03zx6rrNICK

I just bought a 03 636 with a blown head gasket for a great price. i got the bike torn down to where i have the valve cover off. first ? is should i jsut take it toa shop and let them put the head gasket on for me so i dont mess anything up with the timing? or should i just mark it and remove it by my self. im just wondering how much more i got to take off before i get to the head gasket. thanks alot
Nick

OneUpMoto

Just did this job on the road with minimal tools. It was very easy. Mark the cams and the chain, and don’t let the chain slip after you remove the cams. Once the cams are out you can get to all the bolts, don’t forget to remove the 8mm bolt on the outside of the cam chain side. Don't flip the head upside down when cleaning or your buckets and shims will fall out. Clean the cylinder and the head gasket surfaces. Technically you should have your surfaces milled. I did not because I was in a pinch, but it seems to have turned out ok. Another thing that I did was I very carefully removed the center layer of the gasket for a little extra power bump. To do this, pry the gasket apart at the snap points, using extreme care. Remove the center layer and snap the gasket back together. Now for the disclaimer. This is what I did and it worked for me. You need to use your own discretion for your particular project.

03zx6rrNICK

ok so as soon as i moved the radiator it started leaking. i looked at it and where the radiator cap is, it is bent and leaking around the neck. so im thinking it just leaks when it builds pressure up and thats why the person who sold it to me thinks it has a blown head gasket due to it being low on coolant and they couldnt see a leak or anything. so whats anyones suggestions. also does anyone got a radiator? thanks a lot

03zx6rrNICK

well what are the signs of a blown head gasket? thanks a lot man. you seem like you know a lot of stuff. wish u lived close i would just pay you to do it if thats what is actually wrong with it. thanks alot man

OneUpMoto

The symptoms that we had was the bike would overheat. Also the cooling system was over pressurizing and blowing hoses off, and it was always bubbling in the overflow tank. You could always hear and feel the cooling system boiling; it also idled like crap, surging and weak.

Jaket

probably the head gasket is fine. It the system doesn't hold pressure it boils really easy as bikes often go beyond boiling point(boiling point without presssure is lower then with pressure). only system holding pressure can work.

if it still boils after the radiator is fixed,then it could be the head gasket.

03zx6rrNICK

there is no oil at all on the motor and the oil doesnt look milky so thats why i dont think it has a blown head gasket i think it is a leaking radiator and thats why he thought it was blown head. cuase i mean it is very low on coolant so ima throw dry ice in it after i get a new radiator. i mean i saw the bike in a burnout contest and it sounded good and i saw a little coolant leakin from front of bike. so thats why i am thinking it is the radiator. any one selling a radiator?

03zx6rrNICK

here are some pics of where i noticed the leak. you tell me what ya think