Oil in Head - HELP

I need your thoughts on this. Having just pulled the gearbox to try and resolve some noise issues and while I was there thought why not pop the head as you do! This is what I found…...
The head gasket is coated with oil on both sides but mostly the top (head side). The recessed allen bolts are half full of oil in both the hex and around the sides. RH piston and chamber is as it looks, worse than the left.
It’s not been noticeably using oil or burning it (no easily visible on the road or startup smoke).
The head gasket eyelets are not damaged so even if the rings were letting oil past how does the oil get under both gasket faces. I did unbolt and pull the head straightaway so it’s not oil that’s spread from the drain or pushrod tubes while the head was loose.
Oil has not been coming up past the allen bolts.
I will admit to reusing this gasket and maybe that’s the problem but I will say I’ve not had an issue before. It is an AN part.
The bores have 27,000 miles on them and having run with Amsoil full synthetic for nearly half of that they are hardly worn, no top ridge to feel etc. This year I did go back to straight 40 but I don’t see that to be a contributor?
Oil rings are the one piece type with expander (corrected).
Oil is not coming down the inlets either.
The only paths for the oil are the pushrod tubes, the drain and the bores. If the head gasket is not blown it has to be one of the others. What is strange is the even way it has coated the gasket. You might be able to see that in the pics.
Any ideas? All comments appreciated.
BTW this is what an 850 barrel casting looks like bored for a 750.

It's that darn synthetic oil. Sneaky stuff probably just traveled along the mating surfaces from the pushrod tubes! I'd be double checking everything for flatness and bolting it up with a new gasket. I have seen the trick of using silk thread on a copper gasket to stop oil from leaking at the pushrods but I have never seen anyone claim to have tried it on a fiber gasket.

Russ

The combustion chambers look pretty good though not the same, but the piston tops look a bit wet. I think at this point, since taking the head off is the biggest part of the job, I'd pull the barrels and measure the bore. If it's ok I'd just freshen it up with a hone and new rings. Oh yeh and spring for a new gasket. I'll bet deep down inside you know those composit gaskets are one time use only. My guess is a little oil was simply migrating from the combustion through the gasket/head joint.

I would never ever reuse that type of gasket. I would never use that type of gasket period, but that's just me. I digress.

Once squished, they don't come back. I will reuse a copper type but only after reconditioning.

Unless stated as reusable, like rocker covers, then don't reuse, particularly in such ultimately critical (like no other) area.

Thanks for that. My re-use of the composite gasket came stems from running the bike for a short while many years ago and having to remove the head after a few hundred miles in an emergency. It lasted until I stripped the engine for a cam replacement three years ago. I had no intention of leaving it in there but it didn't give any trouble. That was a Reinz branded gasket which I still have and just looked at. It's a little thinner than the current part but only by 0025". However, what is obvious is the distinct impression of the allen key counterbores on the old (Reinz) gasket underside where there are no witness marks at all, not even slight, on the current gasket. I know I torqued it properly, three times at least until it settled and wouldn't tighten any further. The bike has had hard use this year. I've been running it quite hard on M-ways ('Freeways') at 85-90 mph cruising to stay with mates on modern bikes. If I'd been short on headbolt torque I'd have expected the flame ring eyelets to give way first. It's getting replaced this time!

I had that same black oily residue in the socket head bolt cavities. I dismissed it as a non-issue and moved on. Copper head gasket. I see you used RTV to seal around the pushrod cavity. The bolb that is squeezed into the opening is bad juju, can dislodge and clog screens. Yours appears intact though :mrgreen: