Bike seems to leak coolant from kickstand ??

[SpookDog]

@mbmO8
Sorry for late reply.

It’s since you did the top end build I’m thinking about, not before.
It can take a while for sludge to build up.

Is it loosing coolant from the radiator? Check the level …

[mbmO8]

Yes it’s loosing cooling from the radiator quite a bit

[SpookDog]

@mbmO8

Head’s still leaking bud. It’s probably best to replace the base/barrel gasket as well.
Myself, I remove the studs from the barrel an lap the top in with a square of plate glass and some 240-ish wet and dry sand paper. Then do the same with the cylinder head. Just to remove the crap.
Doing up the head nuts really needs a little 1/4 in drive torque wrench to get it right. I do it in three stages…

I know that it’s no consolation but I’ve just had to put a newly rebored barrel and head on and had to go through all the fuxin hassle of it myself 🫤 …

[mbmO8]

I replaced the head gasket and got the head machined flat and that was all good … for about 500 miles . Now it’s started doing it again but this time the temps arnt shooting up

[Calum]

@mbmO8 Just checking, you used a genuine/Athena/Vertex head gasket? Not a knock off. And the head gasket was installed the right way up?

[mbmO8]

Yep right way up and Athena from PJME.co.uk

[Calum]

Did you torque the head up in a star pattern evenly?

Did you retorque after a few heat cycles?

You're running standard barrel yes, as the Athena kits need o rings for the spark plugs.

[mbmO8]

Standard barrel and derestricted but factory head and I torqued them to the best of my ability due to the tight space some of the bolts are in

[Calum]

Yeah it's a nightmare trying to get the torque wrench in, can help to drop the front engine mount bolt gives you a bit of wiggle room.

Just go over the bolts and make sure none of them have rattled loose again.

Often these things come from a very simple place. So just double/triple check all coolant hoses/unions etc.

[mbmO8]

I had a spare head gasket from the gasket set I got from yambits I know it’s not Athena but I’ll order one up and it’s on now and seaming to be fine thank you lot

[mbmO8]

And that didn’t last long …

The gasket has started leaking already after maybe 80 miles. Going to order an Athena one later tonight and I was wondering if it would be worth skimming my head and barrel mating surfaces?

[Calum]

Yeah, I've never had any luck with the pattern ones.

[mbmO8]

Is that not too uncommon for them to go that soon? As I’m starting to worry it could be something else causing them to fail so often

[Calum]

Only use Athena, Genuine or Vertex head gaskets. The white ones blow straight away.

[mbmO8]

It was a black/gray one from a top end kit from yambits but even when I installed it it didn’t leak coolent but didn’t hold compression

[Rallyfinnen]

I suspect the head or top of cylinder is not flat if you're having issues again and again. I would take cylinder and head to a machine shop or do it yourself if you have the equipment.

[mbmO8]

I think that will be the plan for now. I’ll get the barrel off and order new studs and I will check the reeds too

[SpookDog]

Have you lowered the coolant level in the expansion tank to the centre marking.

Also try measuring the head stud length that is protruding. Then again between the barrel top and washer with the dome nuts screwed down.

I’ve got the same problem with gaskets blowing. In my case it’s getting sucked into the chamber causing white - grey smoke.
Trouble is i don’t trust the local mom&pop engineer firms. The last job was a re honing shit show.
PJME skim heads?

[SpookDog]

PS Same issue, bottom of gasket is dry and the top has oily wet channels…