Thank you sir, I am always trying to learn new things about trouble shooting engines and I have three old Harley-Davidson bikes and I have had a couple of 70’s model metric bikes. I hope to acquire an English bike someday lol.
The original 'sandwich' copper / asbestos is about the best compromise, being stronger than a composite and more yeilding between the head and barrel than a solid copper one. Composite ones are most likely to blow on the 350, but least likely to leak oil.
Never had my 2005's head off, but do have a small weep exactly there by the pushrod tubes from time to time...usually after a longish and spirited run. 'Til now I've been willing to just view it as an "anti-corrosion feature" for the iron barrel, but I'm just curious: Assuming my ride is stock, did the factory use copper head gaskets throughout the Iron Cylinder Engines' production run or change to the composite type at some point? You've cracked more of these than most, so perhaps you might know?
Hi Bill, I am not sure if the factory used solid copper gaskets at all, even Redditch used sandwich type copper gaskets [I think]. Composite gaskets appeared more recently on Indian machines, with the copper sandwich type preceding them, I think.
Hi there Paul, I have been breaking in my newly rebuilt 535 and have had the head back off a second time first for compression leak and then for the old oil leak at the head well I checked cleaned re-annealed the copper gasket and used one of my old sealers copper coat gasket. Well I took about a 2 mile ride varying the RPM 1000 to 4200 and everything looked good only a little drip from the primary side. So I let it sit may be 15 minutes and wanted to clean up the idle mixture a bit more so fired it up and while idling in the garage may be 2 minutes oil starts pouring out running down the cylinder fins between the head and cylinder again. My thought and question is it possible that the return pump is not pumping enough at idle and the return gallery is filling and actually pressurizing and causing the leak?? Or is it just the old head gasket oil leak issue as many have. I watched your videos on this kind of oil leak and tried the denting the copper gasket in with a thin blade driver the first time but this seems way more than just a little dribble I think a cup in 5 minutes. Anyways your thoughts would be great appreciated way out here in the Arizona high deserts. I think I will try running it with the tappet cover off and see if oil comes pouring out.
Hi Bill, the return oil pump is not responsible fro clearing oil from the timing chest, as it is returned by the idler gears to the 'tank' on British engines and via a hole into the oil 'tank' on Indian engines. It has to be something wrong at the barrel / head interface.
Hi there Paul, Well you were correct, I removed the head and gasket the set the head back with out a gasket and measured the clearance and found about 0.65mm on the push rod side and over 1.10mm on the spark plug side. I had lapped the head to the cylinder and compression was sealed good so if I go without a gasket and use a sealer what would you suggest? Or do I need to try to correct the clearance so the are the same and use a thicker gasket? Thanks again for lighting the dark on these oldies. @@paulhenshaw4514
Great videos Paul, thanks for that! I have just noticed a leak from that area on my 2008 500cc bullet, in fact it appears to be coming from around the head bolt near the decompressor. In your opinion which is best, copper or composite gasket? Thanks.
It wont, it moves the copper to stop the leak and won't need further attention until the head is next removed. It can only be done with solid copper gaskets, though.
Thank you sir, I am always trying to learn new things about trouble shooting engines and I have three old Harley-Davidson bikes and I have had a couple of 70’s model metric bikes. I hope to acquire an English bike someday lol.
Very good advice, ive just this , road tested, dry as a bone , champion !
Good stuff and thanks!
Good info Paul Thanks , keep them coming
Good tip Paul! A little like caulking a plank on A boat.
Yes, exactly - thanks!
Hi Paul what's the best head gasket for a redditch 57 350 bullet head gasket?
Can't seem to find a solid copper but American composite.
The original 'sandwich' copper / asbestos is about the best compromise, being stronger than a composite and more yeilding between the head and barrel than a solid copper one. Composite ones are most likely to blow on the 350, but least likely to leak oil.
Paula would this work on a unit triumph 650 head gasket ive got a slight weap coming from the left hand side on a 69 bonnie
Well worth a try!
Thanks paul sorry for calling you paula your videos are a great help thanks
Thanks Paul.
I have same issue of leaking with 500 ice engine. Planning to change gasket. No block change
Will a whitworth hammer work 👍🏻😳
I wouldn't like to say for certain.
thanks Paul!
Well done!
Never had my 2005's head off, but do have a small weep exactly there by the pushrod tubes from time to time...usually after a longish and spirited run. 'Til now I've been willing to just view it as an "anti-corrosion feature" for the iron barrel, but I'm just curious: Assuming my ride is stock, did the factory use copper head gaskets throughout the Iron Cylinder Engines' production run or change to the composite type at some point? You've cracked more of these than most, so perhaps you might know?
Hi Bill, I am not sure if the factory used solid copper gaskets at all, even Redditch used sandwich type copper gaskets [I think]. Composite gaskets appeared more recently on Indian machines, with the copper sandwich type preceding them, I think.
Hi there Paul, I have been breaking in my newly rebuilt 535 and have had the head back off a second time first for compression leak and then for the old oil leak at the head well I checked cleaned re-annealed the copper gasket and used one of my old sealers copper coat gasket. Well I took about a 2 mile ride varying the RPM 1000 to 4200 and everything looked good only a little drip from the primary side. So I let it sit may be 15 minutes and wanted to clean up the idle mixture a bit more so fired it up and while idling in the garage may be 2 minutes oil starts pouring out running down the cylinder fins between the head and cylinder again. My thought and question is it possible that the return pump is not pumping enough at idle and the return gallery is filling and actually pressurizing and causing the leak?? Or is it just the old head gasket oil leak issue as many have. I watched your videos on this kind of oil leak and tried the denting the copper gasket in with a thin blade driver the first time but this seems way more than just a little dribble I think a cup in 5 minutes. Anyways your thoughts would be great appreciated way out here in the Arizona high deserts. I think I will try running it with the tappet cover off and see if oil comes pouring out.
Hi Bill, the return oil pump is not responsible fro clearing oil from the timing chest, as it is returned by the idler gears to the 'tank' on British engines and via a hole into the oil 'tank' on Indian engines. It has to be something wrong at the barrel / head interface.
Hi there Paul, Well you were correct, I removed the head and gasket the set the head back with out a gasket and measured the clearance and found about 0.65mm on the push rod side and over 1.10mm on the spark plug side. I had lapped the head to the cylinder and compression was sealed good so if I go without a gasket and use a sealer what would you suggest? Or do I need to try to correct the clearance so the are the same and use a thicker gasket? Thanks again for lighting the dark on these oldies. @@paulhenshaw4514
Great videos Paul, thanks for that!
I have just noticed a leak from that area on my 2008 500cc bullet, in fact it appears to be coming from around the head bolt near the decompressor. In your opinion which is best, copper or composite gasket? Thanks.
Either is good, but solid copper is better for high compression ratios, as it is less likely to blow.
Nice one, thanks for sharing
Cool
Do annealing copper gaskets works for Bullets?
Yes and you must anneal even when it is a new one, for it to work properly.
Always anneal
if in doubt give it a clout haha.
They don't call them Royal Oilfields for nothing.
I hate that 'name'.
Royal Enfields were probably the most oil tight of all British bikes.
do away with the gasket mate the faces with grinding paste
Yes, I have done that on quite a few Bullets, as well as shortening the barrels, for more compression.
That will lead to later failure. Best to live with the weep.
It wont, it moves the copper to stop the leak and won't need further attention until the head is next removed. It can only be done with solid copper gaskets, though.