After a productive day stripping and checking the Electra's heads and barrels I am ready to get them vapour blasted before having the cam follower guides and valve guides replaced.
Having checked the NOC shop and noted they now have base gaskets in stock I noticed the part number is the same for the late Navigator and Electra. Having an early spigotted copper and aspestos Navigator head gasket and a base gasket in stock I checked both for fit......and was surprised that they both fit the Electra perfectly!
The Electra barrels are rebored to +50 thou and the Navigator head gasket is a fraction wider than the bore. I checked it against the one I removed from the bike and they are the same. I have attached photos showing the fit of both head and base gaskets.
I then checked the Jubilee head gaskets which I brought due to the unavailability of Electra head gaskets. Whilst they do fit they are right up to the edge of the +50 thou bore - third photo attached.
I am now in a conundrum - which head gasket do I use? A solid copper one, the Navigator or the Jubilee composite gaskets?........I would welcome any advice from those who have trodden this path before me!
Frankly I have never had great success avoiding oil leaks with solid copper head gaskets despite careful annealing.......but am open to being pursuaded!
Onwards and upwards!
Nick
Composite gasket
As Paul G says, composite gasket every time for a joint that was originally intended to use this type of gasket.
I put some jointing compound (Wellseal) around the pushrod hole areas to improve oil sealing in that area. I've run the engine " on the bench" for half an hour to set things up and did 10 miles on the road yesterday, no oil leaks yet.
I believe the club looked at purchasing a batch of Navigator composite head gaskets, I believe cost was the problem for not proceeding?
I've bought a few NOS gasket sets with the composite head gasket so okay for a while. If I could not have done that I would look at alternative (compliant) gasket products. I've used some of these with great success.
Hi John and Paul, We are…
Hi John and Paul,
We are all clearly of a like mind on the subject of solid copper head gaskets! For a good few years I have used Peter Holland’s meticulous head torquing routine for the first 500 miles which has been successful, not only in stopping blown head gaskets but also in stopping oil leaks.
I also agree with you John, a thin smear of Wellseal or silicone gasket compound round both sides of the push rod area is good belt and braces! I hadn’t heard that the club had considered having new head gaskets manufactured. Worth lobbying again - we were successful over the Cam Followers!
Off to get me heads vapour blasted……in the vain hope I will have the Electra back on the road shortly after Easter!!!!
Thanks for the advice - always worth listening to!
Nick
Head Gaskets
Glad to see your Navi head gasket fits. Years ago, when I rebuilt an Electra Engine, I thought that Jubilee Head gaskets were a better fit. As the heads are separate anyway - that would be my preferred option.
I'd be wary of the solid copper gasket.
In addition to a lick of wellseal around the pushrod tunnels, I smear a thin layer of grease around the opening (both sides) for the cylinder. A blob of grease between thumb and forefinger & spin the gasket around. I was assured by an old-timer who taught me that one - was that this allowed some movement as you were torqueing the head down.
Remember - only 15ft/lbs...same as the big-ends....
Compound gaskets every time for me.
I've replied to this subject a few time now to say that copper gaskets are not catered well on engines with just four widely spaced puny sized bolts to pull them down effectively.
After care requires retorquing after about fifty miles of gentle running in to then readjust the tappets. Do this again after another fifty miles and you should be good to go.