Re-torquing is definitely a big no-no. The seal is just soft rubber type material and is only modesty compressed between the two metal surfaces. The main "torque" is taken by the actual "O" shaped metal gasket at the top of the liner, mating onto the actual head. Also, there is the ever present danger when doing anything to the head studs, that one (or more) of them will break.
K-Seal is worth a try, though many would say it is a bodge too far. It worked on mine for a few years though
Have you seen my thread on getting this job done by a garage ? (
LINK ).
Dazco wrote:and after everything I've read about removing the heads I'm loath to try it ( even after watching the easy peasy method on YouTube )
Easy peasy = no it isn't as easy as he makes it look. Read what folks in my thread think about not removing the pistons and liners to replace the lower "O" ring. It is quite a job and can be fraught with disasters (though some on here have done it successfully). The worst thing is, going to all that trouble, and then, on firing it up, finding that summat is far from right. In my case I must have got summat wrong with that lower liner "O" ring, and the water and oil just mixed up at a hell of a rate
To say I was disappointment is an understatement !
I will likely be letting Elite do mine, soon after Bustypes. Mine is only a very slight drip, but this time K-Seal didn't work. Annoying as the engine is otherwise very good.
