Yeah, I think I got myself a winter project...

Tried to start the bike this morning, and saw a big leak that wasn't there before. I usually let the bike run for a few minutes every week, and I guess the engine was too hot.

So, I have a very nice leak around the middle of the engine, just below the exhaust ports on the front of the engine. I replaced the cam gasket last year and it still looks amazing, but I guess the oil found a way out along the old middle gasket.

Can I replace the gasket without taking the engine out? The head gasket was easy and I know for sure no oil will come out that way in 10 years.

Any band-aid for the leak worth mentioning? Any gasket sealer / maker?

Should I try re-torquening the engine bolts to maybe close the gap for the oil to get out (squeeze the gasket)? Afraid to break them and then be really f*&^$d...

Thank you guys!

 

retorqueing the head bolts is a good idea. The area you describe would be in the head gasket area. I would not however disregard the valve cover gasket. Mine leaked and I was certain it was the head gasket. I pulled the valve cover and found a cut in it. I repaired the cut and the leak stopped. The oil actually dripped down onto the top of the head. Here it ran along the head and through the drain channels that are cut into the head to drain rain. Once the drips got to the edge of the engine at the front the wind or slipstream sucked them right off the edge and redeposited them further down on the engine. I didn't believe it at first but when it all stopped after fixing only the valve cover gasket I had to believe it.

 

When I replaced the valve cover gasket I was extremely careful, I even put gasket maker on top of it. The valve cover gasket was new and I am 90% sure that is not the problem. The oil doesn't seem to come out of the valve cover at all. I will double check, though, maybe pics?

I believe that the new valve cover gasket pushed the oil to come out somewhere else and it found the weakest link in the head gasket.

Do I need to take the engine out of the bike to do that? The valve cover gasket was a piece of cake.

I believe that if I go that deep I should replace cylinder rings and such...right? I bought a complete gasket set from which I have only used the valve cover so far, so I believe I have everything I need to rebuild the gaskets of the engine.

I guess I will try retorquening, but I am scared ;-)

 

Doesn't work that way. No pressure on the valve cover.

Oil is pumped up through the head to the camshaft bearings. It leaks out the bearings and pools on top of the head - lubricating the cam lobes and the valves. There drain holes in the head the oil leaks back down through to get to the crankcase.

Due to the cold weather your oil is lots thicker and drains out of the head slower - making the depth of oil up there deeper. Most likely you have a problem with the valve cover gasket and the deeper oil is showing it off for you.

Also possible the drain holes are partially obstructed exacerbating the problem.

 

So, looked around a bit...No oil coming out of the valve gasket. Oil is coming out of the gasket just under the exhaust. How hard is that one to replace?

It won't start now, battery is ok, gas is ok. Is cold as heck outside and my garage is not warm either.

 

Mine starts kinda hard in the cold too.

I would agree with the previous posts that the oil is under no pressure and might be deeper.....
It could be a head gasket!?? Who knows.
Maybe pictures.....
This is one of those things that I'd clean it with degreaser (spottlessly clean) Then try to run it and see where it comes out of.

Good Luck

 

So, trying to move around the coils...one came off

I guess I need new coils and cables before trying anything else...No fire even after spraying starter fluid into airbox.

chacal!!

 

You don't have to remove the engine to remove the head and replace the head gasket. If you do remove the head make certain you or a machinist check the head to see if it is warped. This happened to mine and I had to pull it again to shave it .005 inches.

 

Definitely it is not the valve cover gasket, but it could be the exhaust...

It is 35 degrees out and bike doesn't want to start. It fires once or twice in one cylinder and then dies. The block is cold as ice and I am using rotella 15-40. Will the type of oil make it impossible to start ?

 

Soo, tries to fire when I take my finger out of the starter. Battery is full so I suspect my coils are weak. Will measure them.

 

.005" seems like a lot. Whats the limit? Did it change the way it runs?

I have a head gasket leak now, and am curious about doing this.