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Head gasket leaking - "Re-torque"?

Motorhead

CB750 Enthusiast
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It's been a while since I've noticed black gooey build-up at the front of the head gasket.
Since I know that there are no oil paths under pressure going through inside the head (the oil line is behind the cylinder block/head between no. 2 and 3 carbs), I assumed I was due to rich fuel and bad exhaust gaskets.

But then I ran into this in one of the forums:

"Oil leak=The CB750/900/1000/1100 were notorious for leaking head gaskets, specifically in the front corners. Try this before anything: Retorque the head bolts, mark them before you start. 1/4 turn back off one at a time starting in the center working your way outward. I found that after you break them loose, they will tighten to torque 30 degrees further than original settings. The oil from the valve area drains around the head studs and wicks through the head gasket. My 750 totally stopped seeping after the retorque".

1. It seems that it describes my problem (although not sure how can oil "drain around the head studs").
2. Does the proposed solution make any sense? I always heard that "re-torquing" the head (meaning, without taking it off and replacing the gasket) is a big "no-no". Can the proposed procedure do any harm?
 
Re torquing head gaskets used to be a common process but gasket technology has advanced. Anymore the only time you retorque is after the first heat cycle of the gasket. Honda had oil seeping issue on the sohc motor as well for several years, they updated the gasket and it helped. The main issue is the honda head studs are small and cheap and stretch over time causing the clamping force to lessen. Retorquing may help but it wont be a permanent fix as the gasket has also probably lost is ability to seal. Cant really hurt anything unless you end up twisting off a stud when trying to back off rusty nuts and tightening them back down
 
Would that leak look like this?? Like on mine
 

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