Leave it to me to screw it up!

Here's the story...I had the new piston in my hand and instead of using the service manual to figure out how to put the *5* rings on the piston, I use the 250 piston as a reference. I put the rings on the way it appeared and couldn't for the life of me figure out why I would have 2 extra rings....hmmm, I guess incase I bend the others!
Dead eh-Fing wrong! So, I set them aside and later they get tossed along with all the soiled shop towels. Was not my intention to toss them.

So I put the bike back together and jet according to what Mr. Blue said (up 1 on the pilot 2 on the main). The bike pops like a pack of Black Cats on the 4th of July. I paly with it and play with it some more. I ended up dropping back to the stock jetting. I ran it through a couple of heat cycles and then took it for a ride. When I got back the whol *** end is covered in oil...my plate was black and the pipe was coated in oil all around.

I got in touch with Bill, and as it turns out he has some extra rings he will send...NO CHARGE! That man right there is a great business man! He could have easily charged me for a new set, after all it was my screw up. Instead he takes care of me, looks like I will be buying whatever else I can from Bill Blue!

 

Now I have a couple of questions,
Cousin Larry, when you had to take the bike apart to install the dowel pin did you have any problems reusing the gasket?

Which is a better product of these two?
MotoSeal® 1 Ultimate Gasket Maker Grey
http://www.permatex.com/products/Aut...Maker_Grey.htm
or
Permatex® Hi-Temp RTV Silicone Gasket Sealant
http://www.permatex.com/products/Aut...et_Sealant.htm

 

Sorry about your issues....so ya gonna reuse the copper head gasket?

 

I plan on it, I talked to bill and he said you can heat it up and it will be usable again.

 

Ohhh man.. Hopefully all is well!

Yes, I re-used the copper gasket, but I also never started the bike till it was right.. I'm sure it'll be OK. I covered the copper gasket in a copper gasket sealer too.

And I used that Permatex stuff for the VC gasket, and the bottom one too. No leaks yet, about 400 miles so far.

 

Cylinder head gaskets do not use a sealant.

If the head gasket is all copper, I think that after heating it up, you're supposed to quickly quench it in water. Copper acts just the opposite of steel in that heating/quenching will soften the copper instead of hardening it.

Ride on
Brewster

 

I was told by a few, including Bill, to use some sort of copper gasket sealer on the HG, so I did....

Seems good, hasn't leaked yet!

 

In annealing of copper, the heating is the important part. The rate of cooling is immaterial. Whether you allow it to cool naturally or drop it into water makes no difference to the final softness. It's a matter of what's needed - now or later.

Heat them to Dull red-not bright red or hotter. Annealing is "relaxing" the grain structure. Allowing the grain to move easier, to slip more between themselves. Hardening by working the metal tighter locks the grain tighter together. Oven is better than torch, but if you're careful, shouldn't matter, just heat it evenly.
Annealing can be done more than once.

 

What temperature is required, would the oven in my kitchen get hot enough?

 

According to Cometic gasket the maker of my 351 copper head gasket you must use a gasket sealer on the copper head gasket. Gaskacinch or equivalent use it sparingly.
To anneal the copper head gasket clean it first then heat the copper gasket til it changes color then let it cool don't cool it with water or oil. Heating the gasket will let it be softened so it can be used again this method has been used since copper gaskets were invented.
Bill