Blown Head Gasket

[Dellortoman]

If you reckon the head and barrels are scrap, you have nothing to lose by experimenting with a fix. I reckon epoxy has a good chance of filling the holes. There are some pretty amazing epoxy products around, like the stuff that holds the re-entry tiles on the space shuttle.

What have you got to lose (apart from a few gaskets, time, money, sanity...)

The other thing you could do is re-phase the crank so cylinders 1 and 2 fire together. Then there will be no pressure difference across the leaky bit, and no gas flow. 

Cheers,
Cam

 

[GregT]

IMO they are scrap if you can get replacements....which is much easier these days with the internet.
Only a few years ago here in NZ we'd have pulled the sleeves, welded and remachined etc.

Epoxies have indeed come a long way - a couple of years ago I had a problem on a customer BMW/Rotax 650 single - in a Bimota you'll be happy to know. Resleeved to an enormous bore size and wouldn't seal round the top of the waterjacket. Obtained some epoxy from Air NZ workshops which is used to hold thermocouples on jet engine combustion chambers...sealed up nicely.

 

[Jotaman]

Hey Cam, but where would i be with the re-phasing - stuck between a mans bike and gaylord, too much to lay on a poor unsuspecting Singaporean chap methinks.

I'm almost keen on the wonderful world of epoxy's, but so much depends on the bond - no surface contaminates, and given the heat and the duration applied before the ultimate demise, i'd be a bit concerned on this one.
So leaving desperation in the rear-view, I think we shall take up Red's kind offer and procure a 'new' set of Barrels n Head, take her out to 1145, give her some ever so nice Ross pistoni's with obligatory teflon skirts an ceramic crowns to run around inside and some black diamond valves to pop up n down and see if she likes the good condition Delorto's 

Salutations

Peter

 

[strike750]

hi all this is the first time I,ve seen Jota barrels, have they got steel liners ? regards welding you can get your mig to spray weld although the technique is normally for stainless on thicker material ,  also I have welded various heads and barrels over the years, ally is soft anyway so the welding doesn,t overly affect it looking at the pics I think I,d replace the barrel

Not after it's been heat treated like from the factory, but it is , after you've welded it.

Hi I,m intrigued i asked our resident expert at work who tells me after welding either side of the weld you get granular corrosion which if the object is heat treated can be removed i always like to learn and he couldn,t shed any light on hardening ally any info would be keen to learn. On a lighter note Ally you must be soft you ride a breganze 

 

[Paul LeClair]

Hi Paul,
Yes this is Ricks old bike, i bought it from his brother after he passed, i'll drop Wolfgang a mail, get some time lines - for interest sake, it would appear these bits are going in the Sculpture of Demise.
Ho Hummmm
Cheers and thanks for advice
Peter

Hi Peter

I knew Rick Earl, one of the very best riders I have ever witnessed. He used to whip the tails of the local fast boys at the track all the time, they riding the latest and best, him riding some old beat up piece of crap. Utterly fearless on a bike, which may have been what killed him in the end, head on into a car on his Triumph Triple in a fast sweeper, very sad.

His Laverda was very high mileage, he sped all over the country on it repeatedly, numerous long distance dashes, my memory is that when he wore out the original 1000cc motor he sourced a 1200 motor, stuffed it in, and kept on riding, or maybe it was just the top end, . From the photos it appears that after the head gasket went, he kept on riding, which also would be consistent with his hard charging style. His last Laverda rally he appeared on a late model Triumph triple, the 600?, it is the only street bike I have ever seen with the very edges of the tire tread completely smoked off and the center tread still pristine, I was teasing him about that last time I saw him....

Paul LeClair

 

[Jotaman]

Hi Paul,
To be quite honest the rest of the bike is good condition, no real signs of butchery, it really was a surprise to see signs of prolonged abuse, to me it looks like a 1200 top end has been dropped onto series 2 cases they've either not re-tensioned the head or not enough tension in the first place - then based on how you describe the man - given a 'bit of a work-out'.

Either way his legacy will continue, the new owner is no slouch himself and blasting through Malaysia on the only Jota in the region will be something to behold - he's super keen to sort out the problems and get her back on the road, i'm heading to Aus next week and intend on spending some quality time at Redax with a bit of parts haggling thrown into the mix, might even register the Monty while we're there

Yay holidays.

Peter

 

 

[Laverdalothar]

Send the parts to OCT, they have a guy that can do laser welding. He does amazing things on repairing even cracks that go from the plug hole to the valve seat. Not cheap, but if you calculate in that any other head will need also full service before installation, it does not matter if you repair this one or buy a new one - new valves/seats etc. might be necessary on either of them.

 

[lemonjelly]

Canna- indian plant also known as Confidence in The Heavens.........there you go!

Shaun

 

[Jota Rob]

hi all this is the first time I,ve seen Jota barrels, have they got steel liners ? regards welding you can get your mig to spray weld although the technique is normally for stainless on thicker material ,  also I have welded various heads and barrels over the years, ally is soft anyway so the welding doesn,t overly affect it looking at the pics I think I,d replace the barrel

Not after it's been heat treated like from the factory, but it is , after you've welded it.

Hi I,m intrigued i asked our resident expert at work who tells me after welding either side of the weld you get granular corrosion which if the object is heat treated can be removed i always like to learn and he couldn,t shed any light on hardening ally any info would be keen to learn. On a lighter note Ally you must be soft you ride a breganze  

Hi Strike

Can I refer to this post from a year ago?  Lots of information 1st hand about problems, attempts to rectify, heat treatment, hardness testing and  poor workmanship. Its a good read and I still have all the data from Costapacket head repairs.
http://laverdaforum.com/forum/index.php/topic,41944.15.html
regards Rob

 

[strike750]

Cheers Rob interesting thread the guy who we weld the heads for informed me he always gets them heat treated after. Chris

 

[Jota Rob]

Cheers Rob interesting thread the guy who we weld the heads for informed me he always gets them heat treated after. Chris

Hi Chris
You can hear the difference (only when you have two to compare). I had the one head hardened although I chose not to perservere with it... It rung when struck with a  pin punch whereas a soft one, well, it dont ring, just a dull thud and an imprint.  I find it fascinating stuff, even though I had to learn it, like many, the hard way.

Rob

Having said all that, I've just welded a new patch into my crankcase, took the metal from a scrap one and it isn't hardened but it seems to have come out ok. Its my 1st go with my tig welder on Alloy after unsuccesfully trying to weld Stainless steel with it (no not on the crankcase, that would be really stupid) 

 

[strike750]

Cheers Rob interesting thread the guy who we weld the heads for informed me he always gets them heat treated after. Chris

Hi Chris
You can hear the difference (only when you have two to compare). I had the one head hardened although I chose not to perservere with it... It rung when struck with a  pin punch whereas a soft one, well, it dont ring, just a dull thud and an imprint.  I find it fascinating stuff, even though I had to learn it, like many, the hard way.

Rob

Having said all that, I've just welded a new patch into my crankcase, took the metal from a scrap one and it isn't hardened but it seems to have come out ok. Its my 1st go with my tig welder on Alloy after unsuccesfully trying to weld Stainless steel with it (no not on the crankcase, that would be really stupid) 

hi Rob looks like you welded it ok if you can weld ally you should find stainless a doddle.The problem with ally is producing the weld pool it sort of flutters on the surface then you dip in your rod and its established but stainless your pool appears if you wait then off you go . Chris