Topic: How many pounds of torque can you put on the head gasket bolts?

[Tretnine]

So, I've got a leaky head gasket on my rag-tag beach of a 78 550. I just put a redid the valve train and put new head / base gaskets on, and it's quite possible that the surfaces are marred or warped. I don't want to take it back apart and work on it now I just don't want oil spraying everywhere. Can I up the torque on the head gasket bolts? I realize this isn't probably advised, but I'm not too concerned about perfection or the long term life of this motor. Eventually I'll build up a new power plant or buy a new bike, but this thing has been gimping for a while and I just want to be able to use it this week while my folks are in town. Also, it's leaking close to the left side oil seal, but it looks more like it's in front of that oil seal, not the actual seal itself, in case the location is important.

[bryanj]

No more that 18 Ft Lbs and i dobt if it wll cure it

[Tretnine]

I doubt if it will work, either, but you've gotta try. 18 is it? that's the consensus?

[MRieck]

No more that 18 Ft Lbs and i dobt if it wll cure it

I agree on both counts.

[Tretnine]

My sentiment is also that this will have no effect, but I also lost one of the little rubber bits that cover the head gasket bolts when reassembling, so that needed to go in anyway. I'm not sure what kind of gasket is in there, think a different gasket would help? I probably need to actually take some readings to see if it's flat.

[Alan F.]

but I also lost one of the little rubber bits that cover the head gasket bolts when reassembling, so that needed to go in anyway.

Do you mean one of these?

[Gordon]

but I also lost one of the little rubber bits that cover the head gasket bolts when reassembling, so that needed to go in anyway.

Do you mean one of these?

I'd say that's your problem right there.

[Tretnine]

Yeah, those. I lost one and I figured out that it was causing one of the oil leaks. I'm telling you, this bike has seen better days. I'm just trying to gimp it until I go with something in better shape. It was blowing huge smoke out of the blow by before I redid the valves and now it leaks oil. I just can't win. The gasket leak is a gasket leak, though. I'm pretty sure I need new jugs and a new head if that's what's going on.

[TwoTired]

Yeah, those. I lost one and I figured out that it was causing one of the oil leaks. I'm telling you, this bike has seen better days. I'm just trying to gimp it until I go with something in better shape. It was blowing huge smoke out of the blow by before I redid the valves and now it leaks oil. I just can't win. The gasket leak is a gasket leak, though. I'm pretty sure I need new jugs and a new head if that's what's going on.

The reason why you can't win is that is that you are only running half the race.
Leaving out one of those pucks, is rather like skipping the install of one piston.  You can't expect the motor to operate as expected if it hasn't got all it's parts.

If the bike has seen better days, why don't you offer it some more good ones to heal from the bad days?  Treat it right and it will treat you right.

Cheers,

[bollingball]

You have to love them or pass them on to someone who does.

[Tretnine]

I had it all open to put the missing pucks back in, it helped a lot. when I took the head cover off they stuck to the bottom, so I had to open it again just to get that situated. No more oil shooting out, though, so life is good.