cleaning my head

[Anonymous]

Hi, I need to know if I should take extra care to not expose the valve guide seals to solvants while cleaning my head. I dont need to take the head apart, so I would like to keep it that way. What I'm asking is: would it be ok to soak the whole head in solvants?...or just do surface cleaning and not worry about the other parts.

Thanks, Ian

[Anonymous]

Solvents

650:
Yes, some solvents will eat your seals up , but you are limited as to what solvents you can use as it is an aluminum head. Some solvents that are used for iron heads (aka old v-8s) will completely dissolve aluminum .
Why don't you replace the seals? Considering the age of your machine I'd bet they are pretty brittle by now. Besides, you now know how hard it is to remove the head so why not do it all up? Seals aren't expensive at all.
I,m not really trying to be a pain but after all you got it torn down this far.
Rick........
.

[Dink]

I'm with Richard, if you have gone this far you know you dont want to do it again any time soon, so replace the seals whilst you are there and just clean the chambers ( and polish them if you can).
Dink

[saaz]

I would do the seals now. You already have to do the major gaskets so the seals are easy. My seals need doing but I am putting it off as the rest is all ok, so don't want the expense of head gaskets etc

[lhanscom]

Ok this has me a little worried now, what is so hard about taking the head off? Isn't it just taking the cams out, undoing a few nuts and pull the head off? Then reverse to put it all back together? Seems like it may take a couple hours, but doesn't seem difficult.

[SqDancerLynn1]

I agree it's not that dificult to remove the head, but it is false economy to not replace the seals now while the head is already off. If it was mine I would disassemble the head, take it down to the local machine shop and have it cleaned, lap the valves, reassemble with new seals, then put the bike back together. I have been thru too many car projects. Doing the job right the first time is preferable to having to do the job twice and paying twice in time and money

[saaz]

Taking the head off is dead simple...it is the parts

But paying for all new gaskets is not cheap. I would do the base gasket as well after all these years, so an examination of the bores would also be in order..The head gasket is the most expensive bit.

[Anonymous]

Ok this has me a little worried now, what is so hard about taking the head off? Isn't it just taking the cams out, undoing a few nuts and pull the head off? Then reverse to put it all back together? Seems like it may take a couple hours, but doesn't seem difficult.

Its' a little more than it seems....
Remove Airbox, carbs & linkage & hoses,remove gastank, hoses, wires
Rubber intake boots (sometimes)...cam-cover,turn motor to top dead center,checking timing marks at crank & cams, remove exaust pipe header & whole assy.
Remove camshaft tensioner, cam sprockets, tie up camchain so as not to pop off crank sprocket, remove cams (keeping caps and cams in order) remove head while keeping tension on chain(two or preferably three people).......now its' off
It really is time consuming....two hours is very optimistic.
Rick.........

[Anonymous]

HEY all, I actually purchased a topend gasket set for 15 dollars!!!!!shipped!!!, and it came with new valve seals, base gasket, head gasket, VC gasket, and some other items....so i will definitley be replacing them.

The set also came with 4 round metal things, i have no idea what the are for...any ideas?

another little question. shafties have 20 pins between cam gears and chanies have 19 right?

Thanks, Ian

[robinjo]

HEY all, I actually purchased a topend gasket set for 15 dollars!!!!!shipped!!!, and it came with new valve seals, base gasket, head gasket, VC gasket, and some other items....so i will definitley be replacing them.

The set also came with 4 round metal things, i have no idea what the are for...any ideas?

another little question. shafties have 20 pins between cam gears and chanies have 19 right?

Thanks, Ian

The copper rings for the 4 outer studs?

[Anonymous]

robinjo says:
[/quote]The copper rings for the 4 outer studs?

the rings are about 1 1/4'' and they look to be made of aluminum

I dont know??

[blo]

Sounds to me like the exhaust gaskets, on my GS450 (twin), i think they are about 32mm (1 1/4 inch)

The set also came with 4 round metal things, i have no idea what the are for...any ideas?

[Anonymous]

blo wrote:

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Sounds to me like the exhaust gaskets, on my GS450 (twin), i think they are about 32mm (1 1/4 inch)

that would be cool!!