Topic: Newbie calling... Leaking head gasket.

[Duke McDukiedook]

Unless you are hellbent to pull the engine and replace all the oil seals and gaskets or if there is something major wrong internally, I would leave it alone for now. Especially if you intend on the bike being a daily rider a little oil on the fins won't ruin anything.
 

[faux fiddy]

As others have mentioned, it the head comes off, replace the base gasket.  Pretty much a certainty the base gasket will weep if you don't.

I have had a project 350 F going and finally putting it back together. The thing came apart easy and the gaskets came off in good shape, so I reassembled them using yamabond. The base gasket came off the bottom clean, and stick to the bores, no tears. I figured reuse it, and get the bike to run. It would have been a lot of work to peel it all off and it looked like new.  Time is more plentiful than money at this point.

http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=58702.msg686630#msg686630


I have heard that Yamabond is the best, fuel and oil resistant,too. It sets up slow enough to get things together with care. I have heard that some people get a bit more compression by running it without a gasket, even racing with it.  At this point I figure mine is not going to leak, but it will be when it runs that I know for sure.

Check out Yamabond.

[Simpson]

When you do the retorque, there's no need to loosen all nuts at once.  One at a time, back off each one 1/4 turn, then torque.  Typically when you loosen it, the nut will crack or pop suddenly and be loose.  When you retorque, the nut will turn farther. 

As I've mentioned before on the forum, my '75 750F was weeping at the head and base gaskets at around 53,000 miles.  I retorqued the head and the weeping stopped.  At 82,000 miles, I retorqued again when I had the engine out to replace the cam holder seals, though there were no leaks at that time.  I did it because the opportunity was there.  Still no leaks, now at 121,000 miles.

As others have mentioned, it the head comes off, replace the base gasket.  Pretty much a certainty the base gasket will weep if you don't.

I re-torqued using basically this process today. The about half tighten up 1/4-1/2 turn after breaking loose very slightly counter clockwise. I didn't want to loosen the head, just free the bolt. I'm hoping oil leak free in a month when i get it back together. 

[MötleyRöx]

I always re-torque.
To each their own.   
I've developed bad leaks after a gasket switch, re-torqued and fixed the leak.  That is why I do it.

[Gordon]

I always re-torque.
To each their own.   

You know how I can tell that you don't have a 750?

[MötleyRöx]

Cuz the little ones have so much power they can't hold it all in!   

[Gordon]

Cuz the little ones have so much power they can't hold it all in!   

Sure... We'll go with that.