Head Gasket for Villiers engine?

[kayjay283]

Hi.

I have a Greeves Hawkstone and was wondering if the Villier's engine should have a head gasket as it does not have one.

[John Wakefield]

If it is the iron barrell definitely yes, not sure about alloy barrell but I would think they should also have one. Plain copper or aluminium

[Peter Rotherham]

Head Gaskets.

Hi, as a Trained M/Cycle mechanic, I hae always taken the view that, if a manufacturer had gone to all the trouble of fitting something, after research,then it should be there. The best case in point would be the K & N Air Filters in the 1970/80's. Many owners of Japanese 4 Cylinder 'bikes fitted these, then came into our workshop complaining of poor running, etc.,
On the Villiers engine, the differential in coefficient of expansion between the Cylinder head (Alloy) and Barrel, (Iron) means that you need a flexible seal. Even the later Alloy top ends, unless spray linered needs such as the austenitic iron liner will expand at a different rate to the alloy.
I've come across engines where, in order to raise compression, the joint was made with red hermatite, but I always thought this a bodge.
The first of the 3 & 4 cylinder BMW's of the 80's were assembled without gaskets, but many began to suffer warping and weepage of oil, so some gaskets were retro-fitted.

No, in my opinion, fit a gasket. The copper ones are re-usable with care, so are well worth their existance.

[Colin Sparrow]

The best case in point would be the K & N Air Filters in the 1970/80's. Many owners of Japanese 4 Cylinder 'bikes fitted these, then came into our workshop complaining of poor running, etc....


I've come across engines where, in order to raise compression, the joint was made with red hermatite, but I always thought this a bodge.

Yes, airboxes are there for a reason...

Anything involving Red Hermashite is a bodge in my view...

[Rob]

Come on Colin, you date back to the days when there was only red or green Hermatite!

Happy New Year!

Rob

[Phil Hyde]

In support of "Red"

The trouble with "Red" was that you always put too much on. We all know that machining of joint faces on older British bike engines and gear boxes was poor. Old machine tools that had been churning out kit since the war saw little maintenance and accuracy was rubbish. Components were then piled into storage bins ready for assembly. Mating faces were scarred and dinged so use of the red was a necessity.

I'm a firm believer in sticking engines together. Thankfully we have some sophistication these days with Hylomar and Loctite products. It is the only way to ensure the oily stuff stays inside the cases.

I've still got some red and support it's use.

Phil

[Colin Sparrow]

The trouble with "Red" was that you always put too much on. Phil

All over my hands usually.

Mind you the smell of it takes me back to my yoof...

(And no, Rob, I didn't use to sniff it!)

[Peter Rotherham]

Prehistoric Case sealants.

For years I used "Osotite" ..... looked & smelt like ashphalt, but did the job, and could be cleaned off with petrol. Likewise I used Molyslip in gearboxes. Can't seem to find either in Halfords now!

I recently visted the little Motor Museum at Bourton-on-the-Water. Their mock up workshop looks 'space age' compared to mine.!

Mind you, whilst I now use Hylomar, you can really get messy with great gobs of that awful orange silicon gel that came in from America back in the 80's. More than one siezed engine had lumps of this dug out by us back in the dark ages.........

Troglodyte.