Head gaskets....part III

[AApple]

dan filipi » Sun Jul 23, 2017 10:28 am[/url]":2sg5noya]
Lol.

It won't break there if it's not stressed wrong.

:shock: REALLY?!? You figure that out all by yerself??? oh2:
:smilie_happy: :BigGrin: :smilie_happy:

All the head bolts were tightened in sequence to 40 ft/lbs with an accurate torque wrench. That lower bolt was the last one....I almost had the exhaust back on before I remembered to tighten it. Short ratchet, turned by hand....snap. I've had the heads off a few times before without busting them....just my luck tho.

 

[chilidawg]

I've got a pair of heads off of an 82, down here in Spring TX, that I'm never likely to use.

I don't need money for 'em, but you'd have to pick them up, it would cost a bunch to send, even just up to Dallas.

 

[dan filipi]

If it's not seated right, another head will just as easily break there. I know you're a mechanic with a lot of experience but sometimes simple things are overlooked. That's me :mrgreen:

Check the locating pins are not obstructing the head from pulling down, and all the bolts actually do thread in deep enough. I once had one head bolt not thread down from hydro lock because I missed blowing the hole clear of cleaner I shot in it. After that happened I dry fit the head without the gasket, put all bolts in to seated, checking the washer can't be turned.

 

[joedrum]

I agree it should be the first bolt taken out on head job ...and last to be tighten back on head job ...that being said I've come awful close to breaking this bolt off in into living up to comment just made ...during the cooper head gasket mod failure I was certainly not doing things right ...from being so deep in failure mode I wasn't thinking clearly ....other times too ...dang bolt is out of sight ...seen one time where a guy had gasket backwards ...exhaust bolted up and all done so he thought

 

[dan filipi]

And no disrespect intended Joel, but this isn't the first time you've had a blown head gasket on this bike. That to me suggests maybe something is being missed during assembly?

That or you're rushing. That always bites me in the ass :crying:

 

[chilidawg]

I guess it did kinda get buried real quick yesterday, but I did offer you a free cylinder head.

Their in good shape & you've got your choice of 2. it's up to you.

 

[AApple]

chilidawg » Mon Jul 24, 2017 7:26 pm[/url]":1duslr14]
I guess it did kinda get buried real quick yesterday, but I did offer you a free cylinder head.

Their in good shape & you've got your choice of 2. it's up to you.

I saw the offer, and thank you very much, but a trip down Houston way isn't in the plans anytime soon. I've found a couple of good looking heads on fleabay fairly reasonable....just haven't pulled the trigger yet. I may go ahead and see if I can get this one welded up, since it's not in a high pressure area. Gotta talk to the welding guru first. :thanks:

I believe the gaskets I got are screwy....not the same thickness all over the surface area. I also prolly wrenched that bolt down a little too tight....I knew it right before it snapped. That's on me. :blush:

Dowels have already been shortened slightly in the past to make sure they were not too long, and keeping the heads from bolting down fully. ALL threaded holes in the block were heli-coiled last time I had the engine out(2015). Bolts have been measured....there is plenty of room still left in the holes before they bottom out with the heads on(without gaskets)....more than 3/8"(measured with a micrometer). All threaded holes were blown out with air before the heads were mounted.
All good suggestions, no doubt. This is the 3rd time I've done the head gaskets on the Turd, and I managed to do it the first two times without cracking the head on that one bolt. Manual calls for 8 ft/lbs on it....I'm not gunna put a 24" long torque wrench on it.... :smilie_happy: I got the other side bolted on with no problem. Just had a brain fart, thass all.

I'm really getting gun-shy on some of these head gaskets. I found some that look like REAL head gaskets(not graphite coated tin foil) for a reasonable price, but they're in the UK. Look like good composition gaskets, made by Athena. Might give those a shot once I decide on whether to buy another head or have this one glued back together....
(I still ain't told Mama yet....Imma skeered.... :smilie_happy: )

crack

• AApple
• Jul 24, 2017

crack2

• AApple
• Jul 24, 2017

crack3

• AApple
• Jul 24, 2017

crack4

• AApple
• Jul 24, 2017

 

[backlander]

That ought to weld up nice, good clean break.

 

[slabghost]

Welded should make it stronger than ever. Just be sure the gasket surface matches the rest of the head gasket surface. I've read good reviews on Athena gaskets. No personal experience though.

 

[backlander]

Did a little reading up on Honda versus Athena gaskets and it seem the difference in thickness is Honda 1.1mm / Athena 1.5 mm . This cause some changes if true. Raises the deck height, increases cylinder cc volume and decrease compression ratio. Food for thought.

 

[desertrefugee]

Don't feel bad, Joel. You're not the first - or the last to experience this heartbreak.

I can't seem to lay hands on the photos at the moment, but I had the exact same crack on my 1200 a few years ago. Made me invent a few new four letter words, too. I never really figured out exactly what happened either as I snugged that one last - not even torqued.

The German method: Guduntiet.

 

[Lostboy Steve]

I don't know about goldwings in particular but Athena makes quality products. I've seen the ones you're talking about and was tempted to order a set myself.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[chilidawg]

I have this naked head sitting right here, skimmed a year or two ago and never used. If I remember rightly that was due to the cam carrier bolts not taking torque, you might have to helicoil those.

But I also have a loaded head, (Not sure what cam,) look it's all free dude, I just wanna see this stuff go to someone who needs it. I'll even send it all up to Dallas for ya!

PM me and we'll talk about it. :builder: :head bang: :head bang: :head bang:

Beating my had against a brick wall to pass on what I've learned, and it sucks!!

 

[Ansimp]

chilidawg » Sat Jul 29, 2017 1:56 pm[/url]":32u4pvci]
I have this naked head sitting right here, skimmed a year or two ago and never used. If I remember rightly that was due to the cam carrier bolts not taking torque, you might have to helicoil those.

But I also have a loaded head, (Not sure what cam,) look it's all free dude, I just wanna see this stuff go to someone who needs it. I'll even send it all up to Dallas for ya!

PM me and we'll talk about it. :builder: :head bang: :head bang: :head bang:

Beating my had against a brick wall to pass on what I've learned, and it sucks!!

:good: :salute:

 

[AApple]

chilidawg » Fri Jul 28, 2017 10:56 pm[/url]":1id75lf3]
PM me and we'll talk about it.

PM sended... :yes:

 

[AApple]

Got a decent head off fleabay. Valves were all in great shape, cam & followers(rockers) in better condition than my originals. OE Honda(groan) gasket. Got it all back together Sunday. Just need to get oil and coolant for it sometime this week, and see if it will still fire up and run. Quadruple-checked cam timing, and valve adjustments. Once it's back up and running(and cleaned up a bit), it'll be for sale. :yes:

 

[AApple]

:yahoo:

EEETS ALIVE!!! :clapping:
:mrgreen:

Dumped some erl and coolant in it, cranked it for a minit or so, and the Turd came back to life! No sputterin, poppin, backfires. Dint haffta move plug wires around, or anything....sure hope that's a sign that it will survive this time around.
Now just gotta rebuild the rear caliper and bleed it, and it should be ready to ride it back to the house sometime this weekend. :yes:

 

[dan filipi]

Great Joel. Glad it went together good!

 

[mjanderson]

:yahoo:

 

[mcgovern61]

arty: