200s compression really high.

[CodyRosa]

Dont use a 1/2 haha. Its a 12mm for the acorn nuts on top. I laugh because I almost stripped one completely when torquing past 10 ft lbs using a 1/2.

[Dirtcrasher]

Okay, got it back together with the old piston and pulling it was a breeze. Set the valves best I could (I think it was right). It's at a really weird angle, so I put the feeler underneath, let it hang and just snugged the tappet down until it wouldn't move then backed off until it would drag in between. Problem though, it's leaking like crazy. drip after drip and it's hissing between the cylinder head and jug. Not between the bottom end and jug though. I tried to snug the 8mm cap nuts on the cover more, but didn't really help. Guess I need to test the compression to make sure maybe there isn't too much?

A little oil probably got on the gaskets when I re-tore it down. Is that a no no, or does it matter that much? I'm pretty comfortable putting it back together and stuff. Could timing being off make it leak like that? I put the 'T' on the flywheel and the 'O' on the sprocket lined up at the same time. Put everything on, then advanced the timing to the 'F' mark and put the stator/pulse generator on and then the CDI cover.

It's idling high, but I can tinker with that. I'm just sad that it's leaking soo much oil : (. I'm using 93 octane gas, does that matter? Should I only use 87? Here is a video of it running:

You can see a drip on the right side of the bike and later on you can see bubbling around that gasket. I can upload a better video if you want. Sounds like it's running good, just leaking like crazy for some reason.
www.sportsmanstuff.com/1013131432.3gp

I actually grease ALL my gaskets that do not have pressure or vacuum. I also chase all my threads and grease all the bolts.

Valve adjustment can be a PITA. When you tighten the lock nut, the square headed stud moves unless you can hold it and that is not always easy. I tend to set a valve a bit loose and when I tighten the nut, the setting changes because the adjuster moves and I just play with it back and forth until I get it right. It's hard to get tools in all those cramped areas.

This is why I LOVE the 86/87 200X valve adjustment, it is so quick and easy!! I think the future 350X would have had something similar..........

[MonkOFox]

Thats the thing, they were torqued about 2 lbs over spec and it was still leaking. So i 'snugged ' it more, just the cap nuts, not the torque screws. Its leaking a little less.

[MonkOFox]

I dont want to tighten them too much, dont want to crack the cover or something. Wonder if its binding on a dowel pin or something. It looks seated though.

[MonkOFox]

What do you mean by no pressure or vacuum, it seems like there is pressure pushing the oil out. Between the head and jug. Would higher octane gas cause too high of an explosion and cause too high of pressure on the chsmber?

[rg97]

Dont use a 1/2 haha. Its a 12mm for the acorn nuts on top. I laugh because I almost stripped one completely when torquing past 10 ft lbs using a 1/2.

Whether you use 1/2 or 3/8, 20 ft lbs is 20 ft lbs. 1/2 just makes it much easier, because the 1/2 ones are longer thus more leverage as you works towards 22 ft lbs'

[MonkOFox]

Well, regardless I'm going to have to tear it down to replace that oily gasket now. There is a machinist friend of the family up the road, going to get him to resurface the head. Do I need to resurface the jug too? Also, will I need to get a thicker gasket set or something? Going to spray some copper stuff on the gasket before I install next time as well. Yeah, all I have is a 1/2'' torque wrench. I have reducers though for the 12mm cap nuts and torque bits.

What brand of gaskets are good? Athena? Vesrah?

[6speedthumper]

I prefer Cometic. Can't speek for Athena, but, I'd trust Vesrah. And I believe what DC meant about "greasing the gaskets", is rubbing some clean oil on the gaskets, then installing them. I do the same. Actually helps to create a better seal, and if you are in a pinch and need to reuse a gasket (like a clutch cover gasket) it shouldn't stick to the aluminum and tear apart when you remove the cover. Like DC said, don't do that on gaskets that are under pressure, or under vacuum. Those types of gaskets (like a head gasket) will leak.

[kb0nly]

Did you remember the o-ring on the one stud at the headgasket?? Thats a good source for a leak if you forgot that.

[MonkOFox]

Yep, I have that in there. If you're looking down at the motor (from the flywheel side), it's on the back left corner, it's leaking at the front left. I think it's just warped. So gonna take it down, get the head and jug resurfaced and then spray that copper crud on the new gasket and see what happens then. It's all hissing and bubbling on that corner (where it was leaking before). So I'll just tear it down and do it right and have a 100% machine.

Thanks for all the help! I'll post here again when I get all that junk done.

[CodyRosa]

You know 1/2 is a tad bigger than 12mm. 1/2 will strip those out after awhile. I used 1/2 fine until trying to torque it higher and it finally gave lose. My manual only says to torque at 14 ft lbs so if mine stripped out after a few times I can only imagine how quick 20ft lbs will strip it. I'm just trying to save the guy time by giving him the right size socket. Thats all

[MonkOFox]

If the head is leaking, should I get both the head AND the jug resurfaced??
Also, will I need to use two head gaskets?

Thanks!

[rg97]

You know 1/2 is a tad bigger than 12mm. 1/2 will strip those out after awhile. I used 1/2 fine until trying to torque it higher and it finally gave lose. My manual only says to torque at 14 ft lbs so if mine stripped out after a few times I can only imagine how quick 20ft lbs will strip it. I'm just trying to save the guy time by giving him the right size socket. Thats all

Sorry man I think you completely misunderstood. When I said 1/2" originally, I meant the torque wrench size, aka the size of the square drive, not the size of the socket which is 12mm. A 1/2" wrench is larger and gives you more leverage, the socket size will always be 12 mm

[rg97]

Yep, I have that in there. If you're looking down at the motor (from the flywheel side), it's on the back left corner, it's leaking at the front left. I think it's just warped. So gonna take it down, get the head and jug resurfaced and then spray that copper crud on the new gasket and see what happens then. It's all hissing and bubbling on that corner (where it was leaking before). So I'll just tear it down and do it right and have a 100% machine.

Thanks for all the help! I'll post here again when I get all that junk done.

If you got a new honda head gasket, you DO NOT put in the oring. Because of an asbestos scare, honda redesigned the head gasket and eliminated on of the dowels and the oring that went around one of them. I'm not sure if this applies to other brand gaskets, i just ran into the problem because i use OEM only. there was actually a sheet of paper that explained the problem and the solution inside the kit.

[MonkOFox]

Hmm, it wasn't an OEM kit. Some package off of ebay. Can you reuse the bottom end gasket and only get a new head gasket?