Blown head gasket!

[rockhardridefree]

Well I should've checked the head bolts a bit sooner, now I've blown the head gasket. I've heard of people running dirt bikes without one. What do you think? What about a homemade one? Anyways I've ordered a new one but damn it's going to be probably two weeks until I get it and in the mean time I'm going through withdrawals!

 

[lotsa_mpg]

I suppose you could cut one out of aluminum if you can find some aluminum sheeting of the proper thickness. I wouldn't recommend trying to run without a head gasket. I know of some 2-cycle engines that don't use head gaskets, but they are built to run that way. If you tried running yours without a gasket, you would be significantly increasing the compression ratio and I don't think it would run good or for long. Also, the machining on these engines likely isn't precise enough for them to seal without a gasket.

Pete

 

[JosephGarcia]

30 guage galvanized sheet metal. this stuff can be cut with normal scissors

would this work? I have a roll of it laying around that i cant do anything with.

 

[davidsis]

Liquid copper

What about some of that liquid copper gasket crap? Maybe that would work.

 

[lotsa_mpg]

30 guage galvanized sheet metal. this stuff can be cut with normal scissors

would this work? I have a roll of it laying around that i cant do anything with.

I don't think I'd bother with the galvanized....the head gets pretty hot...Have you ever tried welding or grinding galvanized metal? It gives off a terrible stench and I'm told that it isn't good for you to inhale the fumes from hot galvanized metal. And I doubt it would seal as well as aluminum anyways. Try your local lumber yard for some aluminum eave flashing. It's really cheap and I suspect it would be about the right thickness...maybe a little thin, but you could double it up if you had to.

The engines I mentioned earlier that did not use head gaskets were in some old golf carts I worked on many moons ago. To assemble them, you simply cleaned the head and cylinder really well...and then sprayed both mating surfaces with a light coat of aluminum paint and let it sit a couple minutes before bolting together.

 

[Guest]

I would use soft copper sheet and a micrometer to MAKE SURE you have it close to the right thickness.

 

[JosephGarcia]

I wouldn't know, I don't weld anything.

I was just wondering beucase I have no use for this stuff. I have like 5 feet of it.

interesting to know that though, thanks.

 

[Papasaun]

I would go with Bike guy's response,,,

just make sure you don't put too many layers of copper in there. Its available at most home depots

Hope this helps.

Papa

 

[MotorbikeMike]

Head gasket

These are low compression engines, why would you care about the thickness? you will NEVER get too much comopression on these that way, Mike

 

[Guest]

Re: Head gasket

These are low compression engines, why would you care about the thickness? you will NEVER get too much comopression on these that way, Mike

Because you may get even lower compression if you use too thick a piece of anything.

Also, I would be wary of increasing the compression too much unless you are ready to rebuild one.