Water In Cylinder

[Rustychrome]

So I bought a 1977 GL1000 from my buddy. He rides it off and on. Weekends mostly. He noticed fuel leaking from the float bowls, finally they leaked more than he was comfortable with. So he parked it in the garage. He needed money, I buy the bike for a few hundred dollars. Anyways, the bike sat for the last 5 months covered in garage. Together we pull the carbs/manifolds to replace the float bowl gaskets easy enough. But we noticed water in the intake going to the head. Left side, cylinder towards back of bike. only in that cylinder. My mechanical guess, is that it has a bad head gasket, cracked head, or worse,cracked the block. Anyone else see this before? Anyways, we go to pull the head using our shop manual as our guide and quickly scratch our heads. I'm not very smart. Couldnt figure it out. So I'm off to watch youtube videos. Any advice or forewarning would be nice. Thanks.

[RBGERSON]

was it water or antifreeze?? water maybe something else??

pulling head is straight forward..but there is one small bolt at the base of the head at the center many forget..kind of underneath.

remove valve covers
remove front covers
turn timing wheel to T1 TDC for #1 mark front crank for reference later
remove timing belts
remove cam wheels
right side remove tach bolts
left side unplug point wires
remove water tube bolts/connector on top each side
remove head bolts
hit head with mallet should move.

I think I got it all?????

[spiralout]

I think I got it all?????

You missed the intakes, exhaust and heat shields, but not bad!!

[Rustychrome]

Thanks guys. I ordered the head gaskets. So I'm just waiting now. I will update or ask more questions as this unfolds. I watched a few videos last night and I think I have a fair grasp. We shall see.

[SnoBrdr]

Thanks guys. I ordered the head gaskets. So I'm just waiting now. I will update or ask more questions as this unfolds. I watched a few videos last night and I think I have a fair grasp. We shall see.

If you didn't order them from Honda, cancel the order.

Use ONLY Honda head gaskets.

[Old Fogey]

If you didn't order them from Honda, cancel the order.

Use ONLY Honda head gaskets.

I keep seeing folk saying this. WHY?

I have used Athena gaskets for years without a single problem. On odd occasions I have used Vesrah with the same results.

I firmly believe that most head gasket problems are the result of not following Honda instructions to the letter when refitting the heads.
Make sure that every bit of the old gaskets are removed from both head and block.
Fit the gaskets dry.
Liberally grease the threads AND under the flanges of the heads bolts with Moly grease.
Incrementally tighten the bolts IN THE CORRECT SEQUENCE.
Final torque figure should be 45ft/lbs

YouTube is no substitute for a workshop manual! There's as much wrong info on there as there is right, probably more in fact.
These are interference engines. Get the cam timing wrong and you have real trouble.

[SnoBrdr]

If you didn't order them from Honda, cancel the order.

Use ONLY Honda head gaskets.

I keep seeing folk saying this. WHY?

I have used Athena gaskets for years without a single problem. On odd occasions I have used Vesrah with the same results.

I firmly believe that most head gasket problems are the result of not following Honda instructions to the letter when refitting the heads.
Make sure that every bit of the old gaskets are removed from both head and block.
Fit the gaskets dry.
Liberally grease the threads AND under the flanges of the heads bolts with Moly grease.
Incrementally tighten the bolts IN THE CORRECT SEQUENCE.
Final torque figure should be 45ft/lbs

YouTube is no substitute for a workshop manual! There's as much wrong info on there as there is right, probably more in fact.
These are interference engines. Get the cam timing wrong and you have real trouble.

H
I have never used the brand you mentioned but did have a issue with non OEM.

But if you recommend those, I'd say they were good.

[Old Fogey]

Athena are made in Italy, Vesrah are Japanese. Both are available in the USA, the Athena found the most easily.

There is another Japanese make, NG or NA I'm not too sure. Do not touch these with the proverbial 10ft, plastic covered, disinfected barge pole!