Topic: Head Gasket Weep - How Stupid Is This?

[OldSchool_IsCool]

OK, I know I'm lazy so y'all don't need to remind me, but, instead of rebuilding the top end of my '77 550K engine just because of an annoying oil weep, could I "repair" the head gasket by "injecting" liquid gasket material into the exposed edge of the head gasket at the site of the weep?  I know I would need to be careful not to penetrate too deep near the oil gallerys.  I have a few hypodermic syringes with a rather large needle.

If the idea isn't TOO stupid, what liquid gasket product would you use?  Does it make sense to heat it first for better flow and bonding?

[bryanj]

Instant reaction Nope

[seaweb11]

 
Just roll up a piece of paper towel and stick it in where it weeps onto your pants
Not that I have ever done it

[754]

If you can get that in far enogh to hit an oil passage.. it is not a leak!!.. we call that a hole..

[OldSchool_IsCool]

Just roll up a piece of paper towel and stick it in where it weeps onto your pants
Not that I have ever done it

I've been doing the paper towel thang for a while now, but the leak is bad 'nuf that the towel needs replaced in 15 to 20 miles.  Hell, if I could channel the leak to the chain, I'd have a automatic oiler!!

[Gordon]

You could give it a try, but I'd be really surprised if it works. 

[mark]

clean it up real good like.. an' then goober a bunch o' JB Kwik on there.. that stuff fixes everything.

[Raul CB750K1]

I have think about this before. Mine leaks slightly, but enough to need the paper towel in order to keep my pants clean.

Yamabond is grey colour, so I thought about sealing the leak from outside. First, clean the oil as thorough as you can, and second, apply a small coat to cover the head-to-cylinder union, as you would do with silicon on your basin-to-wall. After all, the leak is not pressurized, so if you can get the Yamabond to stick to the aluminium, it would seal the leak. If a paper towel goes almost unnoticed, much more unnoticed would go a dab of grey sealant over aluminium. And when the time comes for engine rebuild, getting rid of the sealant outside will be little trouble.

But as I said, as mine doesn't leak that much, I leave this experiment for a future time.

[hymodyne]

what about pulling the tank and plugs and re-torquing the head nuts, or at least checking them, if you don't want to commit to a gasket replacement.


hym

[Jonesy]

There was a post on here quite a while back about some sort of product that you spay onto the joint between two mating engine parts and it's supposed to seal up any small leaks. You clean the engine thoroughly and spray it on. I thought someone tried it and had good results.

[Gordon]

If you take off the valve cover to re-torque the head you'll have to reset the valve clearances anyway, so at that point you might as well just pull the head and replace the gasket.

[Tvag]

Old_School I have no opionion on this but I'd LOVE to see you try. Seems to me maybe this is the point in time where you take that next great step in motorcycle wrenching...

Open her up!

"Do! Or do not. There is no try."

[super pasty white guy]

My po did this.  Just filled the area between the fins with blue goo.  I don't know how bad it was originally, but it only weeps enough now to slightly wet the fins-  no mess on the pants at all.

One of these days I'll tear into it and fix it correctly.

spwg

[OldSchool_IsCool]

i know, I know!! 

Just once I open her up, I'll wana replace a lot of innards and damnit!! It's just an oil weep!!  Think I need to pull your trick TVAG... get a second bike so I don't miss any ride'n time!!