough time to let the engine cool enough to do the valve lash. It really needs to set over night, 8 hours or more. The head will feel cool but the internals are still warm and it will make a difference.
You might think about getting the heads surfaced too. It may not have been flat.
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1985 Honda Elite
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and a rotation of various purchases
Randakk approved Carb Rebuilder
- Earl43P
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Re: Blew the LH head gasket after exhaust valve adjustment
Appreciate all the comments and insight.
Will know more when I get it disassembled.
I did torque them to 45, but never did a re-torque.
Will know more when I get it disassembled.
I did torque them to 45, but never did a re-torque.
2008 GL1800 "yawn"
KTM390A “Hootinanny”
04 ST1300 DDDD (Double darksided daily driver) Sold 4/2022
93 GL1500I Double darksided and SOLD 3/29/20.
99 Valkyrie IS, Fast Black Double Darksided
"Fishtailed, flipped and flung me, but wearing it well". Sold!
82 GL1100 retired DD, needs work.... Sold 3/3/17
KTM390A “Hootinanny”
04 ST1300 DDDD (Double darksided daily driver) Sold 4/2022
93 GL1500I Double darksided and SOLD 3/29/20.
99 Valkyrie IS, Fast Black Double Darksided
"Fishtailed, flipped and flung me, but wearing it well". Sold!
82 GL1100 retired DD, needs work.... Sold 3/3/17
- MikeO
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Re: Blew the LH head gasket after exhaust valve adjustment
if you had the heads off you should know if you put the restrictors in it has 2 small o-rings on it. did it have low oil pressure before you took it a part?
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- MikeO
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Re: Blew the LH head gasket after exhaust valve adjustment
sorry wrong thread
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- Earl43P
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Re: Blew the LH head gasket after exhaust valve adjustment
Had to be burning coolant in this cylinder (scrubbed so clean).
It is NOT the cylinder that I adjusted the exhaust valve on. It's the dirty one next to it.
2008 GL1800 "yawn"
KTM390A “Hootinanny”
04 ST1300 DDDD (Double darksided daily driver) Sold 4/2022
93 GL1500I Double darksided and SOLD 3/29/20.
99 Valkyrie IS, Fast Black Double Darksided
"Fishtailed, flipped and flung me, but wearing it well". Sold!
82 GL1100 retired DD, needs work.... Sold 3/3/17
KTM390A “Hootinanny”
04 ST1300 DDDD (Double darksided daily driver) Sold 4/2022
93 GL1500I Double darksided and SOLD 3/29/20.
99 Valkyrie IS, Fast Black Double Darksided
"Fishtailed, flipped and flung me, but wearing it well". Sold!
82 GL1100 retired DD, needs work.... Sold 3/3/17
- Earl43P
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- Joined: Fri Mar 02, 2012 8:10 pm
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Re: Blew the LH head gasket after exhaust valve adjustment
Appears to be fatal for this engine.
You may not be able to make out the gouges on the cylinder liner and wall, but the valve did that.
I suspect the head gasket (new) was letting coolant in that cylinder and heat did a number on the intake valve.
I didn't measure the torque to loosen the head bolts, but the two in the center were clearly looser than the outers.
Guess I should have re-torqued those head bolts after a couple engine runs (heat cycles).
I'll do a bunch of reading/research before I ask a slew of questions, but I have a line on a GL1000 engine.
Or someone could tell me now, "won't work", "easy swap", "too hard", etc.
Mine's an 82 GL1100, I'll talk to the guy tomorrow and find out what year the 1000 engine might be from.
2008 GL1800 "yawn"
KTM390A “Hootinanny”
04 ST1300 DDDD (Double darksided daily driver) Sold 4/2022
93 GL1500I Double darksided and SOLD 3/29/20.
99 Valkyrie IS, Fast Black Double Darksided
"Fishtailed, flipped and flung me, but wearing it well". Sold!
82 GL1100 retired DD, needs work.... Sold 3/3/17
KTM390A “Hootinanny”
04 ST1300 DDDD (Double darksided daily driver) Sold 4/2022
93 GL1500I Double darksided and SOLD 3/29/20.
99 Valkyrie IS, Fast Black Double Darksided
"Fishtailed, flipped and flung me, but wearing it well". Sold!
82 GL1100 retired DD, needs work.... Sold 3/3/17
- bladredhead
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Re: Blew the LH head gasket after exhaust valve adjustment
ouccccccch. 1000 into an 1100 should be pretty easy, as the opposite has been done. the gurus will be along shortly to confirm
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- CYBORG
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Re: Blew the LH head gasket after exhaust valve adjustment
eather engine will go in, but if you have to replace it why not go with an 1100?
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1977 custom with 1200 engine
1985 gl1200
- Earl43P
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Re: Blew the LH head gasket after exhaust valve adjustment
CYBORG wrote:either engine will go in, but if you have to replace it why not go with an 1100?
Because I know where there IS a 1000 engine, and I know the guy selling it. Just have to work a deal and assess its condition. His Dad kept it as a spare.
I'm all ears if you know where there is an 1100 engine close to me and the 1000 engine falls through (I'm hoping his price is fair).
2008 GL1800 "yawn"
KTM390A “Hootinanny”
04 ST1300 DDDD (Double darksided daily driver) Sold 4/2022
93 GL1500I Double darksided and SOLD 3/29/20.
99 Valkyrie IS, Fast Black Double Darksided
"Fishtailed, flipped and flung me, but wearing it well". Sold!
82 GL1100 retired DD, needs work.... Sold 3/3/17
KTM390A “Hootinanny”
04 ST1300 DDDD (Double darksided daily driver) Sold 4/2022
93 GL1500I Double darksided and SOLD 3/29/20.
99 Valkyrie IS, Fast Black Double Darksided
"Fishtailed, flipped and flung me, but wearing it well". Sold!
82 GL1100 retired DD, needs work.... Sold 3/3/17
- wilf
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Re: Blew the LH head gasket after exhaust valve adjustment
So the timming belt was off is that what caused this? The ticking sound before you tightened the lash was the valve just hitting the piston and after you tightened it up Well you know what happed then
Wilf
Wilf
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80 interstate project very naked now
90 1500 heartbreaker
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