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spark plugs and oil leak at plug base

  • Thread starter Thread starter boathead
  • Start date Start date
B

boathead

Guest
i've been having this recurring problem....oil seepage at the base of my left most spark plug. truth be told, i am unsure exactly where the oil is coming from.

i first noticed it early this spring. i fiddled around, and noticed that the spark plug was loose. huh. maybe that was the issue. i replaced the plug, and seemed like everything was fine, until today, i noticed some more oil. but this time, the plug was snug. and then, i walked over to the right side, and the right most plug was showing oil, and that plug was loose!

what is this, fellas? why are my plugs working loose? and would this be the cause of the oil?

i replaced both plugs, hand tight and then a smidge more.
 
There are no oil passages that would leak to the plug. The possibility would be for the oil to be coming up from the cylinders as there is oil coming down your valves. The second possibility isthe valve cover gasket is leaking.
 
If there is no other possible source for the oil then I would suspect a poor ring seal on that cylinder, possibly indicating worn or damaged piston or cylinder wall. This can lead to blowby as well as the opposite effect where oil vapor is sucked into the cylinder on overrun. If the plug gasket has had its compression capability fully used up, then re-torquing the plug might be enough. A bit of blowby could lubricate the threads and the gasket, allowing it to further loosen. Replacing the plug and properly torquing it will probably keep the oil contained in the cylinder from that point on, although it won't do anything to address the blowby itself. However, these tough old motors being what they are, it could probably just as well run forever that way. I'd replace the plug and try my luck.
 
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Sounds like the spark plug threads are sketchy and you have a valve cover leak.
Are you crushing the crush washers on the plugs?
 
I would have to guess that the leak is at the oil tubes between the cylinder head and the cylinders. I add a tiny bit of Hi-temp Ultra Copper around them.

Eric
 
thanks guys. the bike is running fine, and i really don't want to attempt getting into the engine just yet. i am such a mechanical newbie that such endeavors take weeks instead of hours. i have a gs450 engine sitting in my barn, and i think i'm gonna start taking it apart to learn what's in there. much of the terms you fellas use is chinese to me.

chef, how would i know if i crushed the washer? i've been tightening it by hand, and then a bit more with a wrench...maybe 1/16 of a turn.
 
that's not enough... the washer on the base of the plug is designed to crush on installation... tighten it til the "feel" changes ;)
 
I cannot find the torque spec for the spark plugs but I believe that it is 12 Ft.Lbs.

Eric
 
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