[edthetermite]

Went to the local RE dealer and we tightened the head bolts up as the right side of the barrel was starting to leak pretty good.

Snugged um down and I jumped on for another 50 mile ride. The leak is slowed down but still there. Is the OEM head gasket pretty reliable for most folks?

Weeping is a fact of life for infurnal combustion engines but leaks are not easily tolerated.

Ed   -in the Ozarks

[Peter]

This is a very common issue and is NOT usually solved by tightening the head down.
You can get stripped or pulled out studs that way and even a distorted bore if you go too hard on that fifth stud (the short one off to the side).
Live with the leak or do the surgery.
I opted for the once and for all solution of lapping the head right on to the cylinder.
That's a tedious but rewarding job.
Otherwise, you may turn the spigot on the jug down so that the head gasket is just a little compressed when the spigot settles in the head recess. Don't turn the spigot down too much - the compression seal is not provided by the gasket but by the spigot in its recess. If this is not snug the gas will find its way out.
I used a leftover piece of a granite countertop and glued sandpaper to it to flatten the spigot and shorten it a bit before lapping. Others have used glass panes. Whatever you use it must be plane.

Do some searching on the different Enfield sites and you'll find more about head gasket oil leaks than you want know.

Good luck,
Peter

[bob bezin]

how do you lap the head to the cylinder? i am imagining grinding compound and a lot of rotation never h

[bob bezin]

how do you lap the head to the cylinder? i am imagining grinding compound and a lot of rotation never having done this operation .i have not yet taken the head off so i havent seen this "spigot". my dealer replased the head gasket twice under warrenty. and it still leakes.he said there was a shop out on the west coast somewhere that could match the parts up whaddya think?

[Peter]

....he said there was a shop out on the west coast somewhere that could match the parts up whaddya think?

Matching the parts up is what this is about.
That shop may be a good idea if they understand the issue.

Peter

[Foggy_Auggie]

I must be one of the lucky ones.  At 2500 miles I have no oil leaks around the jug base nor the cylinder head.

In fact it doesn't leak at all - anywhere.  Just flings a little Chain Wax off the secondary chain.

My dealer says this is not normal...  And I should be extra careful  .

[deejay]

Went to the local RE dealer and we tightened the head bolts up as the right side of the barrel was starting to leak pretty good.

Snugged um down and I jumped on for another 50 mile ride. The leak is slowed down but still there. Is the OEM head gasket pretty reliable for most folks?

Weeping is a fact of life for infurnal combustion engines but leaks are not easily tolerated.

Ed   -in the Ozarks

I've got the same problem, it will drive you crazy and really isn't worth dealing with it unless it's seriously leaking. A little weap is nothing and will keep the barrel rust free!

I'm on my 3rd gasket, replaced the head studs and nuts, and spun the head on sandpaper glued to glass. Still weaps a bit, and I think I'm giving up unless CMW starts stocking peel-away gaskets or something.

[greenolive]

i like your way of thinking deejay. i have a weeper and was planning on not worrying about it until maybe at de-carb time.

do they have a tendency to worsen and how much is considered to be serious?

thanks... always nice to know you are not alone.

weap-on.

[edthetermite]

This is a very common issue and is NOT usually solved by tightening the head down.

Otherwise, you may turn the spigot on the jug down so that the head gasket is just a little compressed when the spigot settles in the head recess. Don't turn the spigot down too much - the compression seal is not provided by the gasket but by the spigot in its recess. If this is not snug the gas will find its way out.

Peter

Pete,

I am sorry to see this is a more common problem that I figured on. Not sure about this spigot stuff since I haven't had a jug off an Enfield yet.
I will take the bike to my RE dealer and let him change the gasket out and see how the bits and pieces go together on this thing.

A little weeping is no big deal but a leak that moves down the side of the case needs sum attention I'm thinkin.

Thanks for the heads up,

Ed

P.S.   i just got the Super Duper Facto ree'  Service Manual on CD and will check it out further about the spigot thingamajjgee. I wish you could rotate images in the Adobe reader. The images were fed in vertically on many of the diagrams; printing not an option right now.

[cyrusb]

Same thing here, slight weep, wouldn't think of touching it until it drips, maybe..Anyone who has had an old britbike of any make is no stranger to the "oil lamp" nature of these machines. Sometimes the cases actually "sweat" oil. It's all part of the charm of these living dinosaurs.

[deejay]

i like your way of thinking deejay. i have a weeper and was planning on not worrying about it until maybe at de-carb time.

do they have a tendency to worsen and how much is considered to be serious?

thanks... always nice to know you are not alone.

weap-on.

Hi, yes mine got worse with time. Even after proper re-torquing. What really helped was getting the stronger studs and nuts. This allowed me to torque to the correct specifications. The stock studs, especially the metric ones, are weak. I could actually hear mine stretching and creaking even AFTER I removed the torque wrench! My recommendation would be to replace the gasket, studs and nuts during a de-carbonization. Don't sweat it until then, it's part of the brit charm, and at least you know the spigot is touching the barrel! Thats more important anyways.

bleeding head club member - deejay

[cochi]

Hi guys, I have an 03 classic and the cylinder head gasket on mine began to weep at about 3000 miles. I retourqued the head, it didn't help. I ended up cleaning the area between the fins where it was leaking and running a bit of Permatex  black gasket sealer along the gasket. I let it dry and it essentially stopped the weeping. I eventually had to take it apart for decoking. When putting it back together, I used Permatex copper head spray gasket sealer. I've put on 500 miles on her this year and so far there has  been no leakage. Keeping my fingers crossed.  I think the fellows at CMW also recommend using a gasket sealer. Good luck.  cocchi

[deejay]

I used Permatex copper head spray gasket sealer. I've put on 500 miles on her this year and so far there has  been no leakage.

I should have used this, next time i have the head off I'll try it out. Luckily I can get the head off and on pretty quick now.

I'd highly recommend to anyone removing the head to get a new gasket, mine have always been damaged in the removal process.

[deejay]

I am now about to order the composite gasket from Hitcock's. As I recall from my personal assembly, there was almost no clearance between the head and the cylinder w/o the gasket. I am hoping that the composite gasket will fill the void admirably. (Where's that "pride" comment...?)

I tried this composite gasket and it leaked worse! Not to mention the mess it made when I took it apart, the gasket melted severely to the barrel and needed a lot of attention just to clean it all off. Another poster on the Yahoo group used the composite gasket as well and it blew out to one of the studs. I have since gone back to the stock Indian gasket, and while it still weaps, it is better than before. I believe the best thing you can do is get the stronger studs and hardened washers. This allows proper torque specs to be used (22- 24 lbs) with minimal stretching of the studs, allowing the head to be sucked down as tight as possible.

Next time I have the head off I am going to try another stock gasket and wellseal or the spray copper stuff.

[jest2dogs]

Deejay,

Did you use the stock Indian gasket dry, or did you use a sealant?

Is the fact that the composite gasket "melted" indicate that it is supposed to be self-sealing? or does your engine run extremely hot? or are the specs on the gasket not up to the heat range of a big single?

"Stonger studs" are you referring to the removable square end studs available from CMW? I already have the hardened washers and find that they get stuck in the head too, as the mating surface in the head is concave and the washers collapse into this depression and are difficult to remove. One fellow on the Yahoo site went to the trouble of flattening the seat for the washer to set square without distortion.

My only reservation about the purchase of the stronger studs is the strength of the case into which they screw.

I have a stock gasket in my workroom. I think I will install that next with brush-on copper gasket sealer. And I will be a little lighter with the torque wrench than the full 285 inch lbs. (I tighten it up in several 50# "lifts" anyway.)

Thanks for the details on the composite gasket experience. I was wondering why I was taking my time getting around to ordering it. Kharma , I guess..

-Jesse, my head's on tight, it's the gasket that leaks...