dirty engine... an investigation?

I have some Purple Power engine cleaner/degreaser. Have been wanting to clean up the engine so I could check for any leaks, because it's pretty dirty.

Anyone know if that is safe on the engine? It says it's fine for engine used at full concentration, but to check on an out of sight place for materials like aluminum. Also, how to apply? It says to put it on and let it sit for 3-5 minutes, then rinse off with water. But do I squirt it on? (it doesn't come with a squirt head). Do I rub it with a rag and then leave alone?

However, while it looks like I have a small leak on the head gasket, following the trail leads to me to wonder if it's actually coming out of the cam chain adjustment hole between the exhaust pipes, above the fuel filter. There's old dried oil all over the front of the engine caked on. I tried scrubbing it off there, and couldn't get the base layer, even with the degreaser, using a rag. (Guess it has to sit?).

Also, it looks like under the bottom of the bike, it's just all black, seemingly coated in old oil. Is that normal? The fuel filter, too, had just tons of old caked on oil on the outside. Just doesn't make sense. I don't ever see an oil leak off the bike, don't see wet oil, and don't see oil under the bike anywhere I park it...

Which leads me back to thinking I need to just clean it all off and see what develops. Seems ridiculously difficult to clean, though.

 

I had a similar issue.
Everything coated with old oil. No leaks in sight.
I sprayed the engine down with simple green.
And got to work using one of those common brass bristle brushes with a wooden handle.
The brush works pretty well on the old caked/baked on oil.
And didn't seem to damage the paint.
Before that, I tried an old tooth brush. That did not work at all.
In any case, I have a new valve cover gasket I'm ready to install.
With so much old oil. Who knows where the leak is coming from.

 

I just ordered a new valve cover gasket as well, figure it might help when doing the valve adjustment.

Let me know if you figure anything out I guess.

 

You've got a couple of misconceptions in regard to what's where on your motor.

The cam chain adjuster is on the BACK of the motor, attached to the rear of the cylinder bank.

The OIL filter is on the front of the motor between the pipes.

Since you have a YICS motor, you need the rubber/metal composite "donuts" that go on the valve cover hold-down bolts. Those donuts are what actually push the cover down against the gasket/head, because the bolts have stop collars that limit how far they can be tightened. Once they get compressed and baked, they don't work very well any more. If you don't replace the donuts, your new gasket will leak too.

To clean the motor, get a can of Citris-based "engine cleaner" at the auto parts. Make sure it's the kind that says to use it on COOL motors. Spray it on, let it soak. Spray some more on, and work it in with a stiff parts-cleaning brush. Then flush thoroughly with low-pressure water (garden hose, no pressure washing.) Once it's good and clean, spray all the nooks and crannies with WD40 to remove any traces of trapped water, and wipe with a clean rag. (WD=Water Displacement, what it was designed for. DO NOT use as a lubricant especially on cables.)

You can go back and use a "soft" solvent such as mineral spirits to break up any reluctant build-up; then wash it off with soapy water.

 

Great tips Mr. Fitz. I'm glad somebody finally mentioned WD 40 is for water displacement. Many people believe its just another lubricant, & doesnt work very well for lubing cables, ect.
Also the tip about avoiding high pressure water on engines. A person can create lots of problems for himself at the car wash cleaning his motor. Thanks for bringing this up. I'm sure a few people will benefit from these tips.

 

I had the same issue, i bought some purple power for it, and it said not to leave it on aluminum for a extended amount of time. I wound up using simple green and one of those tear drop shaped brushes you might use on a floor or bathtub. Took a while but all the crap came off. Lots of spraying and scrubbing..

 

Someone told me they left a part in simple green over night and it removed paint. So make sure you rinse it off no matter what you use.

A spray bottle comes in very handy.

 

I think I used GUNK original engine degreaser.

Sprayed it on when the engine was COOL, scrubbed with a brass brush, rayed on some more, let it soak 20 mins, and then splashed buckets of water on it to rinse it off.

On the front of the engine by around the oil filter and begind the Exaust headers, I used some CRC brakleen, an it worked wonders, I just rinsed it off right after.

 

Thanks for these posts. I was wondering today what to use to clean the engine. This is helpful info!

 

*sigh*.

Yeah, I meant to say oil cover, (there, typed the wrong thing first again--just got in mind that I need to buy an inline fuel filter soon I guess...). I've replaced it myself. Cam chain adjuster I know nothing about except what I've read, and I don't know that very well--what, then, is that hole in the front of the engine that I am describing? Has "653cm^2" inscribed right above it (oil filter amount, I guess, as 2500+653 is slightly more than 3 liters, the amount of oil it takes with an oil filter change). But what is that hole?


Shot at 2012-04-05

my oil filter cover *after* cleaning most of it off (yes, most!) with a toothbrush:

Shot at 2012-04-05

again, lower view:
Shot at 2012-04-05

What's up with all that oil?

And yeah, I was hoping I wouldn't need donuts--only one is clearly leaking, and I switched it out with another (it was front left corner, which sees more 'action' than the rear right corner one I replaced it with) for the time being. I just spent $200 on stuff, all these $25 purchases add up...

Would it be a really mild oil leak with no real side effects, and just requiring me to keep an eye on the oil level? If they're fine now, will they get worse by being taken off like gaskets?

 

Try easy off oven cleaner, you be surprised...

 

-The hole is an unused "spigot" on the casting.

-The 653CM2 is the displacement of your motor, 653CC's.

-The 2500CM2 on the clutch cover IS the oil capacity, 2500CC's, you don't ADD the displacement to it. You can add another 200CC or so on the oil change to keep the level up. 2 1/2 liters; buy 3 quarts you won't use it all. And be sure it's motorcycle-specific conventional oil. No car oil.

-The cam chain adjuster is on the BACK of the motor.

-Your oil filter housing/bolt appears to be buggered/repaired in some manner. That appears to be one source of the oil.

-You missed my point on the "donuts" they are necessary for the COVER GASKET to seal properly. If one of the donuts itself is leaking, they definitely need replacing.

ANY TIME you disturb an original gasket, it will need to be replaced. Budget for it, this is a 30-year old bike.

Hmmm... at $200, you've got between $400 and $600 to go (in parts) and this puppy will be safe and roadworthy.

Ya gotta do the brakes too; if you don't the bike will make you anyway.

 

What's wrong with my oil filter cover?

Noticed yesterday that the front brakes were replaced. In chalk there is written "85 YAM XJ 650" (If memory serves right). So I guess someone already 'redid' the brakes for me. I've got new shoes and pads on my, already purchased, installing soon, as far as disposable parts. Got a new left hand control pod; would love to have one of chacal's new ones, but $150 is a bit steep for my budget. Found a fair condition used one off ebay for $40 after shipping, that arrived a couple days ago, will be doing that soon.

Also, pulled off my spark plug cables to check something, and one of the heads came off the cable, fell in my hand. Put it back together the way it was, and it rode fine for another 400 miles, still fine and no indication of any problems, but... I'm going to want new spark plug cables. Do those need to be specific for this bike, or do I get general motorcycle spark plug cables?

As far as oil... It's odd. I poured 2 & 2/3rds bottles and it looked like it could use the rest of it just fine. Poured the rest of the last bottle. It shows plenty of bubble--when I leave it sitting for a while, center stand, it shows just about halfway on the sight glass. Guess there was a lot in the oil filter?

(.953 liter x 3 = 2.859 L, which is just over 2.5 +.2)

Only had 20w50 at my local advance auto parts, so I used that, but I'm about to change the oil again a bit soon (1,500 miles or so, a kind of compromise), and want to use 20w40 this time. Changed out the final drive oil recently too, got the 80w90, rode it 15 miles on the highway, let it drain for 6 hours or so, cleaned off the drain screw, filled the new oil to the brim as per Haynes.

653 makes sense. Should have recognized that.

Kind of weird to have an unused spigot, no? What do you think is behind that?

Thanks for all the useful information fitz. I think my $200 should could for at least $300, I'm hunting around for the best prices on stuff I can find--if I bought everything at cover price, I would have spent probably closer to $400 by now.

 

yup,,,,, easy off works wonders