Head gasket

Which headgasket is recommended for a 1970 750 cc Roadster?
Does one use sealent round the pushrod tunnel?

If you use a copper gasket you must use sealant around the pushrod holes. Even then they may weep a little oil.

No sealant is needed with the flame-ring gasket. It will need to be retorqued more times with this gasket.

I prefer the flame ring gasket along with about 5 retorquings over the first 20 heat cycles and an annual retorque after that. jim

Jim,

Thanks for the information.

Kind regards Brayhill

If I may add. If your surfaces are questionable or perhaps not perfect, the flame ring piece is your best bet. If your surfaces are homed in (lapped together or trued) than an annealed copper gasket may be applied. Permatex spray on copper coat should also be applied with the copper gasket. I prefer the latersolution. MHO

Also, bring the bolts tight gradually circling the sequence until you are ready for final torquing. I think this is key. Many first timer or nubes can make fatal mistakes by tightening bolts as thay go around. Tightening one side then going to the other can devistate the integrity of the sealed surface. When torquing, the now over tightened side may click the wrench and the reading will be misleading. If you get my jist.

Hi pvisseriii.

Thanks for the welcome information. I'm not a first timer but I simply forgot which headgasket I used on my first Commando. The grey cells are getting older. I bought it in 1980, rebuilt it and is still in one piece. One book says this, another says that. It's better to hear from other enthousiast which type of gasket they use.

Kind regards Brayhill

the flame ring is the better choice but as Jim stated multiple re-torque's are required. the first one is after the FIRST heat cycle. you will be amazed at how loose the head bolts will be. also don't forget to reset the valves after each re-torque. I like to do the second after a 100 mile thrash than at 500 miles. another thing you should look at while the head is off is the three studs as these are a known issue to strip where they go in the head. pay me now or pay me later as they say on these studs.

brayhill54 said:

Hi pvisseriii.

Thanks for the welcome information. I'm not a first timer but I simply forgot which headgasket I used on my first Commando. The grey cells are getting older. I bought it in 1980, rebuilt it and is still in one piece. One book says this, another says that. It's better to hear from other enthousiast which type of gasket they use.

Kind regards Brayhill

Click to expand...

Either will work with proper technique.