Solid carbon fibre head gasket

[Bsareg]

I should of added to  use a solid copper gasket

[Peter in Aus]

Hi all, another up date on the "Solid carbon fibre head gasket" it is over 2 years now and has 5500 miles on the clock since fitting this head gasket, it is still going good with no oil leaks, (I have a slight leak from the rocker oil feed banjo) I have not retentioned the head bolts since assemble, I have checked the tappets and they needed little on no adjustment.
So at this stage I would be using this type of head gasket again, especial because not having to re tighten the head bolts which is a bit of a pain with there engines.  
Peter   

[TimK]

I finished my rebuild a couple of months ago and had one of the solid black head gaskets from Draganfly fitted to my 59 GF. I'd stopped for fuel around the corner from home and when I restarted the engine sounded more like The Flying Scotsman than an A10. I pulled the head off this afternoon and the culprit can be seen in the attached photo. I'm going for an annealed solid copper gasket next.

[muskrat]

Got one here Tim. I'll run it up tomorrow (Friday) and you'll be up and running for Berry Bike Show on Sunday.
Cheers

[stev60]

I have used one on my A7 , no problems, no leaks, and the bolts I can get at dont need re tightening.
Steve

[TimK]

Musky said

Got one here Tim. I'll run it up tomorrow (Friday) and you'll be up and running for Berry Bike Show on Sunday.

Thanks Musky - unfortunately I'm already booked for today and Sat, so the bikes not going to be back on the road by Sun. I'll pop up to the show and grab it then - but it'll be by car (oh the shame of it!).

cheers

Tim

[Peter in Aus]

Tim that is disappointing, looking at the pic it is a bit strange where it blew out I was wondering if the head bolt was bottoming out not allowing it to tighten properly.
I have had mine on now coming up 3 years with 7500 miles on the clock with no problems and have not put a spanner on the head bolts in that time, "so far" I am very happy with the results. Time will tell!
Will keep you posted.
Peter   

[muskrat]

No prob Tim, I'll put it in the car (taking 3 bikes only got 1 bum) now. C U there.
Cheers

[Peter in Aus]

Solid carbon fiber head gasket up date.
I have just turned over the 10,000 Mile's this morning on our club run with this head gasket in place. The bike is still running good with no oil leaks.
A few months back I had to replace the rocker box gaskets and checked the tension on the head bolts while I had the rocker box off, they were still at the 30Ft/Lb except for the two inner rear bolts they moved just a fraction.
Would I use this type of head gasket again? Yes I would.
Do you have to re-tighten the head bolts after a few miles? No, it would seem not necessary.
Peter

[RDfella]

I note some are anxious to get heat from the cyl head transferred to the barrel. Am I missing something here The barrel already has to deal with transfer of piston heat (via the rings) so why load it more? Surely the barrel fins should cool the barrel and the head fins the head. With alloy cyl heads, surely the point (apart from cost / weight) is to transfer heat to the fin extremities, not the barrel.

Oh, and BTW, I'm not keen on solid copper gaskets. Might be soft enough to seal when first fitted, but not very good at allowing for distortion over time. Those asbestos / copper gaskets were hard to beat. As for singles. I always lap head to barrel on iron barrels / heads. Can't see it would work on alloy ones though.

[trevinoz]

RD, those copper/asbestos gaskets were notorious for blowing.
I gave up on them way back in the 60s when I had a solid one made in the railway workshops.
I think that I still have it somewhere.

[Peter in Aus]

Another year go by and the bike has 13000 mile's on the clock, still running good and no oil leaks, so still very pappy with the solid carbon fiber head gasket.
The bike had a pretty good workout this year on Richards Orabanda run with temp up around 45c Deg
I doubt I will do to many mile's this year as every thing has been closed down
Peter

[orabanda]

"Pete's Rocketship"
Certainly goes well; moves faster than a cardinal after an altar boy.
Hopefully the Covid19 clouds will lift before December this year, and we can meet again at "Orabandon 2020".
Richard