1979 gs 750l how to install cam end plug/plugs (as oil is leaking from one of them)

[ATM]

Hi

i have a 1979 suzuki gs750l. I recently had someone replace the valve cover gasket. A day or two later i noticed that oil appeared to be leaking from one of the four half moon cam end plugs. My questions.........

1) can someone please direct me to a link or explain to me how to either replace the end plugs or how to use three bond liquid silicone to do the sealing job (or should both three bond and new cam end plugs be used?).

2) should i replace just the one plug or all of the cam end plugs. I am kind of leaning towards repairing just the one and not touching the others ("if it ain't broke don't fix it") as i do not know what i am doing and do not want to mess the others up.

3) will i need the three bond liquid silicone for anything else besides possibly the one cam end plug region?? Does anything need to be applied to the new valve cover gasket before reinstalling the valve cover??

Your help would be greatly appreciated with the questions above.

Bigcheese

 

[ATM]

I took a closer look at things. The end plug actually looks good. It appears that the oil may have been leaking somewhere along the top of the end plug. The person who installed the new valve cover gasket applied some kind of white substance (some kind of silicone or adhesive??) along the metal perimeter and on top of the end plugs. The new valve cover gasket was then placed on top of this substance. There was no adhesive or silicone placed on the top side of the new valve cover gasket.

 

[ukjules]

I know what I would do - but I will defer to more experienced mechanics.... I am battling my own bike issue...
It involves getting stuck in mind !

I would remove the entire valve cover, clean up both surfaces being careful not drop dirt into
head. If the plugs are leaking either replace or put back in with some blue hylomar (sealant) around the plugs (what I am going to do).

I would not put sealant around the gasket.
The same gasket should be ok depending on what it is like.

If you dont want to do this and it is only leaking from one cam end plug, undo all cover bolts a bit and lift out that one only, carefully
clean area, put back in with some blue hylomar around it. Always worked for me.

 

[chuck hahn]

Yup on cleaning up the head and cover surface and using a new gasket. HOWEVER..i in fact DO use a selaer around the half moons. I apply a thin layer of THREE BOND 1184 in the head surface and set the half moons in with nthe lip edge INSIDE the head. Why indide you ask?? Because sometime when tightening the cover down they will squirt out of the notches. Lip in and they dont come out.i then add a dab of THREEBOND across the top flats of the half moon and just past the dges. This assures a great leak proof seal in the head itself and across where the gasket makes contact with them.

The half moons are metal based and coated with rubber. Once they are squished thats it..they arent gonna spring back any. Now you can buy new ones and do without sealer, but using the used ones will require it or they will tend to leak almost certainly.