1980 GL1100 blown head gasket Again! Fixed!

5150jim · Oct 27, 2014

I’m looking for the spec for the block in the center between the two cylinders on #1 & 3, not that it will make much difference from 2 & 4 or 1 & 3 but I seem to have a problem blowing the head gaskets on the right side only. Now the bike sat for 7 yrs but I have put a couple thousand miles on it since I got it up & running but the block has a small amount on clearance between the 2 cylinders and need to want is acceptable? I but a good set of feeler gauges tomorrow but for right now I have a calibrated straight edge & I just used cellophane from a cigarette pack & it drags under the straight edge everywhere but right between the cylinders. The bike only has 26k miles on it but I keep blowing the gasket right in the middle. Any thoughts?
TNX, Jim

slabghost · Oct 27, 2014

head and block surface should be dead flat and smooth. Could be a lot of handwork to get it flat. Block of granite or plate glass to back wet/dry paper can be your best friend here.

5150jim · Oct 27, 2014

That sounds like a slow and very long process, but it’s a possibility.
TNX

zman · Oct 27, 2014

I would be curious what kind of gap you get with a feeler gauge. I suppose your using Honda head gaskets, with a situation like that the thicker the better, as well some aftermarkets have the sealing ring too small. Dan Filipi was asking about thickness because he had someone willing to make thicker sealing rings, I don't know if anything became of it. Also the exhaust valves are near center..wondering if it is related to a lean condition.
Let us know what you find with the gauges, doesn't sound too far off that a head gasket should do the job, there is some forgiveness when you torque a new one down, maybe add some copper coat for insurance.

5150jim · Oct 28, 2014

Warren (my Honda mechanic who has been working on Wings since the 70s) says .004 max gap and then you need to do something about it. My reading was less than .0015 so I think I’m good but I didn’t know that you need to torque the bolts over & over again in increasing ft lbs.

So here is what the torque spec GL1100 is & how to do it & molly grease needs to be put on.

Be sure to have the oil orifices installed with new O-rings. Install the dowels, then the gasket. Then install the head and head bolts. Coat the head bolt threads and underside of the bolt head with molybdenum disulfide grease. Torque the six 10mm bolts first then the single 6mm bolt.
10mm bolts torque 55 N-m ( 40 ft lbs )

6mm bolt10 N-m ( 8 ft lbs )

What my Honda mechanic just said (& I didn’t do the first time) to torque all the bolts at 5 ft lbs then go back & do 10 ft lbs & so forth & so on until you get to 40 ft lbs.
Then torque all the bolts in the same pattern 2 more times at 40 ft lbs. Then do the 6 mm bolt last.

The sequence is Bottom center first

Upper center second

Bottom left third

Upper right fourth

Bottom right fifth

Upper left sixth

Lower center (6mm) seventh

I hope this helps & I hope it works for me as well.
TNX, Jim

joedrum · Oct 28, 2014

well yes .... sounds good ....but there is sound reasoning about torque of heads after you run it a bit .... gasket are cheaply made ..more goo than metal big time goo get hot and soft and relaxes the torque you put on ...torque after that bring it into to torque specs again and less likely to blow...in your case for sure

shierh · Oct 30, 2014

Be sure you chase the threads and use new bolts. Make torque even and true.

5150jim · Nov 3, 2014

TNX for all the info.

slabghost · Nov 3, 2014

Best of luck this time around. Keep us posted.

5150jim · Mar 27, 2015

Okay, I had the head milled & it has blown the gasket again. I guess I'm going to have to replace the case/block. Does anyone know of anything I need to know before I replace them. And/or should I just take mine apart & have them resurfaced? Is there any chance that damaged in some other way? If so how would I check for that?
TNX, Jim

joedrum · Mar 27, 2015

should be able to look at gasket to see where it blew pot and go right there on block and see what causing it ...make sure your not using 1000 head gasket as these will blow quickly as you describe

slabghost · Mar 27, 2015

Agreed! 1000 gaskets are often sold as fitting 1100. They do but the piston hits the smaller ring seal and tears them up.

5150jim · Mar 29, 2015

Well I got the last ones on Amazon & I got Athena P400210600976 Top End Gaskets Kit
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000GV ... UTF8&psc=1
So how do I know if they know. It says CHECK TO SEE IF IT FITS but there is no GL1000 made in 1980 so maybe they are just using the same gasket set for both GL1000 & GL1100.
Okay I'm editing this because I just check under another browser & clicked on Athena P400210600976 Top End Gaskets Kit & tired 1976 GL1000 & it said This does not fit your:
1976 Honda GL1000 Gold Wing

slabghost · Mar 30, 2015

The only difference between 1000, 1100, and 1200 head gaskets is the seal size for the piston. I'm pretty sure the larger 1100 gaskets will fit and work just fine. Test fit one on one of the heads and compare it to the original.

zman · Mar 30, 2015

I dont know what could be going on with yours but some of the things I found are that the head bolts have to be strait and true, thread holes should be cleaned out and bolts run through to check and I wouldn't use any bolts that have stretched longer then the others.
Hard to get a proper torque if any bottom out or have resistance, grease them lightly but don't use anti seize.
I have a gl with the factory gaskets still torqued down as the factory did them, book says 44 foot pounds but when I checked mine they click at 44 fast and easy leading me to think the factory torque is higher then the book says, maybe 47-50, thats just a guess based on how easy the torque gauge clicked but if it were me I would tourque higher then the book says..More then other engines that metal ring around the cylinders needs to crush properly to seal the water from the cylinders, and some times aftermarket gaskets are thicker,thinner or made from different materials.

ekvh · Mar 30, 2015

Gl1000 piston bore 72mm, 1100 bore is 75mm. Measureable difference.

AApple · Mar 30, 2015

[url=https://classicgoldwings.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=134382#p134382:11snzhrj said:
5150jim » Mon Oct 27, 2014 7:15 pm[/url]":11snzhrj]
I’m looking for the spec for the block in the center between the two cylinders on #1 & 3, not that it will make much difference from 2 & 4 or 1 & 3

Specs are in the service manual.... 0.10mm :good: Same measurement should apply to the block surfaces.

Honda Goldwing GL1000 1975 to 1979 Service Manual Page 5-14

WindNWing
Oct 15, 2012

(bottom of page)

slabghost · Mar 30, 2015

[url=https://classicgoldwings.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=144661#p144661:1vfa1ywe said:
5150jim » Sun Mar 29, 2015 10:16 pm[/url]":1vfa1ywe]
Well I got the last ones on Amazon & I got Athena P400210600976 Top End Gaskets Kit
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000GV ... UTF8&psc=1
So how do I know if they know. It says CHECK TO SEE IF IT FITS but there is no GL1000 made in 1980 so maybe they are just using the same gasket set for both GL1000 & GL1100.
Okay I'm editing this because I just check under another browser & clicked on Athena P400210600976 Top End Gaskets Kit & tired 1976 GL1000 & it said This does not fit your:
1976 Honda GL1000 Gold Wing

Okay I'm confused. The title of this thread is for 1100 head gasket. Now you are saying it doesn't fit the 76. So what are we working with here? An 80 motor in a 76? A 76 motor in an 80? Or the 76 1000? :headscratch:

5150jim · Apr 2, 2015

Good info TNX. I'm going out right now to pull the head again & do some checking & I'll keep you posted.
TNX, Jim

5150jim · Apr 2, 2015

[url=https://www.classicgoldwings.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=144694#p144694:apan0ya9 said:
AApple » Mon Mar 30, 2015 10:12 am[/url]":apan0ya9]

[url=https://classicgoldwings.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=134382#p134382:apan0ya9 said:

5150jim » Mon Oct 27, 2014 7:15 pm[/url]":apan0ya9]
I’m looking for the spec for the block in the center between the two cylinders on #1 & 3, not that it will make much difference from 2 & 4 or 1 & 3

Click to expand...

Specs are in the service manual.... 0.10mm :good: Same measurement should apply to the block surfaces.

Honda Goldwing GL1000 1975 to 1979 Service Manual Page 5-14

WindNWing

Oct 15, 2012

(bottom of page)

TNX for the info.

1980 GL1100 blown head gasket Again! Fixed!

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