Leaky cylinder head gasket??

[gspower]

I went for a very extended high rev ride today and, upon pulling into the driveway, noticed a minute amount of seepage coming from what I believe is the cylinder head gasket (the seal underneath where the pipes are mounted).

What are the consequences of this? Is it indicative of an internal leak? My oil level was also pretty low and I topped that off, though I might have mis-measured when I originally filled it up. The bike runs great -- the only problem I have is my own fault as I didn't assemble the choke correctly when reinstalling the carbs and I have to ride it around for a minute or so before it will hold an idle.

Seems like I've been finding a can of worms inside a can of worms inside a can of worms with this ride.

 

[gspower]

ne1? I might just tear the top end down next winter and make it look pretty, while I'm at it. No performance issues as of now.

-GSP

 

[tkent02]

How long since you have retorqued the head?

Which bike? Some of them have O rings around the head that leak sometimes.

 

[gspower]

How long since you have retorqued the head?

Which bike? Some of them have O rings around the head that leak sometimes.

Never. A 79 gs425e.

 

[tkent02]

Can't hurt to try. Might help.

 

[gspower]

Can't hurt to try. Might help.

Is it normal to retorque the head?

 

[Nessism]

Is it normal to retorque the head?

What other maintenance have you ignored? Ever adjust the valves? Change the brake fluid every year?:-\\\

Factory service manual tells you what to do, including torquing the head. You need to back off the nuts about an 1/8 turn before tightening them. Once the head is leaking though it's usually too late.

 

[tkent02]

Once the head is leaking though it's usually too late.

Too late but it might help him milk it until this winter.

 

[gspower]

What other maintenance have you ignored? Ever adjust the valves? Change the brake fluid every year?:-\\\

Factory service manual tells you what to do, including torquing the head. You need to back off the nuts about an 1/8 turn before tightening them. Once the head is leaking though it's usually too late.

These are the perks of buying a 35 year old bike with no available history. I've got all the gaskets for the repair already, and plan on performing other maintenance -- like adjusting the valves, but would like to finish the season first.

 

[tkent02]

At least adjust the valves.

The leak can wait but the valves can't.

 

[Chris G]

Have the same issue on the 850, I've done quite a lot of service work on it since owning it in Dec suppose things like this are bound to happen on these old bikes, until I got hold of it it had done 4k in the last 10yrs, I've done nearly 2k in the last couple of months, got to say it's running great, no question do the valve clearances, quite straight forward using the service manual, love this old bike, labour of love I guess, I'll try tackle mine in the winter, many a year since I removed head/barrels but there's plenty of support on here :dancing:

 

[gspower]

Does anyone have the torque specs for the cylinder head gasket available on a GS425? I'm not talking the valve cover gasket, but the cylinder head gasket. Would I be able to retorque without tearing apart the top end? Finally getting to my valve adjustment and figured now is the time to retorque the cylinder head gasket and see if the slow oil seep stops.

 

[tkent02]

UHUHuhuhuhuhuuhuhhhhhhhhhh. That Lurch noise.

 

[gspower]

lol. Really though, I didn't see it in my service manual.

 

[Buffalo Bill]

How long will a new head gasket and O ring last, before leaking again?

How long will a new head gasket and O ring last, before leaking again?

My 82 1100G seeps oil too and always has.
I had a look at the service photos to try and find the source.
Looks like the rectangular O ring around the timing chain, and a design issue.

Glad you posted this problem because I wanted to ask Ed and the more helpful long term owners : How long will a new head gasket and O ring last, before it starts seeping oil again?

 

[tkent02]

A lot of them last forever with no leaks. Some of them don't.

 

[MWrider]

I just did this, valves and torquing the head for the first time since I've had the bike. I also have a tiny seep in the front near the exhaust so I'm hoping that this helps. Make sure you tighten them in the correct sequence, first loosening a tiny bit in the opposite sequence. I had a few that were pretty loose in there.