ok so i just got a 88 600 hurricane. got it home and tuned it up so that it would run right, then went to change the fluids and bam there was more oil than coolant coming out of the water pump. so after searching i found a headgasket on ebay and it should be here within the next week. i tore the engine down tonight since ive got almost a week off, and when i got the head off the area around the piston sleeves are gummed up with black crud. is that supposed to be an open area? i tried to get it all out and carb cleaned the sh*t out of the area but it doesnt seem like it has a drain. and the gasket has passage ways there so my question is what is that area for? is it where coolant just flows around the piston sleeves? oh ya after many years ive unofficially left the sports car scene for street bikes, and so far my adventures arent great.

 

Sounds like when the head gasket blew, oil & coolent got emulsified and caked around the motor, when ya get the new head gasket back on and everything back together ya might have to flush her a few times when she's running good and warm
to loosen all that stuff up maybe try some rad flushing products too

 

But is that are I described just for coolant to flow around the cylinder walls and keep it cool?

 

It sounds like you are describing the water passage... pictures would help us help you.

 

Whether it's oil or water passage, I would clean all the gunk out before you
re-assemble. It would be sad, if any of it broke loose, getting stuck/blocked
in some part of the circuit, you don't already have easy access to.

After all, shiney-clean is never a bad thing, when dealing with machinery.

Just a thought, Ern

 

oh ya it will all be pristine before reassembly. anyone got any tricks to get the burnt on carbon off pistons?

 

The large areas around the cylinders are "water jackets". Thats where the coolant flows around the exterior of the cylinders to remove the heat. My recommendation is to get an adapter for your sink to hook up a hose. Run a hose from there out to the yard, push the bike out there and spray it out with hot water. Yup, water will get into your oil, but you have to change it anyways. Once you get the majority of the gunk out, you will still need to use a coolant flush solution when you get it back together to clean out any thats left over.

To clean the carbon off of the top of the pistons and valve faces, use an angle die grinder and a Bristle Disc. Properly using a bristle disc requires little to no pressure, let the bristles do the work. Youre polishing, not grinding. When you clean the pistons, do them one by one to TDC so you do not score or nick the cylinder walls, and make sure to stuff clean rags into the water jackets and other 3 cylinders to keep the majority of the carbon dust out.

See picture of bristle disc here: rolocstylebristlediscs

 

i would take it to a machine shop disassembled and have them dip it in the hot tank. that will clean out pretty much anything and isnt expensive. as for the pistons.... i agree with tds94probe

 

ok so i used my dremel and a little wire wheel and a softer abrasive disk to polish them. it made it alot easier. as for the hot tanking i really dont want to farther disassemble the engine so i just bought alot of engine degreaser and a few small picks to get as much as possible out. then i plan on flushing it all out when i get it put back together.