top end problems sportsman 500

[scooterman]

what i have is it sounds like its popping through the head, i have pulled the valve cover off and as i turn the motor over it seems like it blows through the head eveytime the compression comes up and it wants to run but wont. The cam looks good and the valves arent to terribly loose, cam chain is tight, Is my head gasket blown or what? anybody have any ideas !!

[Russ C]

you can hear the compression come thru the head? is spark plug tight?

[Motsenbocker]

Yes, where is the comression coming out? Possibly by the side where the head gasket is?

[scooterman]

The noise was not so loud until i pulled the the valve cover off then it got louder, you actually see either blow by or the compression come from the head and the plug is tight . they said it was running fine and it did what it had done, is it possible that the compression release has something to do with this cuz im thinkin compression release or head gasket !!!

[john luttrell]

The compression release dumps the compression through the exhaust, so it sounds like you have a blown head gasket.

[Russ C]

it may also be coming thru the valves, either way your gonna have to take the head off,

[scooterman]

Well I got that 500 running finally but not sure of the problem still, so through cam chain valley when it was running it felt like it had alot of air or compression through there and had a popping noise, now it was not backfiring through the carb or exhaust, it sounded like more of a compression pop to me but thats just a guess so is it still a bad head gasket. Anybody with ideas is much appreciated? and thanks for the help so far !!! For other info there is not any antifreeze in the oil or i didnt see any air bubbles thru the radiator but of course i didnt not have it running long enough for it to get hot !!