Head gasket oil leak (fixed)

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29 Aug 2012 21:24 - 06 Sep 2012 23:02 #545538 by baldy110
Head gasket oil leak (fixed) was created by baldy110
I have been riding my 82 GPz1100 powered ELR clone for a couple of weeks now. I rebuilt the engine and now I have an oil leak between the head and cylinders. The leak is coming out right at the front of the cam chain tunnel. I did re-torque the head after the first ride. This is what I have done so far.
1. Replaced head gasket dry.
2. Replaced head gasket with yamabond around the cam chain tunnel area above and under the new head gasket.
3. Replaced head gasket using yamabond as above but also replaced block studs with APE ones and torqued the head nuts to 40 foot pounds.
After each head gasket replacement I would ride it, let it cool down overnight then re-torque the head nuts.
I have been using the cometic one piece head gaskets. The head was surfaced when it was ported along with a valve job. The cylinder block was also decked at the same time. All the machine work was done by Joe at Pit Stop performance.
Head gaskets are getting very expensive at around $50.00 each.
I have replaced the head gasket three times now and the bike has under 200 miles on the fresh engine. The leak is bad enough to get the front of the engine wet on a 10 mile ride. I just ordered up the two piece head gasket from Z1 hoping that might fix it but while I am waiting for that any ideas that I have not thought of would be appreciated. Other than the oil leak it runs fantastic. Thanks
Last edit: 06 Sep 2012 23:02 by baldy110.

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  • lemo32
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29 Aug 2012 22:09 #545550 by lemo32
Replied by lemo32 on topic Head gasket oil leak
My manual says you can check head warp by turning the head upside down, and laying a straight edge across it, with a feeler gauge you should have no more than .002 anywhere you check.

1979 kz 1000 06 katana 750

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  • Motor Head
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29 Aug 2012 22:13 #545552 by Motor Head
Replied by Motor Head on topic Head gasket oil leak
Thats annoying, thats for sure.
Do you use the Yamabond in place of the O-Ring for the Tunnel, when using the 1 piece?
I think I saw where someone had posted carefully cutting down the section width on the tunnel O-ring and using it with a one piece gasket.
Most bearing supply stores would have O-ring material, which then each end gets cut at an angle, then glued together to make the circle. Making O-rings is pretty simple, or they may have a section width thats the correct overall diameter to lay in there.
Cutting the stock one down sounds doable, but probably a PITA.
A couple of very good sealers, "The Right Stuff" also "Permatex Ultra Grey", not so much the Black. these I use daily, on many engines for sealing, as many newer engines don't have gaskets anymore in several places.

1982 KZ1000LTD K2 Vance & Hines 4-1 ACCEL COILS Added Vetter fairing & Bags. FOX Racing rear Shocks, Braced Swing-arm, Fork Brace, Progressive Fork Springs RT Gold Emulators, APE Valve Springs, 1166 Big Bore kit, RS34's, GPZ cams.
1980 KZ550LTD C1 Stock SOLD Miss it
1979 MAZDA RX7 in the works, 13B...

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29 Aug 2012 22:22 #545554 by baldy110
Replied by baldy110 on topic Head gasket oil leak
I use hight temp RTV to fill in the o-ring galley. Wait till it cures then using a razor level the RTV with the head. I then apply the yamabond around the cam chain tunnel. I have done this with a lot of engines and never had a leak.

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  • Charles Nix
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29 Aug 2012 22:27 #545556 by Charles Nix
Replied by Charles Nix on topic Head gasket oil leak
Motor Head are you saying that the oring groove can be filled with permatex ultra gray ,and it will last for years with a one piece Head gasket? I am wanting to use a Star racing copper gasket and high temp silicone, Rtv ,sealer instead of oring on my 1981 kz1000 c-4. will this work?

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  • Motor Head
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29 Aug 2012 22:33 #545557 by Motor Head
Replied by Motor Head on topic Head gasket oil leak
High Temp RTV, is that the Red from Permatex? Seems it doesn't do well in oil, or fuel. Exhaust applications seem to be more its thing.
But if you have been doing it all along on your motors, and feel like its good. Then even though things have been surfaced, maybe there is a low spot?
Is that Gasket a Copper one piece? I've found thickness variations in some Automotive Copper Gaskets. Did the same thing, had the head off a couple of times, then changed to a different gasket design. All went well then.

1982 KZ1000LTD K2 Vance & Hines 4-1 ACCEL COILS Added Vetter fairing & Bags. FOX Racing rear Shocks, Braced Swing-arm, Fork Brace, Progressive Fork Springs RT Gold Emulators, APE Valve Springs, 1166 Big Bore kit, RS34's, GPZ cams.
1980 KZ550LTD C1 Stock SOLD Miss it
1979 MAZDA RX7 in the works, 13B...

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29 Aug 2012 22:56 #545563 by baldy110
Replied by baldy110 on topic Head gasket oil leak
I use the ultra grey RTV I don't like the red stuff or black. It is a one fiber head gasket that comes with the big bore kit.

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  • Motor Head
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29 Aug 2012 23:19 #545569 by Motor Head
Replied by Motor Head on topic Head gasket oil leak
Is the motor still together? If so you can do a Low Pressure Test. Apply a Regulated 4 psi Air pressure to the engine crankcase, via the nipple on the breather cover. See where the leak is for sure and use soapy water in a spray bottle. Also check and make sure there is no restriction in the breather as a build up in crankcase pressure can and will cause leaks. Florescent dye can be used also, and would require both a set of yellow glasses and a black light, comes in a dye kit.

1982 KZ1000LTD K2 Vance & Hines 4-1 ACCEL COILS Added Vetter fairing & Bags. FOX Racing rear Shocks, Braced Swing-arm, Fork Brace, Progressive Fork Springs RT Gold Emulators, APE Valve Springs, 1166 Big Bore kit, RS34's, GPZ cams.
1980 KZ550LTD C1 Stock SOLD Miss it
1979 MAZDA RX7 in the works, 13B...

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06 Sep 2012 22:55 #547176 by baldy110
Replied by baldy110 on topic Head gasket oil leak (fixed)
Finally got the oil leak fixed. On the 4th try I decided to use the stock two piece head gaskets with the large o-ring in the middle. I double checked everything making sure nothing was warped, everything checked out. I put the two piece head gaskets on dry using new o-rings on the outer 4 holes. I had to slightly modify the inner two stud holes on the gaskets due to the APE studs I had put it. Used a new o-ring on the cam chain tunnel. Put it all back together and no leak.
I had been using the cometic and wiseco one piece gaskets, all of them leaked. Joe from Pitstop told me sometimes on some motors for whatever reason the one piece gasket will leak.

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  • Motor Head
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07 Sep 2012 09:24 #547239 by Motor Head
Replied by Motor Head on topic Head gasket oil leak (fixed)
Thats good news. So the stock size was good for the bore dimension you use? No gasket hanging into the chamber? Whats your bore mm size, and what brand is that gasket? Thanks.

1982 KZ1000LTD K2 Vance & Hines 4-1 ACCEL COILS Added Vetter fairing & Bags. FOX Racing rear Shocks, Braced Swing-arm, Fork Brace, Progressive Fork Springs RT Gold Emulators, APE Valve Springs, 1166 Big Bore kit, RS34's, GPZ cams.
1980 KZ550LTD C1 Stock SOLD Miss it
1979 MAZDA RX7 in the works, 13B...

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07 Sep 2012 12:38 #547276 by baldy110
Replied by baldy110 on topic Head gasket oil leak (fixed)
It is the OEM style two piece gasket from Cometic for the big bore engine, 74mm.

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