head bolts

I have a 1015cc cammed motor. I never used crush washers. I tightened the head bolts very tight. I beat the motor for about 2000 miles. I had oil leaking and looked, but never seen where it came from. My brother rode the bike today and when he came up the drive i thought it sounded funny. I got to looking and it seemed the oil was comming from the head. Naaa. I checked the head bolts. Yup. Every one of them loose. Blew me away. Those bolts were the only ones i did not loctite either. My engine makes serious power (to me) and that head came loose. The washers are smooth so they would help keep the nuts tight. And they form a good seal. So use them. And if your riding habits leave your tach broken and stuck at 11000 and the speedo haywire, loctite every bolt on the motor that matters. Im surprised how long the throttle cable has lasted. I dont like it when things come loose. Thought id share this with you all, cause i know youd hate that too. I like to ride, not wipe oil from the engine every day, and be on stand by for a tow.

Post edited by: nads.com, at: 2006/06/19 01:09

Thanks for the tip nads...I'm putting my 1000 back together today and had planned on annealing my washers (since I can't locate any new ones). I'd rather buy 'new' since I went to the trouble of tearing down the top-end...but ya' work with what ya' got.

you only need the copper ones on the outside two nuts on each end of head where the oil passages are,you can use thick steel washers on the rest of them.

The four outside engine studs are where oil journals come up from the bottom of the engine and where oil will leak if you don't use copper washers. Only use washers that have been annealed else they will leak, even if they are copper. I also put a bead of liquid gasket sealer under the edge of each of these washers on reassembly. The inner washers are not too critical as far as oil goes. I use washers but I doubt they are really needed unless, as noted, the engine nuts will come loose.

I would not suggest Loctite on head stud nuts. Stock studs stretch ( that is why there are heavy duty ones available) If you have a motor with a significant power increase and you use the stock studs, they will continue to stretch and loosten up. You need to keep tightening them. If you loctite the nuts, you may have a problem tightening then when required.

Jay