What is ok to use on my K-301 aluminum head and gasket to clean off the carbon?

[three4rd]

Originally Posted by ol'George

I am thrifty and have, in a emergency situation, reused an old head gasket.
and in 50% of those cases, it worked till I could get a new one.
That said,
Since you have resurfaced the head and it is now flat, the old gasket will not conform to it and it will leak.
Also you stated you already re tightened previously, so that just adds to the fact you need a new gasket.
Why you are so stubborn to the advice of helpful people here, I don't understand.
And when you do get a new gasket, and torque it properly, in the correct sequence following the service manual,
Then warm it up through a couple of heat cycles and re torque it again in the proper sequence, that procedure ain't in the book.
But experience has taught us if you don't retorque, it leaks sooner rather than later.
If you don't have a torque wrench, borrow one from a friend or auto parts store.

Have a torque wrench...will re-torque as suggested. What do you recommend? I was planning on 25. My dealer said he used to go right to 40 so as not to have to worry about having to do it again. Sounds a bit high. I do NOT want to snap any head bolts!!!!

[olds45512]

I go 25 then go over them again at 30 then run it and retorque to 30 once cool.

[ol'George]

Originally Posted by three4rd

Have a torque wrench...will re-torque as suggested. What do you recommend? I was planning on 25. My dealer said he used to go right to 40 so as not to have to worry about having to do it again. Sounds a bit high. I do NOT want to snap any head bolts!!!!

Go by the recommended torque in the manual!! I don't remember off the top of my head, and go in steps.
Maybe #15 first sequence, then go to maybe #25 and the 3rd step arrive @ recommended torque.
Then run it till it is good and warm--operating temp-- maybe 10 minutes or
better if you cut some grass.
then stop, turn it off and let it cool, have lunch/dinner and retorque to recommended torque.
Better if you can come back the next day for the final re torque,
but if you can hold your hand on the head, it is cool enough to retorque.
That should take care of the cylinder head gasket leak.
You will observe that the bolts have loosened after it cools down, that is why they need re torquing.

[three4rd]

Originally Posted by Baccarat

Three4rd: Absolutely get a new head gasket. IIRC you mentioned in one of your other threads that you are a musician. If that is correct, think of it this way. If you have a guitar rebuilt or the neck tightened up, would you re-use the old strings that were taken off? Or, would you put new ones on? That is what you are looking at here with a head gasket. You've spent all this time & effort, don't skimp on it over a few dollars for a head gasket.

Well, yeah, I'd put on new strings, and your point is well taken, although it's a bit different situation. The new strings go on as a matter of aesthetics moreso than necessity or trying to prevent other mechanical issues from occurring. With a machine, however, we're talking about the chance for further damage to the engine and/or it not running right. No chance of damage to the guitar by putting old strings back on. The worse that can happen in keeping old strings on anytime - not just when a neck is reset, etc. - is that the intonation is no longer true across the fretboard and, of course, the quality of the sound is no longer very good.

Good analogy though...and I don't mean to nitpick though it probably came across that way. It's just that you gave me a chance to talk about something that I finally know aLOT about. LOL I appreciate the thought and totally agree. It'll be interesting to see if the new gasket is metal like my old one.

[three4rd]

Originally Posted by ol'George

Go by the recommended torque in the manual!! I don't remember off the top of my head, and go in steps.
Maybe #15 first sequence, then go to maybe #25 and the 3rd step arrive @ recommended torque.
Then run it till it is good and warm--operating temp-- maybe 10 minutes or
better if you cut some grass.
then stop, turn it off and let it cool, have lunch/dinner and retorque to recommended torque.
Better if you can come back the next day for the final re torque,
but if you can hold your hand on the head, it is cool enough to retorque.
That should take care of the cylinder head gasket leak.
You will observe that the bolts have loosened after it cools down, that is why they need re torquing.

Post removed.

[three4rd]

Originally Posted by J-Mech

Oh look! Another voice of reason!

You've been told this several times now.

Guess we'll keep

Post removed.

[J-Mech]

The manual DOES state to run the engine and retorque it. I posted that info just below George's post.

[ol'George]

Originally Posted by three4rd

So start at 25 before running the engine though, right? And then, if it turns out the bolts are still at 25 - I can leave it there. As you say, they probably will need re-tightening. I can't help but wonder, however, why the manual doesn't discuss any of this. Seems odd.

ok lets try this again:
start tightening the bolts following the sequence in the book.
the first bolt gets torqued to Approx #15, stop.
Go to bolt #2 torque to apprxo #15, stop.
Go to bolt #3 torque to approx #15, stop.
do you follow the procedure here?
If so, when the last bolt is torqued to approx #15. stop.
Now they are all evenly torqued to approx #15
NOW:
Go back to bolt #1 and torque it to approx #25, stop.
Go to bolt #2 and torque it to approx #25, stop.
Go to bolt #3 and torque it to approx #25, stop.
Go to bolt #4, -- etc, etc. until all are torqued to #25 evenly, stop.
Now:
go back to #1 bolt and torque it to the given torque listed in the service manual,---- is it #30? whatever it is, go to that torque and stop.
Go to #2 bolt and do the same thing,continuing through all the bolts till all are torqued at the final torque.
Then follow the starting/ running/heating procedure I mentioned, and retorque one last time assuring all the bolts are at the correct listed torque in the manual.
You are tightening the bolts in steps, so as to not warp or break the head,
and insure the head gasket is compressed as equally as possible, to prevent leakage.
Most all engines do this procedure.
Clear as mud?
EDIT:
My old book says #25-#30 so I'd go to #30 on the 3rd step.
And again tighten to #30 after the running/heating cycle.

[J-Mech]

Make sure the engine is cold before re-torquing.

[three4rd]

Originally Posted by J-Mech

The manual DOES state to run the engine and retorque it. I posted that info just below George's post.

Post removed.