Head gasket choices for a triple?

almost all head gasket leaks are caused by things other than the head gasket, one so called leak (very recently) was a valve guide moving in the head, causing oil to drain down the exhaust port (ie not the valve moving in the guide) not true heads or cylinder blocks, incorrect tightening sequence (its not what is obvious, as in centre first, and work outwards, nearly that, but not quite), and progressive tension, old or pattern studs (remember they act like a spring, as in they "stretch" a bit upon clamping but have to retain it) misplaced O rings, or rings that are not thick enough (very common) or even O rings (why where they never needed on the centre oil carrying studs?) that are nicked by the raw edge of cropped flame rings, plenty more, its a very low (almost no) oil pressure system, so it should be easy to seal up.

The keith Nairn gaskets that I have seen do not have copper O rings around the four outside oil bearing studs, but what looks more like a very short section of straight sided, presumably crushable, copper tube. A lot of users of those ones out there now.
CLEM
 
The problem with Keith's Head Gaskets for people like me is the price Clem. I have one already, I'm not buying another three if the Athena ones will work at £30 each and that is why I was asking for information.
Laverdas are now economically unrestorable as far as I'm concerned so it makes sense to save money where possible. I know it might be an alien concept to some people on here though.
 
It's such a critical component, I wouldn't be going cheap. Are you restoring to sell on at a profit, perhaps?The thought of having to remove engines to deal with leaks would encourage caution if it were me...good luck with it, let us know how it goes? Restoration of these bikes was never likely to be cost effective...gasket issues have been around for a while..ask Clem about his work of art copper gaskets..I have one on the wall, but not the bike..like the resto Marzo shocks,,😉
 
Ditto, I hate doing shit twice. But that's what happens more often than not, maybe I hate doing things 3 times or multiple times is more accurate.
 
nick7 said:
It's such a critical component, I wouldn't be going cheap. Are you restoring to sell on at a profit, perhaps?The thought of having to remove engines to deal with leaks would encourage caution if it were me...good luck with it, let us know how it goes? Restoration of these bikes was never likely to be cost effective...gasket issues have been around for a while..ask Clem about his work of art copper gaskets..I have one on the wall, but not the bike..like the resto Marzo shocks,,😉
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No I'm assembling what I have laying around otherwise the bikes might as well be scrapped. I enjoy doing it but throwing money at it isn't an option and I don't think it makes sense either.
I have rebuilt a few triple engines over the years and had no head gasket problems so I don't see why there should be any now.
Red has explained why here though and along with Piet's explanation a while ago it makes sense. I usually torment Ged Shorten with questions as well as getting his opinion on things. Usually he tells me to buy new stuff from Keith ha ha!
 
After replacing a head gasket, I let the engine sit overnight and re-torque the head before installing the engine. Sometimes, there's a little "give" after a few heat cycles/km, more often than not, none at all!

Pretty pleased with Keiths' products, no issues so far.

Big problem with the Athena gaskets was that they were rolled dead flat after the flame rings were installed. Reckon steel flame rings would do just as good a job as the copper ones if they had the required thickness.

piet
 
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