Front and rear , not actually a leak but definite stain , how hard is it to check / tighten base bolts/studs , PO had gaskets replaced in top end but the bike set for 3 years before i picked it up

Dave

 

Just replace them. Have to pull everything off to try and tighten them. Waste of time in my opinion. Just did a set for a guy in 2 afternoons. Just take your time and use good gaskets like James or Cometic

Mike

 

Did you hone and re ring or just a quick on off

Dave

 

EVO's love to be "warmed up" before taking off ... this helps with eliminating base gasket problems ... as far as doing a top end that would depend on miles and what it looks like when you get into it ... parts are cheap though

 

Bore looked great when I popped the heads. So I just popped the wrist pins out and left the pistons hanging in the bottom of the jugs. That way the rings stayed in place. That was by his request.

But if it's not a ton of miles, I wouldn't be afraid to pull them and just make sure they're lined up properly and install.

Then again, new rings are very cheap. May as well replace them. This bike only had 15k miles on it. So he didn't want to change anything but gaskets.

Mike

 

+1 on it is a waste of time to just tighten stud bolts.
I recently did a top end gasket change for a friend.
All we did was take it apart and put it back together.
I used cometic gaskets and all his leaks sealed.


No re-hone or rings.

 

Have used this rule a good many times. If the jugs are pulled hone the cylinders. New rings___ maybe maybe not but always honed

WP

 

I wouldn't do anything if it is just seeping

 

If the bike has been sitting for awhile, then the factory gaskets have dried out. This was the case with my bike.

Use a conventional oil, and as mentioned, let the engine warm up before riding because the cylinders actually "grow" in length as they warm up and it will help to seal em up.

The worst thing you can do is fire it up and ride away in 30 seconds...let the heads get to the point where is starting to get uncomfortable to touch from the heat, now your good to go.

If using synthetic, and you switch to conventional, this may fix your problem. It did with mine.

I would not re-torque...to many stripped cylinder block to stud horror stories. YD

 

If you do replace the gaskets I think you're supposed to replace the head bolts as well. Might want to check that but I've heard they stretch and won't seal well after use. Of course I wouldn't be the first one to have smoke blown up the old kazoo by a mechanic.