Blew the LH head gasket after exhaust valve adjustment

[Ericson38]

I ran mine a couple of miles before I shut it down and the RT side was blown (69K miles).

I think your combustion chamber is still clean from when you cleaned when you recently replaced the head gaskets, right ? Looking again at the dirty one next to it, I guess not. For you to get that kind of clean, it had to be leaking for the 30 mile test ride.

I didn't loose a valve to coolant (temp differential-quenching).

The other poster suggested your cam timing was off, but you road it 30 miles and all was oK for that ? If taking the lash from .007 to .005 did this too you, that was a real bad alignment of the planets, as your timing had to be off in the right (wong) direction to get the interference after you increased the lift .003 inches or so, but that is a good theory.

Did you use Honda gaskets ? Mine came to about 170.00 from the dealer, with all the o-rings for oil restrictor, intake, and coolant tubes.

[Earl43P]

The Honda dealer got the engine top end seal kit for me, but it was aftermarket.

The exhaust valve I adjusted was on the other cylinder, the sooty one.
I gap checked the blown side's lash, they were good. Didn't adjust that cylinder's valve.

The 30 miles was really closer to.....
16 miles a day for three days (4 miles to work, home for lunch), plus some around town and one 12 mile jaunt.
Plus the dozen or so from tooling around the neighborhood before it got tags.

Not near enough coolant remained to drain. That HG had to have been blown for a while.
Let me show you the cylinder wall crack.

And yes, it ran great, but the left side had a "pop" every few seconds at idle. Went away under acceleration and when warmed up.
But 4 miles goes by pretty quick. A few trips to the store. That one long ride was smooth and it felt powerful.

I have to brag, though. Took me 35 minutes to get the seat, false tank, radiator, exhaust dropped and head removed and took pictures (during lunch). My FIL called as I was smacking the head with a dead blow. I didn't even realize how bad that crack was until I went out just a bit ago.

[wilf]

Thats were all your coolant went.. into the cylnder after the valve cracked the cylinder wall, steam cleaned the head on the way out.. Seen this all to many times on the small block chev's we used to race. you defanatly hung a valve. not shure why.. If it was stuck in the guide I think you would have noticed this when you set the valves.
wilf

[Earl43P]

Donor arrived, from a member here.
Good meeting you, Matt!



I have the frame stripped, engine out, cleaned and started slinging some engine Med Gray paint.
Will snap some pics tomorrow.

[Earl43P]

Had three plans to fix a sheared (bottomed out belt cover bolt) valve cover bolt. Got it that way.
Drilling went awry, refused to chance snapping off an easy-out.
Didn't drill it enough for a helicoil (not much edge distance) to use a shortened bolt.

So, I swapped the cam and valvetrain from the blownup LH head to the good RH head, and now I'm in need of a LH 1100 head gasket.
Do we have a vendor on here carrying HGs?

[Roady]

I got my OEM head gaskets from Service Honda. They are all the same, no LH or RH designation.

You'll find a link to them and lots of other vendors in the New2U thread, button in my sig below.

"...teach a man to fish..."

[Earl43P]

Found an intake valve outer spring broken on the right head.


I have donor springs on a removed head. Any way to replace the springs with the head still installed?
Tool recommendation?

[robin1731]

Found an intake valve outer spring broken on the right head.


I have donor springs on a removed head. Any way to replace the springs with the head still installed?
Tool recommendation?

It can be done. You need air or a piece of rope down in the cylinder to hold the valve closed. There are small spring compressors to compress the spring. Check in shoptalk there may a good how to showing that very thing.

[Earl43P]

Valve spring replacement (head installed) was easier than I thought it would be.
Needed 3 hands, only had 2 so I got creative, applied pressure with my knees.
Used the magnetized needle nose to get the split keepers seated in the spring retainer. 20th try or so.

Installed the left head/HG, belts, set the timing, dropped the carbs back in place.

Wasn't feeling up to setting /checking the valve clearances. Couldn't find the 12mm 1/4" drive socket either.

Any recommendations on a coolant system flush (the water jackets around the cylinders were gray dusty)?
I was planning on one heat cycle with muriatic acid in water. Then flush, one more heat cycle with plain water, flush, then add coolant.

Any recommendations on when to re-torque the head bolts?
I installed them clean and dry, nothing except a washer under the bolt heads either (despite the great grease debate).
Should the head bolt re-torque be done by loosening, then re-torquing each bolt?

Somebody should write books and How-To Tech Tips on all this stuff. /tongue firmly in cheek/
What a great site this is.

Can't wait to ride it again......hate to jinx myself by I'm feeling a 'Wingin' Wednesday coming on...

[Whiskerfish]

I installed them clean and dry, nothing except a washer under the bolt heads either (despite the great grease debate).

Sorry but it is not a debate. http://www.ngwclub.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=7801 Failure to lube the bolts properly result in a head gasket with insufficient clamping pressure that will fail before it should.

[Earl43P]

Oh, all right. Last thing I need is another blown HG. Appreciate the feedback.

Won't take 15 minutes to loosen and re-torque those 6 bolts with a film of grease.

Gonna set/check the valve clearances (lash) while I am at home for lunch.

I talked myself out of the muriatic acid coolant flush. Gonna use a commercial product like Super Flush.
I have to run to the Post Office today anyway.

While I have your attention.....do you know anyone interested in buying an 1100 (full dress) with 80-90k miles and a blown HG on the right side (coolant into exhaust only, not into the oil) for $200? The local dealer took it in trade when the owner balked at the repair cost (he rode it into the dealer's for the HG repair). Guy bought a 1500 GW instead.
Dealer had me in mind when he took it in trade, but I'm reluctant to buy it after picking up the Yamaha FZR600 for $150 two weeks ago.

I'd fix it and flip it, but my bride would have a(nother) cow.

[Earl43P]

So, I marked each head bolt with a Sharpie, dot at 12:00, space, line to 6:00.
Loosened and re-step torqued each, individually (criss-cross pattern).
Achieved same line-ups, except top center bolt went to ~12:30.

Loosened (removed) and re-step torqued each bolt, individually, AGAIN after lightly smearing both sides of the washer with PET.

Ta-da!

Top left and top right each went to ~1:00.
Top and bottom centers each went to 3:00-ish
Bottom outers went to about 2:00.

The center bolts turned an additional 90 degrees; I'd call that significantly more clamping pressure.

Didn't get to the valve lash; had a sammich. ^Took way more than 15 minutes, too!

[cmonSTART]

Neat! Thanks for posting that!

[Whiskerfish]

It does make a difference

[Rat]

What year is the 1100? Title OK ?

Gord