Cold Head Re-Torque Question

It's like the Dutch boy and the dike over here...

So, my head gasket just sprung a minor leak. And yes it's the head not the valve cover. It's not affecting compression or anything, just creeping out from the right side front, I suspect it's related to a head bolt O-ring or oil passage or something. Not a "blown" head gasket if you know what I mean.

Anyway, I found RickCoMatic's comment about re-torqueing it following the given bolt pattern on another leak thread. My main question is: in addition to loosening and then tightening the acorn nuts to spec, do I want to loosen the studs that come up from underneath? It seems like if I didn't do that it would defeat the purpose...but it would sure be easier.

Eventually I'm gonna have to replace the gasket, I'm just trying to keep the oil in it until then. It had a leak from the head on the other side before that somehow went away, at least as far as I can tell, it was kinda hard to see. But this one is not hidden, it's pretty easy to spot.

 

Loosen them all.

Then re-torque to spec., in stages.

Did you re-torque after the first 500 miles or so after reassembly?

Did you use NEW o-rings around the dowel pins on the right side? New copper washers on the bolts?

Are you absolutely 100% sure the leak isn't "migrating" from someplace else and fooling you?

 

Sorry, Fitz, miscommunication, I haven't had the head off. All I did was torque the acorn nuts to spec when I got the bike. I want to re-torque the head. I'm just asking if the studs that come up from the BOTTOM are part of that, in addition to the acorn nuts on top. I know I need to loosen all of them, just unclear on definition of "all."

I'll post pics of leak later, but I'm 99 44/100ths sure it's head.

 

Loosen and re-torque those Head Nuts according to the Inside-out / Criss-cross Pattern.

 

Yes. There are two nuts on the bottom, and they're part of the tightening sequence.

If you didn't have the head off DO NOT fully loosen any of the nuts or bolts. Loosen them maybe 1/2 ~3/4 of a turn, just enough to feel them start to loosen and STOP.

Then re-torque to spec and in stages.

Run the motor through three or four "heat cycles" and re-torque without loosening anything.

And really do look for other sources. I've got a slowly-leaky cam chain tensioner gasket on the '81 (waiting until the next time I have the carbs off) and you would not BELIEVE where that very small leak migrates to. I thought I had a base gasket leak.

Unfortunately, it could be one of those critical o-rings has become petrified and bit the shed.

If it turns out to be a persistent leak, then at 40K, pop the head. Replace the cam chain guides, and take the head to a sports-car or motorcycle machine shop and let them do the the valves; you may need to provide them with new valve stem seals. Replace the cam chain.

Button it up and put another 40~45K on it. But without all the sitting around that it did in the first part of its life, it won't develop leaks (if you do it right.)