Whats the best way to check if I have a headgasket leak ?

[snowy1]

If you think the head gasket is leaking I would pull it, letting it develope will only cause more problems.

 

[Skydog]

go to napa and get some test strips to do a block test


Yea that is what i am going to do.

 

[rxrider]

My toughts were if you are loosing coolant and have black fragments in the coolant, then you have a problem. I cannot think of any other place for these fragments to originate from than the head gasket(s).

I would do as Skydog suggest - buy test strips, it will tell right away if you got combustion gases in your coolant.

 

[rxrider]

I have my head studs tightened in steps as described in MCXpress installation guide, first 20Nm, then 35Nm and finally 50Nm, the two M6 bolts on the side should be torked at 10Nm. I used the tightening sequence as described in the RX-1 Service Manual.

If my head gaskets (2 stacked) starts leaking again I will go with aftermarket head studs and a single 0.54 gasket.

 

[princesledalot]

As soon as I noticed the black stuff in my coolant I started to tear down the sled. I wonder if the MCX torque specs are different than Yamaha ?

 

[Skydog]

Yea but i had the black stuff in my coolant right after start up. I think it is from the factory gasket after cleaning it off the head and block..(when i did the two gaskets) We will see,,,,,

Skydog

 

[4strokes are better than2]

jeff at smons cpr was realy good to me ansered all my question no prob beleave he has tork specs & head studs mine where about 180$ for the vec.

 

[snowy1]

aperaceparts.com they have the head studs $80, just tell them what you need the studs are the same as the 1999 R1 studs.