So Close!...
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Head gasket blown again! Second time in two months. I’ve had problems with 3 different barrel and head combinations. The only common factor is me and the antifreeze/coolant I’ve used. I’m gonna guess it’s not the coolant
Weird thing is every single time it’s failed on the top/head side of the gasket. Between the head and gasket surfaces. Never between the gasket and the barrel...
This is the first time this combo has failed (3mbP head & barrel) and I never removed the studs to clean the top of the barrel (because I had a stud shear off on my last barrel) It’ll be interesting to see which side of the gasket failed this time...
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@SpookDog And it's definitely the head that's causing the problem and not some other underlying problem.
For example, I am merely hypothesising here, what if the coolant expansion spring on the radiator cap has failed and the coolant is expanding, adding pressure to the coolant system and eventually so much so that the only place the coolant can go is through the gasket?
This is really not a hard job and I simply can't see you doing anything wrong here (other than putting the gasket on the wrong way up).
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Agree with Calum, you really can't be this un lucky with head gaskets. My own dt had head gasket symptoms, pushing water out the expansion bottle. Turned out to be a slight bit of damage on the radiator filler. Where the cap seal, seals against. It was just allowing water past as the coolant expanded as it warmed up. Also coolant will boil at a lower temperature, if isn't under pressure. I say it's well worth looking at this from a different angle.
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Hi. I cant seem to access my account...
I can't get to the change password option either...
Is this a problem with me or the site?...SpookDog...
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@biohazard13 I've been having major problems with site not working for a few days so maybe
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@declan It's not not working, the IP address changed so I had to reconfigure the DNS entry, then that takes time to replicate across DNS and then your computer has to refresh the entry etc.
That said, I only changed the DNS entry last night. Was still up though, if you knew where to find it.
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@Calum Hey bud, why cant i use my spookdog account? I cant do a password retreval. Can you sign me in so i can use my spookdog account on my iphone?...
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@biohazard13 I sent you a private message a few weeks ago. Check your private messages.
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Hey peeps! Nice to be back and posting in my own skin!...
Since the 3mbP barrel & head failed its head gasket I put the old 3mb back on. I had to get a Heli coil put in as one of the head studs snapped off level with the barrel. Unfortunately the bike shop put it in wonky
I had to drill out the corresponding hole in the head to allow it to seat properly over all 5 studs.I should of opened them all up by 1mm!
Unfortunately it was just a bit too tight against the other studs. So over a short time, heat expansion must of lifted the back of the head ‘up onto the rear studs’ so, you guessed it! Another head gasket blown 🤪 3 weeks this time...
OMFL!
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@SpookDog I haven’t added any sealer on mine shouldn’t really need it as it should be a compression squeeze, but I’ll see how I get on when it’s running probably a stupid question asking have you put the gasket the correct way up
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Not a stupid question. Yep, gasket is UP, not 9U
I actually thought that the coolant I was using was softening the black gasket coating and allowing leaks, but I’ve tried just pure H2o with no change...
Only difference was that this time the gasket failed at the bottom, barrel side. It has always failed at the top between the gasket and the head before...
I’m gonna try the studs hand tight this time as well. Just so everything can expand & contract evenly...
I’m also thinking of contacting an excorcist
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@SpookDog This is fucking mental!!!!!!
Seriously what the hell is going on? Where abouts do you live? I'm half tempted to drive round and do this myself! There is no way you should be having this much trouble with the head gasket. How have you not given up by now!
I don't understand
There HAS to be some underlying issue here we aren't seeing.
Maybe there is a crack in the bottom end, where the coolant chambers meet. This would cause pressure into the engine and potentially blow a gasket. My only problem with that theory is that it'll induce black two stroke into the coolant system.
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Bud, it is so beyond being real, you couldn’t make this shit up! I’m just so stubborn I won’t give up. I just wish I could believe I’m doing something obviously wrong. Or afford to take it to a shop and let them keep mending it if it goes again!...
Next time I’ll take detailed pics and post all that I’m doing. It’s just so fuckin exhausting!!
I’ll get there eventually tho... -
Yeah. I just can’t imagine how the bottom end could affect the head seal. I thought it might be the budget price eBay Athena gaskets at one point. Changed to Vertex with same results. I’ve tried 3 different barrel & head combinations. I’m the only constant factor
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I even thought it was something to do with the engine mounts, especially the head one putting too much stress on it...
Then again I reach for just about anything to make sense of the ‘situation’
I put it back together with a new Vertex gasket and yet another, different, 3mb barrel, piston & 3mb head (£50, thanks eBay!!) Hoping this time it’ll last longer than 3~6 weeks!
...Did a 70 mile trip to shake it down with no hiccups
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@SpookDog Just been reading about your headgasket situation.
On another thread you commented that you've blocked off your carb warmer circuit using allen bolts and copper washers; potentially this means your cooling system is no longer self-bleeding when you refill the coolant (the stock thermostat has a small bleed hole but it's tiny, <1mm so there's no guarantee this isn't blocked).
If you have an air pocket right at the top of the head, the coolant may not be pressurising which will lower its boiling point and lead to overheating (and an air pocket will itself lead to a hot spot as there's less coolant there to carry away the excess heat). Possibly increasing the likelihood of your headgasket(s) to fail.
Try refitting the carb warmer circuit banjos so you can disconnect the hose at the thermostat housing until coolant free of air bubbles emerges when refilling the system (this is how Yamaha and Haynes recommend bleeding the cooling system). If you don't want the carb warmer circuit you can just run a hose straight from one banjo to the other so access to the carb isn't affected.
Considering how much trouble you've had with ebay gaskets etc., I'd also invest in a genuine Yamaha gasket and maybe a new thermostat (or at least remove yours and test it),
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2 weeks and still have a functioning head gasket and cooling system
I’m not counting my albatross’s yet but it’s looking good...
