Triumphrat

Merf88

Hi All,
My RS (45,000 miles) is one of those few that had a serious cylinder head/valve issue. I have purchased a good used head and I have the Haynes Manual. I want to replace the head over this long weekend. The Manual and other experienced Triumph guys say that EXTREME care has to be taken not to disturb the seal on the cylinder sleeves when the head is removed. How many of you have done head work without doing sleeve work? Is it as touchy as I have been hearing? Any help would be appreciated. By the way, I am assuming a new head gasket is required...right? Thanks for any help and suggestions.

Jhumphrey

I repalaced the head gasket on a '99 Trophy 1200 a few years ago, simple job. In my opinion, the liners should be reseated any time you remove the head period, not open for discussion. The liners have a machined boss at the interface with the crankcase, a flexible close tolerance sealant (blue hylomar)is used at this interface to prevent pressurized coolant from being forced into the crankcase. For the $4.00 worth of sealant and the 45 minutes of added time, it's not worth the risk of damaging an engine. Besides, it will also allow you to do a through job of decarbonizing the pistons.

This is aproximately the procedure I followed, its not step by step:

1. Drain all coolant from block, using drain screws on the side of the motor.
2. Drain oil and remove the clutch cover you will want to use a wrench to turn the crankshaft.
3. Pull cam chain.
4. Remove the head.
5. At this point before disturbing the liners, take a shop vac and suck out any remaining coolant around the base of the liners. Dont want it in the crankcase now do we.
6. At this point, I made up some keepers out of angle iron. These are to hold the reseated liners in position so you can rotate the crankshaft to TDC before installing the next liner, you must not disturb the seated liner after installation. The keepers I fabricated were nothing but a simple piece of angle iron with a drilled a hole in each end and bolted into the head bolt holes spaning the newly positioned liner. Install the keepers.
7. With the keepers installed, rotate the first piston to TDC. Clean off all carbon deposits, with a wooden scraper or brass (soft) brush.
8. Remove keeper on first cylinder and pull liner. Clean liner seat in crankcase, being careful not to drop ANYTHING, into the crankcase, must be clean. Pay attention to liner orientation before you pull it out, put it back the same way. Look at the rings before installing the liner and corretly orient them as well.
9. Apply hylomar sealant to base of liner and reinstall over piston, pressing into seat, apply keeper.
10. Repeat 2 more times.
11 Remove keepers and install headgasket and reassemble. I used a very thin coating of the Hylomar as a gasket dressing.

Simple job really, take your time, read the manual and keep out of the beer. Good luck.

Merf88

Very thorough. I appreciate your time and careful description. I think that you may have me convinced.