One head gasket, or both?

[DUGG]

I doubt an accident/impact would cause a head gasket failure. Matter of fact improbable.
Any impact that would cause head gasket like symptoms would be the result of a cracked head or block.

[Dirty Dave]

Replaced the right side head gasket on my 79 twice but the left side is original.

Replaced valve seals & lapped the valve seats. Compression on both sides is
the same (150 psi) Go figure.

[kerryb]

Parts are starting to arrive, so I got back into this project. Remember the oil in the airbox? A clue has emerged. The oil sight glass showed over-full, so I drained enough oil to make the level correct. Saved the drained stuff to measure volume and got more than three extra quarts in the engine! Go figure...

[gltriker]

the Dipstick was outside the engine?

[Sidecar Bob]

Does the oil smell like gasoline?

[kerryb]

Nope, no gasoline smell, no apparrent mixing of oil and coolant either.

[pidjones]

The oil level is so hard to see for many that they just keep adding. The secret trick is a small LED flashlight that makes the oil glow green in the window. Also, it may have been filled on the side stand instead of the center stand.

[Lucien Harpress]

Yup, UV flashlight. Got one in the glove box and I absolutely love it.

IMG_20220312_212158754.jpg

[Sidecar Bob]

Or add a dipstick

[kerryb]

Opened up the carbs finally, they had a considerable amount of oil inside! Starting to understand the high compression readings, everything was bathed in oil, it should have smoked even more than it did! Pulled the head, replaced the valve stem seals, marveled at the beauty of the cylinder bores (it really is only 33k miles). Cleaned up the carbon deposits on the exhaust valves and was crushed by my results when I lapped the exhaust valves with Permatex "fine" lapping compound...where do I get finer lapping compound?
I know I can't get a polished surface, but the gouges this stuff leaves is very disappointing.

[Sidecar Bob]

A note about lapping valves (I figured this out when I did mine): When you lap them the seats will become clean/shiny all the way around whatever the condition of the valves but if a valve is bent it will only become clean/shiny on the side of the head that contacts the seat.

[robin1731]

Opened up the carbs finally, they had a considerable amount of oil inside! Starting to understand the high compression readings, everything was bathed in oil, it should have smoked even more than it did! Pulled the head, replaced the valve stem seals, marveled at the beauty of the cylinder bores (it really is only 33k miles). Cleaned up the carbon deposits on the exhaust valves and was crushed by my results when I lapped the exhaust valves with Permatex "fine" lapping compound...where do I get finer lapping compound?
I know I can't get a polished surface, but the gouges this stuff leaves is very disappointing.

Can you explain your lapping procedure? Did you rotate the valve back forth a few times and then lift the valve, rotate it about 1/2 turn, then set it down and rotate on the lapping compound again? And what did you use to rotate the valve?

Any pics of the "gouges"?

[kerryb]

Sorry, no picss. My procedure is to clamp the head to a board so it overhangs the edge of the work table. I grip the valve stem from underneath with a piece of rubber hose that connects it to a socket extension wrapped in rubber foam. This allows me to sit in front of the valve and do the traditional partial rotation, lift, partial rotation as you describe with very light pressure on the valve face. This is only my third set of valves to lap, so I'm still working on my confidence and results. The grooves I speak of are seen with a 10x magnifier, so I'm getting a good close look. My goal was a finish that looks like 1500 grit wet or dry paper, but these look like 80 grit garnet on plexiglass! I have recently gone to a couple machine shops and asked "what valve lapping compound do you use?". The answer was "we haven't lapped valves in 20 years! So any suggestions about your favorite lapping compound would be welcome...I know I'll be doing this again on another motor before too long.