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General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> Hairline cracks on cylinder head cover
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Message started by wnplt on 06/01/05 at 09:26:01

Title: Hairline cracks on cylinder head cover
Post by wnplt on 06/01/05 at 09:26:01

I've just noticed a few small hairline cracks on my head cover mostly around the forward valve/rocker cover. I notice a couple more on top coming from a bolt hole. I recently did the oil plug replacement and correctly torqued the head cover. Does not look like casting marks. Any thoughts or Ideas?

Title: Re: Hairline cracks on cylinder head cover
Post by Savage_Rob on 06/01/05 at 09:54:46

Did you set the engine to TDC before starting the procedure? It's not listed as part of the procedure but should be done whenever opening the head. I overlooked that and, through some discussions with Greg, determined it may have contributed to my broken bolt. I may have bolts overtorqued or undertorqued but I believe I was lucky. The cover sat back down flush without having to "pull" it down with the bolts, so I think it was probably close. Still, it was a bad oversight on my part. I am going to set mine to TDC, loosen the bolts and retorque everything.

Title: Re: Hairline cracks on cylinder head cover
Post by wnplt on 06/05/05 at 09:07:04

When I initially did the oil seal repair I did not set TDC. However, a week later I adjusted the valve lash because after I did the oil seal fix it messed up my valve lash and that's when I noticed the cracks on the cover.

Title: Re: Hairline cracks on cylinder head cover
Post by Greg_650 on 06/05/05 at 09:14:31

wnplt wrote:

The cover is cast aluminum and not really very fancy cast aluminum, either, but it doesn't need to be. I too have noticed small cracks around bolt holes, etc, when I have looked for leaks, but none of them were ever the cause of the leak....I think you've just got a case of normal good healthy cracks :D

Title: Re: Hairline cracks on cylinder head cover
Post by wnplt on 06/06/05 at 11:23:20

Thanks that's good to know. Really didn't want to replace the the whole head assembly. I too have no leaks of any kind from any of the cracks.

Title: Re: Hairline cracks on cylinder head cover
Post by WD on 06/06/05 at 22:39:52

There isn't an aluminum motorcycle engine made that doesn't have at least a few minor cosmetic cracks in it. Just a fact of heat -vs- stress -vs- aluminum.
-WD