cylinder head advice

[JTGS850GL]

Do I need to remove the breather cover to get the valve cover off?

Yes, it's almost impossible to get the valve cover off without removing the breather first. You'll want to include a breather gasket if the gasket doesn't remain intact once the breather comes off. If you haven't done it recently you'll probably have to replace the intake O-rings that go between the head and the intake boots.

While the head is off you might want to consider replacing the valve stem seals and re-lapping the valves.

[Big T]

While a tear down is commendable, are you sure you don't just have a leaky valve cover gasket, or a cam chain tensioner gasket?

Both are very common problems

[four_shot]

Intake and carb o-rings are recent (within the past 5 yrs) carb to airbox boots as well.


Ive been waiting till the garage warms up enough to go out and actualy take a good look. Honestly i saw a line at the cyl head line and kinda just went with it. I'll update more when i can get eyes on it and physically see.

[ShadowFocus603]

Another suggestion would be to loosen the head bolts a turn or two then re-torque them according to the manual pattern and add say 5lb/ft per bolt. After that clean the engine and just observe for a few rides. Quite possibly you will save yourself a teardown on an engine with relatively low miles. I have similar leaks on both our daily riders andd will be re-torquing before chasing anything more serious. I've gotten several suggestions to do this as well.

[four_shot]

Another suggestion would be to loosen the head bolts a turn or two then re-torque them according to the manual pattern and add say 5lb/ft per bolt. After that clean the engine and just observe for a few rides. Quite possibly you will save yourself a teardown on an engine with relatively low miles. I have similar leaks on both our daily riders andd will be re-torquing before chasing anything more serious. I've gotten several suggestions to do this as well.

Probably wouldn't hurt, I still need to get out and look at the cottonpicker. F@ckin' honeydo list keeps getting longer the min I look at the garage.

[Big Jay]

Some of those old air cooled blocks that come in for a big bore and there is a 40 year old base gasket stuck on the bottom. No, problem....Heat it up, drop the liners out, machine the gasket off, heat it up again, drop the liners back in, then off to the boring machine. There is a video on the APE facebook page.

[four_shot]

It's definately head gasket area. I havent tried retorquing yet. Are all the head bolts accessable from the out side or will I need to remove the valve cover to get at a few?

[chuck hahn]

All from the outside..look down by the fins where the plugs go in.

[four_shot]

Sweet! I just changed the oil and filter and cleaned the mess off the fins, so now is an excellent time to try retorquing. I'll be trying that first.

[chuck hahn]

Let me double check..has been a while and I am tired ass heck. Loading a parts fiche now. 79 850??? Like above that picture???

[chuck hahn]

Yeah my memory was right. Two outer ones on each side have the chrome acorns Then there are 4 inner ones around the plug holes that have regular nuts. And I believe theres is one that comes up from the bottom in the front of the engine..has a 10 MM head.

Then there are two at each side between the chrome acorns. Look up a manual at Bikecliff website for torque specs.

[four_shot]

That was the plan.


(And yes, thats suki right there in the pic.)