Dripping coolant 1985 Yamaha xj 750 maxim x

Ok I got my bike running and it'll drip coolant from time to time then stop. I folowed it back and found where its coming from. If you go to the top of the cylinder on the left hand side(#1 cylinder ) and remove the two chrome screws that hold on a fin. Looks like a trim piece so you don't see the nuts holding the cylinder on to the base. Anyways it has a small hole in the center that's supposed to be there but mine has coolant trickle out and then stop. I looked on another old head and it looks like it goes in around the valve area to me. What would be causing this issue? I know it'll sputter and cut out on the number one cylinder before it trickles out. I'm really hoping that it'll be a easy fix but thinking that it's not good. Any info is appreciated. Thanks. I can send pics of necessary

 

I would guess that if you re-torque the head that might stop? Up that high I would guess that your head gasket is leaking. When I rebuilt the top end of mine I know my head was leaking, but mine was going into the cylinder.

 

That little hole is just a drain for the spark plug well. So somehow you have coolant getting into the spark plug well.

 

Ok I got my bike running and it'll drip coolant from time to time then stop. I folowed it back and found where its coming from. If you go to the top of the cylinder on the left hand side(#1 cylinder ) and remove the two chrome screws that hold on a fin. Looks like a trim piece so you don't see the nuts holding the cylinder on to the base. Anyways it has a small hole in the center that's supposed to be there but mine has coolant trickle out and then stop. I looked on another old head and it looks like it goes in around the valve area to me. What would be causing this issue? I know it'll sputter and cut out on the number one cylinder before it trickles out. I'm really hoping that it'll be a easy fix but thinking that it's not good. Any info is appreciated. Thanks. I can send pics of necessary

 

Ok thank you for the help. I did notice that the thermostat housing is dripping pretty bad. Not sure why it's leaking. I checked it and it's tight. Must be a rubber oring in between the two halves. Any tips how to fix it from leaking. Can you use silicon or will the temperature of the Preston cause it to break down.Thanks for the help

 

Just wondering if you got your problem fixed yet. I haven't been on the site much lately.
Yes, there is an o-ring between the two halves of the thermostat housing. If it's leaking from there, I wouldn't use silicone - just replace the o-ring, they are cheap. But it's also possible that the leak is coming from one of the 4 hoses that connect to the thermostat housing. There's a good chance that they are original, 33 years old. Have a good look for cracking, especially where the clamps squeeze the hose.

 

Actually, it's not an o-ring, it's a special "split" gasket that sandwiches itself around both sides (top and bottom) of the thermostat outer flange. Tricky little thing, especially designed for this housing:

HCP21444 Aftermarket cooling system thermostat RING GASKET, fits snuggly around the outside perimeter of the thermostat and seals against water flow past the thermostat, as well as preventing external water leaks. For all XJ700-X and XJ750-X models.
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