310 assembled, leaking base gasket....

[KX'er]

Well, I finally got the KX put back together. It runs good, but after the 4th heating/cooling cycle, I noticed a small puddle of water down by the base gasket... This happened last time I put it together too. Except last time, The bike would start and then quickly die because the plug was getting saturated with coolant. I took it to the shop and they said it was because I didn't use copper coat on the gaskets. They fixed it and It worked fine..
This time, I used copper coat on the gaskets and I noticed the leak again.. What am I doing wrong? I torqued the cyl nuts to the correct values, and the mating surfaces on the cylinder and head were perfect. I am really getting sick of this. I just want to ride!
Would tightening the cylinder nuts a little more stop the leak? I really don't want to tear it down again. Any other suggestions?

Thanks,
-Matt

 

[bigred455]

ARE you sure the deck of the cylinder is flat enough, within specs, and your head is not warped .I am not busting them for you ,but i hate after market gasket's.I know you have to use them because of your oversized cylinder.I know the head takes 18lbs and the cylinder takes 25lbs.I also criss cross the head and base nut's when i tighten them.LET us know how you made out .You are using a oversized gasket for the head right?Make sure the head studs on top of the deck are snug,

 

[KX'er]

I am using cometic oversized gaskets... I tightened to those specs, maybe a little tighter on the cylinder, will that hurt any thing? Everything looked great.. I tightened the cylinder a little more tonight with an end wrench, they seemed a little loose (possibly from the break in cycle?) I couldn't fit the torque wrench in there... I used the criss-cross pattern on all of the bolts..

 

[Buzz Bomb]

Maybe the cylinder stud nuts loosened up during your break-in period and need retorquing? Sometimes this happens to bikes that are rebuilt. If you can't get a torque wrench on the nut, get a crow's foot, which is a kind of attatchment that is like an open end wrench and you fit it on a torque wrench. Some people argue it throws off the torque, but it never gave me any problems, so I'm not worrying about it. Also, did you put any grease on the studs? That will keep them from corroding later.

 

[KX'er]

I retorqued all of the nuts on the cylinder/head, and it seems like that solved the problem.. the only thing is now My head is torqued at about 22 lb/ft and the cyl is around 30 lb/ft. Will this hurt anything?

 

[Buzz Bomb]

I don't think that will hurt anything as long as its only a 5 pound difference. Just wondering, why didn't you just torque the nuts to stock specs?

 

[KX'er]

'Cause the they would loosen and the base gasket would leak.. Now they seem to be holding and no leaks so far.. Looks like it worked.

 

[bigred455]

Maybe you were getting a false reading when you torqued to spec's,That is why it is always good to put anti'sieze on the threads .Glad it is worked out for you.

 

[Vic]

Your torque wrench may need to be recalibrated.

 

[KX'er]

tried it with two different wrenches. one is brand new...