Hey all,
Need some guidance and input on this one. What type of symptoms can a bike have if there is little or no cylinder head gasket on the front cylinder? this would obviously have a loss in compression, but would it also cause the bike to sputter, bog, and run like crap at higher RPMs.
Also, if you had to replace this gasket, would you replace all gaskets on the entire top end of a new built motor with only 500miles on it, or would you just leave the cylinder base gaskets, piston rings alone?

I know this all sounds like a obvious question and answer, but believe it or not this scenario, just happen to a friend of mine.

thanks in advance to all.

 

got noise?????? a blown headgasket on a harley makes a helluva noise.

 

It would run like crap at ALL rpms. I would suspect valve float at high rpm if that was where it was going south. As far as gaskets, I would go all the way if it were me but that's because good ol Murphy follows me around regularly.

 

First thing, I would call/take it back to the person/business that built the motor, and ask WTF???

 

we tried listening for noise but cant really hear anything over the exhaust. As far as returning it to the person who did it, well he is the one that did it. Looked over the bike again lastnight, and sure as stink on poop, there is no cylinder head gasket, on the front cylinder, and theres two on the rear...lol wow what a mistake that was! Tonight we will tear into it and replace the two head gaskets and see if we better results after that. I beleive we will notice a huge difference in how the bike runs.

 

How does someone make a mistake like that? Is the person who built the motor an average joe or an actual bike mechanic?

 

hes just your average joe, trying to save a buck, and i dont blame him. Its a human error, no biggie.

 

Don't laugh, things like that happen. When I was a kid my buddies mom was going to shorten the legs on a new pair of pants he had gotten. When she was finished she had shorten the same leg twice.

 

Ah, well then the person in the mirror learned something... that's always a good thing. Hope there is no resulting damage.