Topic: CB550 Head Gasket Leaking Oil - Kit Recommendations

[jmelche2]

My '74 CB550 has a head gasket leak out of the left side.  Bike runs great, but I have to deal with this oil leak.  Looking for upper end gasket/rebuild kit recommendations and where to purchase. Do the valve adjusters need to be backed off prior to removing the cover?  Also considering having the head and jugs vapor blasted while they are off (less the gasket surfaces).  Open to any advice or recommendations. 

[denward17]

I was able to secure a Honda NOS head gasket, call around and see.

Mine documented here:
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,205402.msg2320619.html#msg2320619

Contact Hondaman and he will send you the appropriate orings for between head/cylinders that is a little thicker than stock.

Yes, the valve adjusters need to be backed off before removing cover, take must be taken with valve cover while removing, and especially installing or you will bend valves.  Search for the rubber band method before installing.

Edit to add:

I contacted Dex with SouthSound Honda to see if they had a head gasket, they did not, but he found some in stock at these other dealers around the country:

THE MOTORCYCLE MALL   4   0   BELLEVILLE   NJ   Frank Lopez or John Resciniti   973-751-4545   Parts@MotorcycleMall.com
 
JIMS MOTORCYCLE SALES   4   0   JOHNSON CITY   TN   Justin Holsclaw   423-926-5561   vintage@jimsmotorcyclesales.net
 
HONDA POWER SPORTS OF FORT SMITH   3   0   FORT SMITH   AR   parts manager   4796467377   


TRI-COUNTY HONDA-YAMAHA   1   0   Petersburg   WV   Kolten Hawk   304-257-4420   

[MRieck]

My '74 CB550 has a head gasket leak out of the left side.  Bike runs great, but I have to deal with this oil leak.  Looking for upper end gasket/rebuild kit recommendations and where to purchase. Do the valve adjusters need to be backed off prior to removing the cover?  Also considering having the head and jugs vapor blasted while they are off (less the gasket surfaces).  Open to any advice or recommendations.

Blast the head sealing surface and the cylinder deck too. If you want to do it right mill the head a minimal amount to get it perfectly flat and deck the cylinders a minimal amount. You will have perfectly flat surfaces that will improve sealing immensely. All those surfaces deform secondary to age and heat cycles and the surfaces weren't very good from the factory to begin with. A reset will do them good.
 Same goes for factory valve jobs....they suck. Seat widths and depths are all over the place but I digress.

[bryanj]

Dont know why but its always the left side that leaks on the 500/550, new gasket with the thicker O rings fro Mark will cure it

[BomberMann650]

Is vesrah still making kits for these?  They were quality.

[scottly]

I was able to secure a Honda NOS head gasket, call around and see.

Mine documented here:
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,205402.msg2320619.html#msg2320619

Contact Hondaman and he will send you the appropriate orings for between head/cylinders that is a little thicker than stock.

Does a Honda NOS gasket require thicker than stock o-rings??

[bryanj]

Yes because they had to remove asbestos as well, i did one recently with a nos top set and 600 mile later had to redo it cos it leaked on lh side