GARY BATES, TRGB OWNER – SPECIALIST VIEW

Head gasket reliability often raises questions among Triumph owners. We always fit cylinder heads with new fasteners – studs, nuts and their special washers – and we always use a top quality gasket. Of course, it’s also important that the top of the block and cylinder head face are perfectly flat, so these have been lightly skimmed. We also use Wellseal sealant all over both sides of the gasket. After that, the cylinder head should be torqued up in stages, using the workshop manual’s recommended sequence. It’s good practice to re-torque the head nuts after about 250 miles. Follow this procedure to the letter, and there’s no reason that Triumph head gaskets shouldn’t last for the engine’s lifetime.