So, what's the likelihood that someone with zero experience working on bikes (i.e. me) could replace the head gasket on this bike? I just need to know what the right tools are that I need and where to get the right parts. I'm good at following diagrams/instructions and figuring things out. Any leading for tools and parts?
Also, when I left work on my bike today, it started making a high pitched clanging sound when I had to restart it with the electric starter (stalled at the top of a steep hill). It didn't stop, so I turned it back around to go back in the parking lot, and when I got in there it shut down. After looking it up and down and not seeing anything obvious, I tried restarting it with the electric starter, and it made a similar noise. I decided to try the kick instead, and it started without all of the drama. It still clicks a little, but definitely not like it was before, and I was able to drive it home without any issues. Any thoughts as to what it could have been? I would attache a video, but it's not letting me because I think it's too big.
About the head gasket: while it isn't especially hard to do, it will induce an oil leak (or if you have one now, someone may have already done this).
The reason: all head gaskets today are thicker by 20% than in the 1970s because all modern ones must be made without asbestos. This causes the O-rings in the oil passages to the top end, which pass thru the head gasket enroute, to be too thin by 0.2mm, and since they are under pressure, they then leak.
In most cases we can find thicker O-rings to install in these holes, but in the case of the 350F, it might have a rubber dowel instead (shown as part #5 on the CMSNL parts diagram). This isn't so easy to replace with a longer one, as they are unique parts. So, the solution becomes to mill the top of the cylinders by this 0.020", which requires it be removed from the engine and taken to your local machine shop.
So, sadly, it is a little more complicated than installing a new head gasket - which would be otherwise pretty simple.
The noise: maybe if you can load the video that might help us figure out what it is?
