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My 1972 combat commando recently developed a new oil leak. I started to notice drops of oil on the toe of my right boot after a long ride and it has become progressivly worse over the last month. I had a hard time finding the source. I have never seen a drip while it was happening and the engine seems completely clean and dry but my best guess is that there may be some oil collecting on the cooling fins between the exhaust pipes at the level of the head gasket. When I hit a certain speed the wind blows drops off the fins landing on my right toe or the timing cover. The engine was rebuilt 3000 miles ago with modern ugrades including the head gasket. I assume (but cannot verify) that the previous owner who was a norton mechanic retorqued the head at the proper mileage after the rebuild. I have put a few hundred miles on the engine myself. My thought is that the oil is leaking out of the head gasket from one of the pushrod tunnels. The leak isn't bad. I don't mind the oil on my shoe. Should I leave everything alone or try to fix it? I'm thinking of retorqing the head gasket (never done one before but there is a first time for everything). Good idea or bad? Maybe I should just tighten the bolts at the front of the motor since thats the only area with trouble. If I decide to retorque the whole thing should I loosen all the bolts and nuts first and then tighten them all back up ( I have a shop manual that gives the proper order and torques) or do I just back off each one a half turn and retorque one at a time going in order from first to last? Right now my bike runs perfectly and I don't want to make things worse but there is no local mechanic willing to work on this antique, at least none that wouldn't be working on it for the first time same as me so I'm pretty much on my own with this thing. I would appreciate any and all help.
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