Torn push rod seal; Replace head gasket and o-rings??

[Prutser]

Originally Posted by Blane

No sealant. Just regular motor oil inside and out as Oak recommends.

I replaced a few handsfull of those things but never used oil. And never had a leaking one after mounting them.
Imo the oil might be the reason they slide over the tubes to far and than start to burst.

[supershaft]

+1 I think you are better off installing them dry with the mold release rubbed off inside and out and I have installed a bunch of them.

[Wirespokes]

I've always used silicone grease with never a problem. Maybe I shouldn't bother and install them dry.

[Kokopelli]

I've just asked the same question, hadn't seen this. However, I pinched an o-ring and had the bike running. Since I've also pulled the head, can I reuse the gasket. The blue sealant around the pushrod tube holes and the upper studs has been slightly pulled off. Can I just smear a bit of sealant on there? Is it enough just to replace the damaged 0-ring, or will I need to replace the large o-ring as well. Sorry to ask the same questions again, but my bike has been running for a minute or two.

I just had to check what the problem was and didn't want to leave the head attached by two bolts over night. Are these o-rings special, or can I just get a generic one, of the same size?

[Stan_R80/7]

FWIW, I replace the pushrod tube seals on my /7 two days ago. All I did was remove the exhaust and carburetors then set the cylinder to TDC and torque (per Oaks recommendation) the cylinder bolts incrementally until they were loose. The rocker assembly and pushrods were removed and oriented for replacement in the same locations. The cylinder was slid out, seals replace, base recoated with Hylomar, o-rings inspected, and then slid back. The valve train reinstalled in the correct location, adjusted for rocker arm end float, retorqued (incrementally), exhaust and carburetors replaced.

Mine had no gasket or cylinder base o-ring to replace and the pushrod seal o-rings looked OK. I used lighter fluid (Ronsonol) to lubricate the new seals. The most difficult part was cleaning around the cylinder to remove old Hylomar, clean, and recoat. Getting Hylomar was not that easy. The valves were adjusted last before a test ride. Good luck!

[Kokopelli]

Thanks, I guess I am manly worried about the headg asket.

[Bill Harris]

Leave the two short-stud head nuts at 6&12 just snug (5-10 ft-lbs, not at full torque, not loose) when removing the head-cylinder assembly and the head gasket will be fine.

[Blane]

I ended up ordering new seals for the one side. I left the head attached to cylinder but loosed the nuts at 6 and 12 o'clock. The seal that was bad was torn longitudely about half way down. It might have been fine but then one never knows. The large and small o-rings looked fine and the head gasket was a little warped from hanging up on the threads of the studs as I was pulling the cylinder off but no real damage. It'll flatten back out as I retorque the head nuts. I cleaned off the head gasket reapplied Halomar and buttoned everything back up. Here's hoping nothing leaks.

Thanks for everyone's help. Maybe I'll get this project finished at some point.

[Airhead Wrangler]

Originally Posted by Blane

I ended up ordering new seals for the one side. I left the head attached to cylinder but loosed the nuts at 6 and 12 o'clock. ...the head gasket was a little warped from hanging up on the threads of the studs as I was pulling the cylinder off but no real damage. It'll flatten back out as I retorque the head nuts. I cleaned off the head gasket reapplied Halomar and buttoned everything back up.

I'm a little unclear on what you did here. You say you left the head attached to the cylinder with the 6:00 and 12:00 nuts, but then you go on to say that the head gasket got a little "warped" from getting hung up on the stud threads as you removed the heads and it will get flattened again when you torque the head down and also that you cleaned off the head gasket. So you did separate the head and cylinder? If you removed the head from the cylinder then you shouldn't reuse that head gasket. You also definitely shouldn't apply hylomar to it either.

[Blane]

Originally Posted by Airhead Wrangler

I'm a little unclear on what you did here. You say you left the head attached to the cylinder with the 6:00 and 12:00 nuts, but then you go on to say that the head gasket got a little "warped" from getting hung up on the stud threads as you removed the heads and it will get flattened again when you torque the head down and also that you cleaned off the head gasket. So you did separate the head and cylinder? If you removed the head from the cylinder then you shouldn't reuse that head gasket. You also definitely shouldn't apply hylomar to it either.

Opps. Sorry. I ment base gasket