AJS & Matchless Owners Club

I started my Model 8 up yesterday after it sitting outside under cover since October and noticed a small amount of smoke/steam rising from around the rocker cover area (it was very cold out) At first I thought it may be all of the ACF50 burning off the engine and exhaust but it persisted longer than I thought it should so I shone my really bright torch around the engine only to see some minute air bubbles/oil coming from the head gasket (the usual place where the oil feed hole rises up through the barrel to the head. What do you think... should I try to just re-torque the head hoping that this will sort it or do you think I need to go all the way and replace the head gasket? It has a composite gasket fitted. thanks

Did you warm it up to see if it stopped.

Hi

It could just be evidence of fluid which has seeped into the gasket boiling off - like Rob says, run it for a good while and see if it stops.

If it doesn't I'd be tempted to go for a re-torque before biting the bullet and whipping the head off for a better look.

Regards Mick

Rob Harknett wrote:Did you warm it up to see if it stopped.

Yes Ran it for about 20 minutes stationary with some revs in between

Mick D wrote:Hi

It could just be evidence of fluid which has seeped into the gasket boiling off - like Rob says, run it for a good while and see if it stops.

If it doesn't I'd be tempted to go for a re-torque before biting the bullet and whipping the head off for a better look.

Regards Mick

Thanks , didn't think of that cheers Paul

Re-torque it first. I got more than 1/2 turn on mine when I checked the bolts last month...