Author Topic: Blown Head Gasket On My Trailblazer  (Read 11368 times)

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ERC

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Reply #15 on: May 22, 2013, 11:18:33 pm
You can buy all the British tap and die stuff from Hitchcocks.  ERC
2-57 Apaches, 2-57 Trailblazers, 60 Chief, 65 Interceptor, 2004 Bullet, 612 Bullet chopped.


High On Octane

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Reply #16 on: May 26, 2013, 03:18:45 pm
I hate the waiting game.  I have a 3 day holiday weekend starting today, and my bike sits, with parts in boxes, as I wait for other parts to arrive.    :(   With any luck, maybe they'll show up Tuesday and I can at least get the bike back together to ride on Wednesday. 

Scottie
2001 Harley Davidson Road King


ERC

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Reply #17 on: May 26, 2013, 04:48:16 pm
Hi Scottie, Did they ship them with tracking? Another thing on the taps and Dies you can get them British Tools and Fasteners www.britishfasteners.com he's in Lyons N.Y. He also has a lot of British nuts bolts etc.  ERC
2-57 Apaches, 2-57 Trailblazers, 60 Chief, 65 Interceptor, 2004 Bullet, 612 Bullet chopped.


High On Octane

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Reply #18 on: May 26, 2013, 05:31:22 pm
Hi Scottie, Did they ship them with tracking? Another thing on the taps and Dies you can get them British Tools and Fasteners www.britishfasteners.com he's in Lyons N.Y. He also has a lot of British nuts bolts etc.  ERC

No, unfortunately they did not ship with tracking.  I do know that all I ordered was head gaskets, 2 sets of intake gaskets, 4 head bolts, a few nuts and washers and the exhaust tie rod (the 2 right nuts ((that sounds like a punk rock band lol)) seized on mine and it snapped during dis assembly).   So it can't be in too big of a package and can't weigh much.  Although that doesn't mean anything when you're talking over seas shipping.

I'm just bummed that I almost had the bike dialed in, then BAM!  I have to be honest, it scared the shit out of me when that gasket blew because I was on the throttle hard.  My immediate thought was "Shit!  I just spun a bearing!" but then I realized that it wasn't a "clanking" sound but a "popping".  So I pulled over and looked and was relieved to see the smoke coming out of the head/cylinder seam, because that's an easy fix.  Just would've been nice to get out for a ride on the holiday.  You know, to enjoy myself.  And smile ear to ear every time I make a Hardley Ableson owner jealous.    ;D

Scottie
2001 Harley Davidson Road King


High On Octane

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Reply #19 on: May 30, 2013, 12:57:10 am
WHERE THE EFF ARE MY PARTS HITCHCOCKS?!?!?!
2001 Harley Davidson Road King


D the D

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Reply #20 on: May 30, 2013, 03:45:36 am
Probably sitting in NY or NJ with mine.
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Reply #21 on: June 04, 2013, 03:21:15 pm
Not too excited at the moment, even a little leery.  FINALLY got my parts from Hitchcocks and the head bolts do NOT match what I pulled off the bike.  It appears someone has replaced the stock 5/16" head bolts with what appears to be 3/8" diameter of a different style stud.  The head bolts I pulled off have a short section of course threads that screw into the block and then the entire length of the rest of the bolt has fine threads.  I'm about to run down to Ace Hardware and see if the threads happen to be metric or SAE.    :(

Scottie
2001 Harley Davidson Road King


ERC

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Reply #22 on: June 04, 2013, 05:42:14 pm
The later Interceptor studs were 3/8" and sometimes people will go to the bigger stud for strength. They may have used them. Tough part is they're a British thread. ERC
2-57 Apaches, 2-57 Trailblazers, 60 Chief, 65 Interceptor, 2004 Bullet, 612 Bullet chopped.


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Reply #23 on: June 05, 2013, 12:53:37 am
Got the bike put back together.  Turns out the head bolts are SAE 3/8".  I'm guessing they are probably for a Harley, but who knows.  It's running really good but seems pretty noisy at the top of the motor.   Not really sure what the deal is, but it did quiet down some after I ran it around the block.  Anyways, took it down the road and it definitely has a little more torque with the new head gaskets and is firing on the first kick.  Definitely a little more compression noticed in the kicker.

How much valve noise do these old twins make?  I noticed chatter before, perhaps it just stuck out more noticeably until the oil got back to the valves?

Scottie
2001 Harley Davidson Road King


Arizoni

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Reply #24 on: June 05, 2013, 01:47:59 am
You probably should take it pretty easy until the engine has gone thru a few thermal cycles and the head is retorqued.
Jim
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Reply #25 on: June 05, 2013, 03:36:40 am
I was taking it easy.  I only got on it once and that was rolling from 4th at about 45mph.  I'm thinking it was just so noisy at first because it was starving for oil.  I'm going to ride it.  At this point, if I have to tear it down again I'm tearing it ALL the way down.  I just need the damn thing to get me thru the summer/fall.  And come to think about it, I almost always wear a helmet, and the few times that I haven't worn a helmet I remember thinking it was noisy then too.

Scottie
2001 Harley Davidson Road King


Bullet Whisperer

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Reply #26 on: June 05, 2013, 09:10:31 am
The valve 'clearences' for these machines is supposed to be 'nil', but I usually go for a tiny clearance - say 0.002", just to be safe. More than this will result in more top end noise, also, if the timing chain is too slack, the engine will clatter like a bag of spanners. Excessive end float on the camshafts will also cause noise.


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Reply #27 on: June 05, 2013, 01:49:32 pm
I set the valve lash at .012 which is what the repair manual says the specs are supposed to be.  I thought it seemed a little on the fat side, but .002 seems like it would be too tight.

ERC - What are you seeing your valve lash at?

Scottie
2001 Harley Davidson Road King


ERC

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Reply #28 on: June 05, 2013, 02:46:43 pm
Scottie, I set them at no clearance with the engine cold. Definitely no more than .002. Also if you've gotten it hot retighten the head bolts while your doing it.  ERC
2-57 Apaches, 2-57 Trailblazers, 60 Chief, 65 Interceptor, 2004 Bullet, 612 Bullet chopped.


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Reply #29 on: June 05, 2013, 03:44:32 pm
That must be all the chatter I hear then.  The lifters are too sloppy and slapping around.  I'll readjust them today sometime.  Thanks guys.

Scottie
2001 Harley Davidson Road King