Head Gasket Replacement, loads of pics

OK, so I've begun the thing that I've been waiting a looong time to do...remove my head and head gasket for inspection. This is for my pal, Mr Anderson who also will be performing the same duty soon. I've included all my step by step pics for reference. This took a surprisingly short amount of time to complete. I did it all in an hour and a half while my 18 month old son was napping. I welcome all responses (as I need some positive enthusiasm to finish the job). I am done for today, will take my head to a machine shop and have them test it for warp, clean it, etc... Here ya go!

Well, I'm here to supply the positive enthusiasm...you appear to be doing it absolutely correctly, so far:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

I was going to say you should bag 'em and tag 'em on the various bolts and parts, but it looks like you already have that covered....:lol:

I recommend OEM gaskets if you can find them. I had a bad experience with aftermarket gaskets and ended up doing the whole rebuild OVER......

ALSO: go for the VITON valve guide seals if you can (check ebay, they sell them there). Cost a few bucks more but they are WAYYY better than butyl rubber seals. The guide seals on these things seem to fail a lot (mine sure did).

Hey , thanks for the support Hmmmm, I got a top end gasket set from z1 and the head gasket is not metal. Is this the "cheap"set you are speaking of? I sure don't want to do this over again, since I am eager to ride the darn thing:blink: Please advise on the correct gasket set to purchase. Thanks for the responses so far.

Also, should I pull the jugs and have a machine shop re-hone the cylinders? I had exactly even compression in all cylinders before pulling the head.

If you have good even compression across the board I would leave the bottem end alone. Why disturb a good thing?

bigkaw815 wrote:

Hey , thanks for the support Hmmmm, I got a top end gasket set from z1 and the head gasket is not metal. Is this the "cheap"set you are speaking of?

NO, my bad news set was Athena. Don't know what set you got. I got a goopd head gasket in mine but all the paper gaskets were crap (oil pan, valve cover, cylinder base gasket). The cylinder base gasket failed and I had to pull it apart back down to the bottom.

If you are not sure about the quality of the base gasket, either get an OEM gasket or MAKE ONE from the rubberized fibre material they sell at pep Boys (that works great). The base gasket has the full torque of the head pulling down on it and if it can't handle it, the gasket will break up (that's what mine did).

bigkaw815 wrote:

the head gasket is not metal.

It might work, but I wouldn't use it. It's not what it came with originally, I don't think it's as good. Check ebay because I have seen cheap (like $40) actual Kawi OEM gaskets there. The Athena set had a pretty good all metal head gasket which has worked well. The whole set was only $55, the head gasket was worth it (an OEM gasket for my 750 twin is like $100). Yours may be cheaper.

bigkaw815 wrote:

Also, should I pull the jugs and have a machine shop re-hone the cylinders? I had exactly even compression in all cylinders before pulling the head.

How many miles? If it is under maybe 40k miles and your compression is good, it probably doesn't need it. You could do a hone and install new ring sets just to get a better "set" but if your compression is good, you might end up in the same place you are now.

Thanks for the responses. I think, as per your advice, I'll leave the jugs alone. I'm considering cleaning the valves, head, and just putting everything back together. What methods have people used for cleaning all the gunk out of heads? I don't want to hurt the aluminum.

Simple Green. Don't let it soak more than a couple of hours.

Jay

There's also a product called Purple Power. Final touches can be done with an SOS pad.

Purple power has some alkali in it and "sticks" to aluminium. If you use it rinse really well. It WILL corrode aluminium if a residue is left. (Had it happen to an aluminium mag I cleaned with it, Looked great, two weeks later a thin white residue over pitted aluminium)

I think I'll try the Simple Green first to avoid hurting the aluminum. Is it safe to use a wire brush, or should I stick with SOS pads? Also, do I have to clean my pistons, or should I leave them alone? I am afraid of getting gunk into the cylinders. Thanks again for all the responses

bigkaw815 wrote:

I think I'll try the Simple Green first to avoid hurting the aluminum. Is it safe to use a wire brush, or should I stick with SOS pads? Also, do I have to clean my pistons, or should I leave them alone? I am afraid of getting gunk into the cylinders. Thanks again for all the responses

My manual specifically warns against cleanming the tops of pistons in cylinder because it will push hard carbon into the edges and score the cylinder wall. If you do clean them: I'd clean all the oil off with acteone, then pack some paper tightly around the edges and scrape the piston tops with a popsicle stick and then vacuum the dirt off the top to keep the crud from falling down the sides.