Head Gasket Oil Leak

[Terryb]

Hi Guy's, need some advice please

1955 Shooting Star Head Gasket leaking oil. Came back from an 800-mile tour of Normandy and she started to show signs of incontinence. On inspection there seemed to be large deposits of oil behind the carb and over rear mudguard. Oil is leaking out at the front of the cylinder from the gasket joint and blowing back. head bolt torque is 32ft/ibs.

So, firstly does anyone have any tips on annealing the head gasket, I'm finding it difficult to heat to the right temp. using a gas torch. Also would anyone recommend a sealant? Never needed to use any form of sealant before.

[Greybeard]

I anneal mine on the gas hob in the kitchen while applying heat from a plumbers gas torch. When I've seen all parts go cherry red, not all at the same time sadly, I dunk it in clean water which shocks off most of the oxide. No sealant for me.
I wonder if the oil is tracking from the rocker box or rocker feed pipe unions.

[muskrat]

G'day Terry.
I anneal with a small "ht devil" blow torch. You don't need to get the whole gasket red at one time. Just work your way round till it has all been red. Quenching is optional, I don't but clean with 0000 steel wool.
I use "copper gasket cement" on all copper gaskets.
Cheers

[Slymo]

If its a solid copper gasket you can employ the localized swaging technique. I saw it demonstrated on a RE Bullet by Paul Henshaw on his YouTube channel. Simply involves sliding a thin flat blade screw driver into the gap between the head and the barrel where the leak is surfacing and tapping it with a small hammer to swage the edge of the gasket. This of course is on the proviso that there is no leak into the combustion chamber or anywhere else inappropriate.

[Terryb]

Thanks guys. I've checked the Rocker Feed and that appears to be OK.

On inspection with a torch the oil is laying on the top of the front fin local to the front Rocker Box nut on the No.2 side and there is a film of oil along the gasket line, so I'm sure that's where it's leaking.

Has anybody used High Temp Anaerobic sealant on head gaskets?

[rocker21]

not done that, but my a7ss has a carbon fibre head gasket and so far no leaks and i redid the torque on the head, it was a waste of time taking off the rocker box and they were just as i set them, so not doing that again.

[RDfella]

Used to get oil laying on the top fin of my GF. Turned out the rocker spindles weren't fully seated before I fitted the oil banjos.

[Black Sheep]

After my A7 spat out a carbon fibre head gasket, I replaced it with a copper one and a smear of Hylomar. No further problems.   

[Terryb]

Hi All

Managed to get out for a test ride today, only 10 miles. Didn’t try to check if any oily spray was present on this ride, too windy. Checked with a torch after I garaged her and found some oil deposits on the carb drip chute and possibly some oil in the centre of the head under the rocker box.

I think I need some more runs to try and create a leak path for certain. I’ll keep you posted.

In addition to trying to solve the main oil leak. The SRM clutch which I fitted is Ace, cured the gearbox oil leak and so far cured/reduced the Primary case leak. So some improvement.