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  • #1

    Changing Head Gasket

    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?
    Tags: None
  • #2
    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.
    Nathan
    KD9ARL

    μολὼν λαβέ

    1978 XS1100E
    K&N Filter
    #45 pilot Jet, #137.5 Main Jet
    OEM Exhaust
    ATK Fork Brace
    LED Dash lights
    Ammeter, Oil Pressure, Oil Temp, and Volt Meters
    Green Monster Coils
    SS Brake Lines
    Vision 550 Auto Tensioner

    In any moment of decision the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.

    Theodore Roosevelt

    Comment

    • #3
      Valve cover gasket is what I mean, sorry.

      Comment

      • #4
        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.
        '79 XS11 F
        Stock except K&N

        '79 XS11 SF
        Stock, no title.

        '84 Chevy K-10 "Big Blue"
        GM 350, Muncie SM465, NP208, GM 10 Bolt with 3.42gears turnin 31x10.5 Baja Claws

        "What they do have is an implacable, unrelenting presence and movement that bespeaks massive power lurking behind paint and chrome. They don't wail like a screeching ninja, the don't rumble like a harley. They just growl like a spactic, stressed out badger waiting to rip your face off and eat your soul." Trainzz~RIP~

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        • #5
          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.
          Try your hardest to be the kind of person your dog thinks you are.

          You can live to be 100, as long as you give up everything that would make you want to live to be 100!

          Current bikes:
          '06 Suzuki DR650
          *'82 XJ1100 with the 1179 kit. "Mad Maxim"
          '82 XJ1100 Completely stock fixer-upper
          '82 XJ1100 Bagger fixer-upper
          '82 XJ1100 Motor/frame and lots of boxes of parts
          '82 XJ1100 Parts bike
          '81 XS1100 Special
          '81 YZ250
          '80 XS850 Special
          '80 XR100
          *Crashed/Totalled, still own

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          • #6
            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.

            Comment

            • #7
              Originally posted by natemoen View Post
              There are no oil passages going through the head gasket so it is not the head gasket.
              Camchain tunnel??






              .
              Tom
              1982 5K7 Sport, restored to original from a wreck
              1978 2H9 (E), my original XS11, mostly original
              1980 2H9 monoshocked (avatar pic)http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r...psf30aa1c8.jpg
              1982 XJ1100, waiting resto to original

              Comment

              • #8
                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...
                '79 XS11 F
                Stock except K&N

                '79 XS11 SF
                Stock, no title.

                '84 Chevy K-10 "Big Blue"
                GM 350, Muncie SM465, NP208, GM 10 Bolt with 3.42gears turnin 31x10.5 Baja Claws

                "What they do have is an implacable, unrelenting presence and movement that bespeaks massive power lurking behind paint and chrome. They don't wail like a screeching ninja, the don't rumble like a harley. They just growl like a spactic, stressed out badger waiting to rip your face off and eat your soul." Trainzz~RIP~

                Comment

                • #9
                  Originally posted by TomB View Post
                  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.
                  Nathan
                  KD9ARL

                  μολὼν λαβέ

                  1978 XS1100E
                  K&N Filter
                  #45 pilot Jet, #137.5 Main Jet
                  OEM Exhaust
                  ATK Fork Brace
                  LED Dash lights
                  Ammeter, Oil Pressure, Oil Temp, and Volt Meters
                  Green Monster Coils
                  SS Brake Lines
                  Vision 550 Auto Tensioner

                  In any moment of decision the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.

                  Theodore Roosevelt

                  Comment

                  • #10
                    Originally posted by JScro View Post
                    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.
                    2H7 (79) owned since '89
                    3H3 owned since '06

                    "If it ain't broke, modify it"

                    ☮

                    Comment

                    • #11
                      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

                      Comment

                      • #12
                        Originally posted by CaptonZap View Post
                        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.

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