Cam end rubber plug deal question

[Anonymous]

Ok, I have a little story to tell and a question for ya'll. I was working on my 550T removing the carbs for a much needed cleaning. I got them removed and was about to quit working before it got dark. I bought the bike about two months ago. When I bought it had a little oil leak coming from one of the cam end covers. So I decided I was going to check out what the problem was before I called it a night. I take the cover off and what do I find, A PAPER TOWEL. Yes, there was a paper towel balled up under the cover to soak up oil. ALong with that there was about a 1/4 inch of dry gunk. So I scraped that off. There is a little bit of a gap around it that is making it leak.

Now for my question how would I go about fixing this problem? How much do those rubber plugs cost?

Oh, I checked all the other plugs and they are fine.

Any help would be appreciated
Thanks

Moonshine550t

P.S.

Could anybody tell me what the stock main jet size on the carbs for this model is?

 

[Billy Ricks]

I'm not sure how your bike is set up, but if the seal is supposed to be compressed between the valve cover and the head a little silicon gasket sealer should take care of the problem. Just let it skin over pretty good before assembly.

 

[Anonymous]

i just picked up those plugs myself for my 850L and they were only $4 a piece nothing real serius

 

[Alan Schlosser]

I had the same thing! I bought the bike and during my first ride, I noticed a slight oil leak out of a couple of the cam end covers. When I got home and it cooled, I took them all off. Little pieces of rag behind each cover.
Because the cam cover didn't leak I didn't want to take it off to change the end plugs. I waited till it cooled and cleaned each end plug and the surrounding area with brake cleaner and a toothbrush. (Plenty of rags to catch the run off) Once dry, I sealed around the plug with a generous bead of Permatex Blue RTV. I let them set up for about 24 hours, put the covers back on and Viola! No leaks.

 

[Hap Call]

I take teflon tape (the kind you use on water pipe fittings) and make three or four good wraps around the plug then install the plug in backwards...this prevents any chance of the plug from blowing out.

Hap

 

[mcconnell]

Hap has the right idea. I had one of the plugs blow out on a trip. Fortunately, I took the wrong interstate ramp and had to turn around. While waiting for a light to get back on the interstate heading the other way, I noticed a LOT of oil on the ground. Then I noticed it on my leg. Then I noticed it coming from my poor GS. I popped of the chrome cover and there lay the cam plug. I put it back in, stuffed some newspaper behind the chrome cover, and gently rode to a gas station to add 2-1/2 quarts of oil. Yes, I sail under a lucky star.

 

[Anonymous]

Over time these thinks will shrink and harden. Why not just buy four new ones, smear them with a little Yamabond or Suzuki gasket sealer and install them just like the engineering gods at Suzuki intended?
Axel

 

[saaz]

If you are going to take the cam cover off, go for hap's idea. otherwise the pernatex/silicone idea will stop the leak for a while until you next do the valves.