What else is wrong in the XJ550 factory manual?

I replaced a head gasket. Took it for a ride, and after 20 miles noticed my leg and boot had oil on them. I may have a rubber o-ring where it's not supposed to be. I followed the directions on page 3-31. My manual p/n is lit11616xj-50.

Thanks for any help.

 

Or NOT have new copper sealing washers on the (2) bolts where they're critical?

Where is all this oil coming from?

 

I didn't use new copper washers.

The oil is coming from the right front.

 

Bingo.

As in, right SIDE, from the head/cylinder join, or at the head bolts?

The two head bolts on the RH side, adjacent to the spark plug hole, get copper sealing washers. At the head/cylinder join, their locating dowels get o-rings in the grooves around them.

That's because the oversized bores those two bolts go through are the oil feed galleries to the head/cams. Pressurized oil is fed through there, (the front one feeds the exhaust cam, etc.)

If you didn't replace the o-rings at the head gasket join, left out the dowel pins, or didn't replace the copper sealing washers on the top side (under those two crown nuts I mentioned) guess what? It's gonna leak. Hot, pressurized oil is persistent. (Trust me, I still ride a British bike.)

What is the error in the factory book? (These things are covered.)

 

3-31 shows 3 rubber o-rings on the oil feeds. There should only be 2. It's leaking from the head gasket. The copper washers still seal. It's that 3rd o-ring that's causing the problem.

 

Urk. It sure does. And that third hole only gets a dowel pin IIRC.

I think I know why: the book is actually based on the original XJ400 (there are a couple of photos that give it away) and THAT motor may well have had an o-ring there.

Good catch. Sorry you had to spot it the hard way.