laverda alpino cylinder head oil supply

corsaro

corsaro

New member
Location
York UK
while rebuilding the alpino engine I notice on the parts list that in addition to the cylinder head gasket there are 4 O rings listed to go around the studs. As the oil supply to the head is via the annular space betwixt the studs and the holes it looks like the fitting of O rings would cut off the supply to the head. the only other oil supply to the head is via camchain fling from the sump. On other bikes I have rebuilt with o ring seals on the cylinder studs ( velocette) there is an external feed to the head and hence causes no issues.
 
Thanks for the clarification, does seem bit of an afterthought by the designers..... as the several other Italian bikes I have just rely on the head gasket to do the job. Due to the positioning the cutout cuts into the copper sealing ring. On the 350 the sealing is better as the bore is 12mm less in diameter. Makes me wonder whether the original concept by the designers in the early days prior to production was for a 350!
 

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corsaro said:
while rebuilding the alpino engine I notice on the parts list that in addition to the cylinder head gasket there are 4 O rings listed to go around the studs. As the oil supply to the head is via the annular space betwixt the studs and the holes it looks like the fitting of O rings would cut off the supply to the head. the only other oil supply to the head is via camchain fling from the sump. On other bikes I have rebuilt with o ring seals on the cylinder studs ( velocette) there is an external feed to the head and hence causes no issues.
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I don't remember using those O rings when I rebuilt the wife's 500. Maybe I've forgotten.
Paul
 
I've never used the O rings because the gasket it normally pretty good. The downside is that the holes are enlarged for the O Rings and it eats into the copper flame ring. This is a weak point in the gasket and can cause head gasket failure. you can see in your photo where the copper ring is thinner near the O Ring hole. Good Luck !
 
Under normal conditions, the 500 head gaskets are perfectly adequate. The o-rings are a sealing precaution only and do not obstruct flow in any manner, unless of course if incorrectly fitted...

piet
 
There was a chap back in the `eighties based in the north of Scotland by the name of Ross Haygarth who was into the 500`s , and he set out on a technical path to confront what he saw as flaws in the lubrication system of the 500 twin ......... Didn`t know him personally , but remember reading about his efforts , along with drawings , regarding this in the ILOC magazine .......... Be interesting to know if he still has an interest in the four valve twins all these years later ..........
 
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rocketonarail said:
There was a chap back in the `eighties based in the north of Scotland by the name of Ross Haygarth who was into the 500`s , and he set out on a technical path to confront what he saw as technical flaws in the lubrication system of the 500 twin ......... Didn`t know him personally , but remember reading about his efforts regarding this in the ILOC magazine .......... Be interesting to know if he still has an interest in the four valve twins all these years later ..........
Click to expand...
He certainly does, and has, I believe, a triple as well, to ride those magnificent roads up in the north.
 
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