75 850 Head Gasket Oil Leak

When I put my 850 motor back together just over 2 years ago now, when I put the head on with new copper head gasket I put some blue spray on gasket sealer then tighten the head bolts down in the right order, tension the bolts down that I could with the tension wench, the ones up side down I use ring spanner and my speacial spanner for the rear one, I put the same pressure on each nut and when I throught it was the right tension I went CLICK, after putting the head all on I realised in my hast that I forgot to kneel the copper gasket, at this time I decided to leave it on as it will soften up as it goes (I didn't feel like pulling the head off again) after 700 mile I retencion the head, after 2 years back on the road and over 12,000 miles the head is still oil leak free, I have only retencion the head the one time at 700 mile, now to fix the rocker cover oil leaks :roll: .

Ashley

ashman said:

now to fix the rocker cover oil leaks :roll: .

Ashley

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I've had good luck by putting silicone on the gasket cover side, including around the studs or what ever you are using, a very thin smear of silicone on the other side of the gasket, grease on the engine side and install it. With luck the gasket will stick like anything to the cover and come off the engine side fine next time. Other thing is the silicone type gaskets, but you still have to deal with the oil trying to get out the studs. I tried the neoprene ones from RGM and didn't like them, they got out of shape in quick order what with several adjustments of the tappets after the rebuild. It seems to be good on the intake however, I don't think it wants to leak as much as the exhaust ones.

Dave
69S

Thanks Dave I think mine are leaking from the studs, I have just got 2 set of RGM gaskets as well as I always use sealent on my gaskets plus the covers are nice and flat, going to pull the studs out and seal them as well, I have only reajusted my tappets once sinse the rebuild as owning this Norton for over 36 years now I know when they need adjustments but will check them out when I do the studs when I feel better as I am suffing a bad case of flu at the moment and only a week off spring here and I been riding all winter, its been about 4 or 5 years since I have had a cold or flu so it has hit me pretty badly.

Ashley

I hope you do better than I did. Caught a sore throat at McD's from those little germ machines that hang around there, and I had a bad cough for nearly 4 weeks. At least it was too hot and humid to ride, plus I was messing with the clutch which I finally have sorted in time for the autumn weather (and the stink bugs are starting to come around). I'm hatching a plan for them, they're eating our tomatoes.

Dave
69S

Hi Dave

Your lucky you only have to worry about stink bugs eating your tomatos, here in Aussie land down under we got to put up with crazy Kangaroos, visours Koala bears and of course the dreaded Drop Bears, as for our deadly snakes and spiders they are nothing compaired to the first 3 :roll:

Ashley