By the time you get the old gasket off and wrestle your way around the frame, head and rockerbox.... you'll wish you had just taken the head off an replaced the gasket It's always easier to do it right once than killing yourself to have to do it again anywayFour more bolts and if you used copper headgaskets, you can re-use it.

 

i know i know i know i know.beleive me i know.----------ifi take it all apart then i would want to replace with new gaskets....$30?...my topend wasnt that long ago and assumed i should get new rings but cant really say why since they should be good...idk? that would be $40 or so....and i still have what i assume to be the original headbolts that i probably should replace...dunno the price on that 20-30 bucks?? so we are looking at $100 vs a few dollars for a papergasket.---also i love my bike dont get me wrong.i love to ride and i like knowing i did the best job i could do when i am surrounded by trucks on the interstate(that i try to avoid) or when rolling 70+ wherever.i truly try to do the absolute best job i can do.....honestly i just dont feel like spending money on it right now that i think i can avoid and i just dont feel like tearing it apart.i gues i am lazy and cheap.as far as pwdercoating it i would like that.i am envious of how well alot of you guys engines look and especially now i am 90% set up to powdercoat stuff.honestly i am happy eneough using bbq paint on from time to time.----also the more everyone i talk to say it cant be done i am wondering if it can be done.
like i said i always try to do my best on my bike or anyone elses.one reason why is i hate to take things apart twice.its a pet peeve i guess.---we will see.-----i jokeingly refer to my home shop as "lost cause customs" when i do a good job and "half a$$ customs" when i dont lol.

 

If you've had the head off recently, you won't be disturbing your rings, no need to take cylinder off. Only gasket you need to buy is rocker cover, an you may be able to use sealer on it. Headgasket, if copper can be re-used. So it's only time, 2 hrs. with beerAn its still only a papergasket ifffff... you don't use the sealer. Just make certain you're not leaking from pushrod corks or overhead oil lines, sucks to find that out after pulling the head Also check the rocker arm O-rings.

 

If you have the original head bolts you should never have to replace them.

 

the type of media is huge when it come to blasting depending on the metal will determine the type of media and pressure to shoot, also after you coat the jugs be sure to re hone them

 

Let us know how the gasket repair went?

 

if you just did the top end, there is no need to rering, unless you break one, it doesnt hurt a thing taking apart and reassembiling.. you can reuse the headbolts also, they arnt stretch bolts.. all you need is a topend gasket kit, .. the only reason not to use sand for blasting is it warps sheetmetal, it works great on castiron, just clean it up good before reassembling..

 

Harbor Frieght sells crushed walnut shells as a medium not expensive either. I have used soda blasting too but not on iron

 

What has it cost You so far to get set up for powder coating? Im wanting to look into this myself.

 

i just came back from the bike shop and picked up all my gaskets-base,head and rocker.i am just gonna strip it down again and do what i need to do.i had to get over a little "personality glitch" of doing things twice.i would have tried just the rocker if i wasnt planning on painting everything.i will get to it prob. monday evening...???

70weight----i barely just started out looking into this so i am no expert at any of it.----so far i bought a powder coat machine at harbor freight for $59...i think regular price was $69.black paint was under 10 for a bottle the size of a medium drink(lol) i also bought some walnut hulls there as well for $25 for 25 lbs.saw some stuff online where people were buying various stuff way cheaper.(chose walnut because it was available now and i figured it was safer than using sand/glass etc.) and the electric oven was given to me buy a family member who gutted and remodeled a house and got new appliances---it looks like junk and not sure if it works yet.as long as the oven works its good eneough. so thats not quite a hundred bucks that im out.----------oh and i got some masks which was a few bucks.i noticed the more expensive respirator type masks at harb freight said not for sandblasting use.-----i was looking at the soda blasters and i probably/might buy that at some other time.read where it was terrible if there is ANY moisture in the line,but its way safer to use,biodigradeable etc.i have no intentions of using glass or sand or anything.research that stuff before you use it.i dont have all the answers but quite honestly it scares me eneough to learn more before i use it.some people said even walnut shells were dangerous some as well.i dunno but its gotta be safer htan using glass or ???...laugh if you want but i am going to wear a mask and not breathing while i am blasting it.when i was younger i didnt give a f#$k about stuff like that i didnt think anything could go wrong.....now i am not afraid to look like a wus every now and then.----i know thats more than you asked about but just giving a heads up.---------oh and just remembered about the actual gun....it was 15 i think.i bought the one there that has a plastic bowl like a paint gun.a few were cheaper but they had plastic tubes and cloth bags and i figured they wouldnt last.i cant tell you how all this stuff works yet.....it may be a pos, i dunno,well see.tell you when i know.