Club Copper Head Gasket Thickness - Thinner Than Advertised
Posted: Tue Sep 19, 2017 10:50 pm
Hello
I've just stripped my 1961 CSR to cure some oil leaks. I originally thought that the leaks were coming from between the crank case halves but it looks like the composite head gasket failed. I don't know if this was due to the previous owner not torquing the heads down before I owned it but the copper fire ring was egg shaped between the inside studs and the fibre part had split between the push rod and oil feed holes.
I decided to replace the composite head gaskets with solid copper. Originally I was going to get a set from AMC Classic Spares with Viton O'rings but they are out of stock so I ordered some (1.5 mm thick without O'rings) from the club instead. I checked the stack up of the barrel spigot (3.37 & 3.12 mm high on the sleeved barrels that are on the bike and 2.74 & 2.61 mm on an old spare set) and the depth of the recess in the heads (2.33 & 2.32 mm on the heads on the bike and 2.30 & 2.35 and 2.36 & 2.37 on two sets of spare heads). I also checked the 1.5 mm thick gaskets rather than just fit them and these are only 0.88 mm thick.... If I had fitted these as is, the gaskets wouldn't have been clamped when the head was torqued down.
Have I just been supplied with an alternative thickness of gasket by accident or is this as they come? I can only see 1.5mm thick copper gaskets advertised on the website. I have contacted the club spares scheme via email but haven't had a reply yet.
Thanks
CAB
I've just stripped my 1961 CSR to cure some oil leaks. I originally thought that the leaks were coming from between the crank case halves but it looks like the composite head gasket failed. I don't know if this was due to the previous owner not torquing the heads down before I owned it but the copper fire ring was egg shaped between the inside studs and the fibre part had split between the push rod and oil feed holes.
I decided to replace the composite head gaskets with solid copper. Originally I was going to get a set from AMC Classic Spares with Viton O'rings but they are out of stock so I ordered some (1.5 mm thick without O'rings) from the club instead. I checked the stack up of the barrel spigot (3.37 & 3.12 mm high on the sleeved barrels that are on the bike and 2.74 & 2.61 mm on an old spare set) and the depth of the recess in the heads (2.33 & 2.32 mm on the heads on the bike and 2.30 & 2.35 and 2.36 & 2.37 on two sets of spare heads). I also checked the 1.5 mm thick gaskets rather than just fit them and these are only 0.88 mm thick.... If I had fitted these as is, the gaskets wouldn't have been clamped when the head was torqued down.
Have I just been supplied with an alternative thickness of gasket by accident or is this as they come? I can only see 1.5mm thick copper gaskets advertised on the website. I have contacted the club spares scheme via email but haven't had a reply yet.
Thanks
CAB