78 GL1000 Head gasket job and valve work

[FADM Stern GNSF]

Well, today I decided to pull the heads off and validate the engine year so I can order parts. Thanks to a lot of good into on this site, so far its gone pretty easy. Drained and removed rad, and the coolant shows no sign of oil in it, will use new as I put it in 3 years ago and even though the engine was never run I can use new stuff. Drained the oil and will chuck it, even though its only2 weeks old it smells a bit like gas (plus it was 5W40 diesel that I had to test the motor, will put proper oil in when done. No signs of coolant in the oil, and despite being a black color in the pan, on your fingers it looks new. Yep, tasted it and no coolant.
Pulled off the side and timing belt covers and then moved it to TDC, turned the crank 90 deg as I read, loosened all tappets and removed the belts (marking dir and side).

Going to putt the heads off now, but noticed something I found very strange and maybe its just this engine. With all the tappets backed right out when it was at TDC, the lifter arms on a couple of valves are still under pressure ????. Rotated the crank 90 deg to drop the pistons before removing the belts and the same problem, but on different valves ?????? From other engines I have done I immediately thought of missing/broken keepers, but that cant be so if the problem moved ? ? But after rotating the cams a bit (real loose until you hit the lobe) there still seems to be pressure on a couple. I always assumed that without the tappets there would ALWAYS be a gap between the lifter and valve regardless of cam position.

Anyone have any idea whats going on ? I will now try removing the cam carefully just in case a keeper is missing. If backing the bolts out a bit doesnt free all the rockers up I will stop and wait until someone can direct me, been hit with valves springs before, it aint nice lol


I will use this post to detail my work as I love feedback on whats being done, especially if Im doing something REALLY stupid. Learned a ton about the wing here, but I know I have load left to learn.

[robin1731]

Perfectly normal. You can only back the adjusters out so far. Even with the out the rocker still hits the lobe/valve. But, don't take the adjuster out all the way and turn the engine over. The valve tip can catch the rocker then.

Once you put the engine at TDC there is no need to move the pistons down in to the bore.

[FADM Stern GNSF]

Well, after removing the covers and belts, could find no evidence of coolant in the oil at the heads





Removed the cams and rocker rods, some wear but I will do the "swap" so they ride on the new unused parts thanks to a how too here on the forum (will make sure oil holes are down).



Checked cam lob wear, and they are all way larger than the serive limit (3.65 is the limit, they are over 3.75). The right (problem side) has scratches on the lobe tips and lifters, should I emery them down or leave them alone



The cam is marked 341 which Im sure is a 78 cam, someone correct me if Im wrong.



The left side is smooth as a babies behind, its only the right side that has scratches

Here is what the left (ok side) piston and head looks like





Not sure what the black crap is, seems to be from the gasket itself

Here is the right (problem) side. When I removed the head the gasket fell off lol





Turns out its #3 that was definaitly getting coolant in it, looks like someone changed the right head gasket and di a bad job of it. Never seen a gasket just drop out before



Once I get confirmation that the engine really is a 78 I can order the parts and start getting it fixed. Going to take a good look at the cylinders, but the glance I gave them they look pretty good. Tomorrow I will give them a good looking at and do some measuring





Removed all the bolts and bits to clear everything off the heads (all in marked bags) and this is what

[olchris]

After finding coolant in the cylinder and the discovery of a dubiously installed head gasket would make me feel happy to know that its all not in vein.....

[FADM Stern GNSF]

sure does, especially when I found no coolant in the oil, or oil in the coolant. Was surprised as the valve look in good condition, and since the #3 piston looks steam cleaned I know the gasket was bad BEFORE is started smoking bad during the carb sync. At least now I know why it was hiccuping at idle, especially when it warmed up.

Hopefully Monday I can get some time to do a real close check of the cylinders and then get some parts ordered. Water pump looks good, no wiggle at all, and a very small "spin play". Once I get the parts I can do the valve job, and in the mean time Im going to polish the heads up a bit.

And those head bolts, boy are they funky lol

[Whiskerfish]

Engine serial number should verify the year. Look for a flat spot on the block just about below where the idle adjust screw would be for the carbs. The number should be stamped there. GL1E-4xxxxxx is 78 and GL1E-41xxxxx is 79. Either way Head gaskets and valve stems and all that are the same for all years of the 1000.

[FADM Stern GNSF]

Thanks for the info

[FADM Stern GNSF]

Well, parts are all in, and thanks to a really stupid work schedule I wont be able to pick them up until Saturday. Kind of hard to do anything when you work all day then have to go work all night too LOL. Just need to survive this week and it will be OK (or so I keep telling myself LOL)

[gearhead4207]

I don't know some people do different things but the bad gasket looks to have silicone on it ive never used silicone on a head gasket maybe lithium grease that's kinda odd .

[FADM Stern GNSF]

Yea, Im still in the air about putting them on dry or using something (always done dry). I did find Permatex copper at a supplier, but seems to be silicone based. Only way I can see of using something like that is smearing a really thin even layer, but from what I can see of the old job, it was a real crap work.

Good news so far, pulled all the valves (each one and its bits in a separate labels baggy for each cylinder) and they all look really good, as do the seats. I get no movement on any valve in the guide (sideways slop) so Im pretty happy so far. Going to check out the cylinders hopefully on the week-end if the wife doesnt grab me for "quality time" (which translates to either "I need this done" or "lets go out and do something fun", which rarely is LMAO)

[olchris]

I used the Permatex Copper SPRAY.. Sprays a thin >>>> toooo>>>>>>thick layer.. I dries off realitivly quickly and gets a bit sticky.. My excuse for using it over "dry" is that it will mask the blemishes in the mating faces if there not perfect. I will only ever use a head gasket once and if destroyed when dismantled, then into the bin!!..

You could/can start a debate on this subject but your choice in the end as there is no right or wrong..

[FADM Stern GNSF]

True enough, and while I work on the heads I will keep my eye out for the spray, as im not sure of the surface condition yet as I srill have to clean the old gasket material off the block and heads. With any luck I will get a few hours today after a job material pick up run.

[FADM Stern GNSF]

Well, cleaned up the block head surface, and it cleaned up easy (seems the gaskets only left a thin coating on the block that resembled graphite and came off really easy). Checked with a straight edge and its perfect. also no carbon right at the top of the cylinder at all (not sure if these engines get them). Cylinder wear almost zero



I then decided to clean up the heads, and to my surprise the head chambers which were black came clean with just a few shots of carb cleaner, same for the ports this is going TOOO easy, must be a catch.



Did a quick clean on one head and surprised how easy its going.







With any luck I will get some time to lap the valves and clean and reassemble the cam carrier before I pick up the gaskets and stuff on Saturday.

[olchris]

All looking great so far, as an easy fix can-be... IMO, once you give those valves a touch up, i would pour some petrol into the combustion chamber, with valves and springs fitted and see if any fuel migrates to the ports.... Odd check/test i know, but better than none!!! ...

[FADM Stern GNSF]

I like that idea, once the heads are really clean and the valves lapped I will do that. Then when the heads are back on I will do a leak down test to see how the piston rings are (basically just for a future bench mark). Took a good look at the coating that was on the head and cylinder faces and it does appear to be a silvery type of silicone sealant. Not sure what it was but it was a thin film and thats probably why the gaskets both came off very easily (most head jobs I have done require scraping the old gaskets off).