Winter project

[Oldewing]

I had not picked a project for this off season, this morn Oldewing picked it for me.

Fired it off at 04:45 to ride to the airport, Right bank steaming, stinking sweetly and did not stop. Returned same to garage, parked.


Looks like head gasket and valve lap time

[spaniard]

it's wont take all winter! that's an easy(er) job!

I am sorry it happened though... good luck.

[Frenchy]

There sure is something going on with all these blown head gaskets................

[Oldewing]

Yea, must be in the water................


Frenchy, looks like I will be doing some trading with you soon. So I need the complete engine gasket kit and 2 head gaskets for a start?

[Frenchy]

Yea, must be in the water................


Frenchy, looks like I will be doing some trading with you soon. So I need the complete engine gasket kit and 2 head gaskets for a start?

The complete gasket set has the head gaskets.

[driftinmark]

i wonder whats going on with all these gaskets going bad?............could it be new fuel formulations? I wouldnt think that would cause it, maybe its the ethanol? just guessing here..........seems like to much of a coincidence..........just thinking out loud

frenchy, you running outta gaskets yet?..........im babing my bike latley, dont need another winter project just yet..........

[Frenchy]

Plenty of gaskets!!!

Maybe it's the Y2K bug just finally getting here? Oh that's right, this babies don't have puters...... Must be the water.......

[Oldewing]

it's apart, no harm done, gap in gasket. thats good me thinks...


small intake valve marks on number 1 and 3 piston, but none on valves...............luckey or dumb?

[RAT]

"It's apart, no harm done, gap in gasket. thats good me thinks..."

At this rate she should be back on the road by this time tomorrow
.

Gord (It'd take me a week) Jones 8)

[danriffle]

There sure is something going on with all these blown head gaskets................

Maybe the insanely high temps all around the country this summer?

Dan

[ffwd]

There sure is something going on with all these blown head gaskets................

maybe the azbest prohibition? and other environmental friendly rules.
you can't make a good gasket out of paper....
it's a pitty...i'm curious of what i'm gonna get...my engine shoiuld run in about 2-3 weeks. i've bought athene gaskets. hope they won't blow....
i'll let you know.

[Oldewing]

Me thinks mine was just age realated, heat and cold cycles over 25ish years. 2 of the head bolts, though not loose where about a 3rd short on touque to the other 4.

Lesson learned is, when adjusting your valves, maybe throw the touque wench on the head bolts once or twice in your life.............

[ffwd]

yeah. didn't know if they were old gaskets or new ones...i hope mine will do their job...

[ElPiloto]

The best cure I have found for blown head gaskets over the years, is to make absolutely sure that both surfaces, head and block, are perfectly flat.

To find high and low spots, I use Dykem, a dye used in metal fabrication, and cover the head and block with dark blue or purple. Then, with a new, or like new, flat mill file about 2" wide and 12" or 14" long, I file very gently the 2 surfaces. This will reveal the high and low spots. On the head, the problem many times is the head is bent from over or under torque on the head bolts. On the block, the problem is usually that the metal around the head bolt threads is pulled up by too much torque.

Use the mill file over the entire block and head surface until the dye is completely removed.

Use a clean up tap to renew all threads in the block.

For torqueing the head bolts, follow the directions in the Honda manual exactly. The only change is that you should tighten them, in the correct order, using 6 or 8 passes and increasing the torque in small increments.

Most people use the "click" type torque wrench. The cheap ones are only accurate to 4%. The good name brand wrenches have accuracy of 3%. The best torque wrench is the old fashioned beam type wrenches with 2% accuracy. These are usually the cheapest too. I don't use any other kind.

The very best solution I have found is all of the above, but using studs instead of bolts. The studs thread into the the block all the way, using every bit the threads. And when you torque the nuts on the studs, you tighten on fine threads and get much more accurate torque readings. The best studs are from ARP, they may have the correct studs, or may not. If you send the measurements and thread size, they will check their inventory and made up stud kits for all engines to see in one has the studs you need. You might be able to get the correct sized sized studs from Taiwan or China.

After you do the first torque on the head bolts, check them after a 10 mile ride. Check them again after 100 miles too.

Aluminum heads on an aluminum block is the most difficult combination to get a good headgasket seal.

All the above information I have learned after 45 years of engine building, with many of those engines being supercharged or turbocharged.

The old Meyer-Drake 4 cylinder racing engines (Offenhauser) had the best solution to head gasket problems - The head and cylinders were one unit. No head gaskets.

[RebelRouser]

It's Got To Be That Dammed Dihydrogen Monoxide , They Must Have Found Out I Signed That Petition To Bann That Stuff.... Or Is It The Government Just Trying To Keep The Man Down, Us Wingers Are Getting To Big, Too Many Numbers, Too Orginized....