| Author | Message | ||
     Pkforbes87 |
Front head gasket is weeping some - only from the left side, not that it matters. Anyway, I've got Cometic gaskets which are supposed to be reusable, so do I need a new gasket? Also, if I take the head all the way off or even loosen the bolts, that means pressure is released off the base gaskets. Would I need to replace those as well? And if I'm replacing base gaskets, do I need to replace rings and rehone cylinders since the cylinders will be lifted off the pistons? I'm really tempted to just take the front rocker box off, retorque the head bolts, and see what happens but I figured I'd ask people here who have more experience. There's only 7000 miles on the rebuild, so the leaking gasket is no doubt due to my lack of mechanical skills. The timing was just a bit too advanced for a while. It only pinged at high rpm / WOT situations, but I'm guessing that put some extra strain on the gaskets. I've since retarded the timing and it doesn't ping at all. | ||
| Ratbuell |
If you unload a gasket...replace it, "reusable" or not. For $2 (or whatever minimal amount a gasket is), it's cheap insurance. Beats the hell out of doing it "again" for no other reason than cheaping out for the price of a gasket. FWIW, I've never seen "reusable" on any gasket literature, other than race-only stuff (i.e. "reuse it for the weekends' races"). Base gasket, head gasket, rockerbox gaskets, intake gasket. Don't worry about bore/hone unless you see signs of scoring or uneven wear, just BE CAREFUL removing/reinstalling the cylinder. Nick a ring, you're done - time for new ones. If they're questionable, you can go with a hone (resurface the bore) and new rings in the same size. You *might* be able to get a few miles out of re-torquing the head bolts...but don't count on it lasting too long. | ||
| Preybird1 |
I re-used my lower base gasket no problem. But a head gasket. I would change it, That is a pretty extreme gasket to chance it. I snapped a cylinder stud, over torquing it. I replaced it and have had problems since. I did notice a little white smoke after i put it back together.......but it was my fault. I forgot to oil the cylinders when i fired it up for the first time after the repairs. Since then i have had no smoke after 1k miles. | ||
| Guell |
Never heard of reusable headgaskets. No way I'd reuse them | ||
| Fast1075 |
The only really reusable head gaskets are copper racing gaskets...but even those need to be annealed before reusing them. |
