Changing Head Gasket

[JScro]

I've put about 5k on the bike since I bought it in February, and it's been running like a champ. I decided I'd try some Mobile 1 synthetic in it on the last oil change, and got a nice leak around my head gasket.

Any tricks to this job at all? Seems pretty straight forward. Besides a valve job, which I may or may not attempt, anything else I should do while I have the tank off?

[natemoen]

There are no oil passages going through the head gasket so it is not the head gasket. It is either the valve cover gasket or the cct, or both. Look at them and leave the head alone.

[JScro]

Valve cover gasket is what I mean, sorry.

[WMarshy]

You check the torque on all your bolts? It might not be leaking at all, what area is it in? The black half moon plugs on the right side are known to weep... If your looking for a quick fix you can just ditch the gasket and go with gasket maker... just dont go too crazy with it. The last thing you want is a drop of that stuff blocking an oil passage.

[trbig]

Lots of people report leakage problems after switching to synthetic. You might try going back to regular oil and see if it goes away. If that's not an option, go with one of the other suggestions.

[JScro]

The half moon plug is where most of it is coming from, but there's a definite oil ring around almost the entire thing. I guess I should be replacing those half moon plugs to? I'll be switching back to dino as well.

I'm at 92k, and there's no telling when this was replaced last. I need to clean my tank anyways, so while it's off I figured I'd do this as well.

[TomB]

There are no oil passages going through the head gasket so it is not the head gasket.

Camchain tunnel??






.

[WMarshy]

You likely have or will have a leaky cam chain adjuster also... that'll drip and blow back onto the engine and shows up in between the #2 and #3 cylinders under the carbs...

[natemoen]

Camchain tunnel??






.

There is no pressure there and nowhere for the oil to pool against the gasket so it is very unlikely that it would come through. You would almost have to have chunks of the gasket missing for it to get through.

[bikerphil]

The half moon plug is where most of it is coming from, but there's a definite oil ring around almost the entire thing. I guess I should be replacing those half moon plugs to?

Those plugs shrink over time and are always prone to leaking. I would use new plugs and coat the edges with RTV gasket sealer and after tightening down the valve cover, wipe away the excess. It is also your choice to use a valve cover gasket or just RTV as a gasket. I myself use "the right stuff" gasket sealer and it works the best out of any brand I've ever tried, JMHO.

[CaptonZap]

And besides, if you don't know the valve lash measurments, now would be a good time to measure them.
Probably your bike is forcing you to take care of it. They can be sneaky that way.

CZ

[JScro]

And besides, if you don't know the valve lash measurments, now would be a good time to measure them.
Probably your bike is forcing you to take care of it. They can be sneaky that way.

CZ

I know, it's just running so good, and we're almost in prime riding season down here. Valve job doesn't look to bad really, but those are famous last words.