Oil Leak!

[Tom MLC]

Sprung an oil leak on the way home. I pulled off the highway and stopped at a red light. Next thing I know I'm sitting in a cloud of smoke!8O Got off the road as quick as I could to check it out. The whole front of my motor is wet & smokin'. My sight glass is less than half.

Luckily I'm less than a mile from home. So I limp back to the barn and put her to rest. Right now I don't know what to hope for more...cam cover gasket, or tach cable. After she cools down I'll do a wipe down and see where the oil is coming from.

What a drag. What a sickening feeling.

 

[Jethro]

Wow, oil leaks usually come on gradually, unless one of your cam end plugs popped out?

 

[Hoomgar]

You'll find it Tom. You'll have it fixed and cleaned up and in a few days have forgot about it. These things happen to these old bikes and you just take it with a grain of salt, fix it and move on. No worries man. Your bike is as good as it has always been most likely and just needs a new seal somewhere.

Let us know what you find.

 

[ddaum]

Wow, oil leaks usually come on gradually, unless one of your cam end plugs popped out?

That's what I would check first. It happened to me a couple times until I put sealant around the outside edges of the rubber end-plugs.

 

[Jethro]

That's what I would check first. It happened to me a couple times until I put sealant around the outside edges of the rubber end-plugs.

That's the only thing I can think of that would spit two quarts of oil before you realized it.

 

[Hoomgar]

Yes except he said it was all over the front of the engine? Weird? You all know full well that even a front born leak finds it's way around the heads and to the back of the engine as you ride. If the oil was all down the front of the engine I would suspect a valve cover gasket. You can spew a lot of oil of of there if the opening is big enough in pretty short order. I would check right front dead center at the cam chain area of the cover. That area is notorious for leaks and if the gasket smashed in or pushed out the rest of the gasket holds the cover up creating quite a large gap/hole for oil to flow forth.

Those cam end plugs will do it to but wouldn't most of the oil be running down one side or the other then?

 

[Tom MLC]

Glad to hear I got your curiosity up. I haven't looked closely yet. But it's definately up front. The sides of the motor were dry (relatively). The oil was litterally dripping off the front of the motor. What wasn't hitting the pipes was dripping on the ground. It was getting too dark to see for sure where it was coming from.

About a thousand miles ago, I pulled the valve cover to check the clearances. I used a new gasket with some of the grey permatex. I also replaced all the screws with allen head cap screws. And those corner screws that have little (felt?) washers...I replaced those washers, too.

The bike performed well on the rally we had last weekend. We did over 800 miles on that trip. She made me proud! I guess it's a good thing this didn't happen in the middle of the Sierra's.

I sure hope to find this is a quick fix. Maybe I just need to re-torque the valve cover bolts. I will definately be looking closer at after work today. Weather's way too nice not to be out riding.

 

[Hoomgar]

About a thousand miles ago, I pulled the valve cover to check the clearances. I used a new gasket with some of the grey permatex.

I'm putting my money here. Never use any kind of sealer on a valve cover gasket or it will leak. You may get lucky but it is asking for it. It actually only serves to help it slip around from vibration and then slip into the engine or pop out. You can use a little tiny bit of sealer over the tops of the half moon end plugs but keep it off the metal surfaces of the head and the cover. It is critical that you have the metal surfaces of the head and the cover 100% clean and free of old gasket material and any and all grease or oil. Clean bare shiny metal with no knicks or gouges in it is what you want to have when you throw a clean dry new gasket in there.

I know full well what the application recommendations on the Permatex product say but trust me I am giving you the right advice here. Most of the stuff written on those tubes is based on car use even though they mention Jap made bikes at times. Even valve covers etc...

 

[JHawkins]

I replaced my valve cover gasket a couple months back, only to get a bad leak. I too used the grey permatex on it.

I replaced it with a Realgasket silicone gasket. It's awesome, no leaks, no cleaning off the old gasket ever again, no more buying new gaskets!

Worth the 25 bucks for sure!

 

[Tom MLC]

I told my boss I had to leave early for a doctor's appointment. I didn't tell him I was the doctor...and the patient was a 26 year old superbike! And the diagnosis is...

Valve cover gasket. As in, there is none. On the left front, between the two bolts, the gasket has vanished! The gap is clearly visible, and the oil just dribbles out. Most likely the gasket has sucked in, as I can't see any tattered ends. It appears to be intact all the rest of the way around.

It had to have happened just moments before I pulled off the highway. I would never had made it very far, concidering how much oil was running out. And I say again how lucky we are that this didn't happen in the sierra's.

Okay, so I pull the cover off tonight. And order a new gasket. I still have the old one, but I'm not taking any chances. I guess riding the Pacific Coast Highway will have to wait.

In hindsight, I used the permatex because I heard it will hold the gasket in place during installation, and preserve the condition of the gasket when next I needed to remove it. I don't necessarily regret that decision, but I'm always ready to learn from mistakes. So to JHawkins, can you tell me more about this Realgasket silicone gasket, why it's better than a stock gasket, and where I can get one?

And to everyone else...Jethro, Hoomgar, Ddaum...thanks for your sympathy, and advice. That's what makes this place special. Total strangers (you guys might know each other, but I don't) with a common interest, ready to help each other out.

Keep the advice coming! Thanks guys!


Tom

 

[Guest]

Heres a link for realgasket. http://www.realgaskets.com

 

[KEITH KRAUSE]

Those silicone gaskets are suppose to be good, but if you decide on a standard gasket, apply a light coat of regular bearing grease to both sides. This helps a little to keep the gasket where you put it, but the main benefit is the gasket will come off much easier next time it needs to be removed.
Many believe the grease also "conditions" the gasket and it seals better against leaks and a piece of gasket is less likely to break away as yours did.

 

[Tom MLC]

Thanks Keith. I ordered one of those silicone gaskets. I'm looking forward to giving it a try. I'll be sure to let everyone know how it works out. To your advice about the grease, I'd say that's what I thought the grey goop would do. Hold the gasket in place, and make it easier to remove. Perhaps I used too much at that spot.

 

[KEITH KRAUSE]

Thanks Keith. I ordered one of those silicone gaskets. I'm looking forward to giving it a try. I'll be sure to let everyone know how it works out. To your advice about the grease, I'd say that's what I thought the grey goop would do. Hold the gasket in place, and make it easier to remove. Perhaps I used too much at that spot.

Live and learn. At least your GS was good to you and waited 'til you were close to home.

 

[JHawkins]

If you do a search you will find lots of references to Realgasket on this site. You get them from a guy named Harold from www.realgaskets.com. He is a great guy and you will no doubt enjoy talking with him.

He makes silicone gaskets for Airplane engines (with FAA certifications) and also makes them for various motorcycle engines. My logic tells me that if they are good enough to use in an airplane then they should be absolute overkill on a motorcycle! These things are cut to perfection and seem to work great. They are fully reuseable, and guaranteed for life. Anyone that has one seems to love them. I know I sure do

edit: oops, thought I was at the end of the thread, didn't realize it continued onto another page and the questions were already answered! hehehe

 

[Hoomgar]

In hindsight, I used the permatex because I heard it will hold the gasket in place during installation, and preserve the condition of the gasket when next I needed to remove it.

Your just a victim buddy like all the rest of us. This is the same thing I thought but in reality it does exactly the opposite and in fact causes the gasket to move and fail. I had the same exact thing happen to me about a month ago on my current scoot. That is how I knew this was what it was from what you described.

If you can get that Real Gasket Jeff was telling you about in time, it is the way to go. Everyone that gets one claims they are da bomb!

Glad it was an easy fix

Rock on 8)

 

[Tom MLC]

A little weekend update.

Silicone gasket is on order. Also a set of the rubber end plugs. I didn't replace them last time, but they're kinda hard so while I have a chance...

I guess I used the wrong grey goop after all. The gasket did not come off cleanly, and I was carefully scraping for hours. But I'm ready. I hope Harold can send my new gasket quickly.

I the mean time, the 1000 is filling in. With new front brake pads and a quick wash and wax, she was on the road.

 

[JHawkins]

A little weekend update.

Silicone gasket is on order. Also a set of the rubber end plugs. I didn't replace them last time, but they're kinda hard so while I have a chance...

I guess I used the wrong grey goop after all. The gasket did not come off cleanly, and I was carefully scraping for hours. But I'm ready. I hope Harold can send my new gasket quickly.

I the mean time, the 1000 is filling in. With new front brake pads and a quick wash and wax, she was on the road.

Harold shipped mine the same day! I got mine shipped UPS so I could track it as I was having it shipped to a UPS depot and had to pick it up there (I live in canada, but hte border is only 30 minutes away, so I get stuff sent there to avoid brokerage fees and such)

 

[Tom MLC]

While I'm waiting for parts, let me pick your collective brains again. I'm replacing the cam end plugs this time, too. They're hardened and probably overdue for replacement. A PO or some shop in the past applied a coating of white silicone on the rubber half moons. Not a grease, this stuff set up like soft rubber.

So the question is, with new softer cam end seals, what if anything, should I use on them? My Clymer's is not specific about using anything on this application. Or, if there is something in the book, I didn't find it.

So GS guru's, I bow to your been there, done that wisdom. Please enlighten me.

 

[JHawkins]

While I'm waiting for parts, let me pick your collective brains again. I'm replacing the cam end plugs this time, too. They're hardened and probably overdue for replacement. A PO or some shop in the past applied a coating of white silicone on the rubber half moons. Not a grease, this stuff set up like soft rubber.

So the question is, with new softer cam end seals, what if anything, should I use on them? My Clymer's is not specific about using anything on this application. Or, if there is something in the book, I didn't find it.

So GS guru's, I bow to your been there, done that wisdom. Please enlighten me.

The plugs are not that soft, even the new ones are pretty darn stiff. I did use some grey RTV on them, but I installed them with the lip on the inside, so they couldn't pop out. I don't necessarily recommend this, but that is what I did.