• Required reading for all forum users!!!

    Welcome!
    Register to access the full functionality of the GSResources forum. Until you register and activate your account you will not have full forum access, nor will you be able to post or reply to messages.

    A note to new registrants...
    All new forum registrations must be activated via email before you have full access to the forum.

    A Special Note about Email accounts!
    DO NOT SIGN UP USING hotmail, outlook, gmx, sbcglobal, att, bellsouth or email.com. They delete our forum signup emails.

    A note to old forum members...
    I receive numerous requests from people who can no longer log in because their accounts were deleted. As mentioned in the forum FAQ, user accounts are deleted if you haven't logged in for the past 6 months. If you can't log in, then create a new forum account. If you don't get an error message, then check your email account for an activation message. If you get a message stating that the email address is already in use, then your account still exists so follow the instructions in the forum FAQ for resetting your password.

    Have you forgotten your password or have a new email address? Then read the forum FAQ for details on how to reset it.

    Any email requests for "can't log in anymore" problems or "lost my password" problems will be deleted. Read the forum FAQ and follow the instructions there - that's what we have one for...

  • Returning Visitors

    If you are a returning visitor who never received your confirmation email, then odds are your email provider is blockinig emails from our server. The only thing that can be done to get around this is you will have to try creating another forum account using an email address from another domain.

    If you are a returning visitor to the forum and can't log in using your old forum name and password but used to be able to then chances are your account is deleted. Purges of the databases are done regularly. You will have to create a new forum account and you should be all set.

Oil from cam ends

  • Thread starter Thread starter MAJikMARCer
  • Start date Start date
M

MAJikMARCer

Guest
Sorry if the title is 'off', i'm still learning all the parts.

The bike came without the nice chrome cam end-covers. so it has helped me see this problem. My guess is that the half-circle plugs are worn or something along those lines. The gasket itself seems OK.

You can see the oil pooling in the seam there.

Thoughts?

IMAG0571.jpg

IMAG0572.jpg
 
You were planning on adjusting the valves and replacing those anyway, right?
Yes, it is clearly leaking.
Don't forget to apply a thin film of sealant on the new ones and at the top two points where they fit flat against the cylinder head.
Ultra Black Permatex is recommended by me.

Eric
 
Eric is correct, and I would also like to add that you should replace the valve cover gasket with an OEM gasket. It appears that the PO used some sort of sealant on it. Those gaskets were designed to be installed dry. Be prepared to remove all that sealant when you do it.
 
As KK said. And be extremely careful getting all of those bits of old gasket off.
Try like heck not to get them into the engine.
Some people place paper towels or rags in and around the cams.
Shop Vac might also work in getting the bits out too.
Also the best time to change the oil and filter. ;)

Eric
 
carefully remove the sealant and dont dig gouges into the machined head surface or the cover surface. Also stuff a rag in the center tunnel the cam chain goes thru to stop any pieces from falling down into the engine. Anything that falls on top of the cams or buckets can be sucked off with a shop vac when your done removing the gasket stuff. Or blown out with an air hose.
 
OK so valve cover gasket and new plugs at the minimum, making adjustments to the valves if needed (probably). Any thing else I should do/look at while in there? I'm assuming this will all have to be done with the engine out, yes?
 
Take off the breather cover..smaller one on top of the valve cover. Take off the valve cover. It will be tight but it will slide out. Rag in the cam chain tunnel. Remove as much gasket by hand and use a utiity knife blade to go around and remove the stuck on places. Do the valve adjustments. Clean all the mating surfaces with a rag and some rubbing alcohol or whatever oil cutting wipe you wish. Do the sealer in the half moon areas as stated earlier. New gasket and wiggle the valve cover back in. then do the breather cover. Pretty straight forward process.
 
NO, the engine does not need to be removed to remove the valve cover...

Remove the tank, unplug the spark plug wires, might have to remove the horn(s) too, but the cover will come off with, usually slides off to the left side easier, after raising it up to clear the cam chain.

Z1 sells aftermarket cam end plugs that work nicely, but as other have said, use a light coating of sealant on the radius to seal them into that half-moon cut-out.

http://www.z1enterprises.com/Cam-End-Plugs--Black-4-GS1100-GSX1100-GS850-GSX400-2086.aspx

After you scrape off the old valve cover gasket, use an OEM one, but appy a thin layer of light grease on the aluminum head surface, and on the valve cover side too - this will facilitate a clean & easy removal of the valve cover in the future. If you are careful, you can re-use the valve cover gasket several times without leaks.

Good luck,

Mike
 
Most of the time those rubber half moon pieces can be reused after cleaning them. The sealer should only be used on the curved portion of the half moon, you shouldn't need any on the flat portion that contacts the gasket. If the half moon sits down below a level surface where the gasket contacts, then the half moons should be replaced.
 
And I turn the lip around so it is toward the cams..kinda help it from squishing out when ya tighten everything down..look up the bolt torque specs as well.
 
Great info guys thanks!

Ok so about the shims. A shim kit is almost $600. Do I just measure and figure out which ones I need and order only those? Is that the best solution or is there another solution? Maybe the local dealer would have them in stock?

I'd like to make this a weekend (maybe a rainy one) job, not a multi-week one due to ordering parts.
 
You measure each one and see if its within specs..if not you look to see what size it is. A dial caliper that reads in MM will be very helpful because you cant always read the factory number thats printed on them. You can move the shims around from valve to valve till you have as many as you can within specs..then you just get the 2 or 3 you need for completing the adjustments.
 
OK another noob question (sorry).

The parts list for my bike has two cylindar head cover/valve cover choices.
greenshot_2012_04_09_08_02_59.jpg

I looked on the bike to see if there was a number that I could see, but either it wasn't there or I didn't know where to look.

Oh and every time I look at my bike I find some other new thing that I need to take care of. One of the exhaust pipe bolts is missing. Thankfully the other is still attached and the pipe isn't loose but sheesh. The joys of buying a 30 year old bike eh?
 
MAJikMARCer said:
Great info guys thanks!

Ok so about the shims. A shim kit is almost $600. Do I just measure and figure out which ones I need and order only those? Is that the best solution or is there another solution? Maybe the local dealer would have them in stock?

I'd like to make this a weekend (maybe a rainy one) job, not a multi-week one due to ordering parts.
Click to expand...
Yes, there is a Shim Club here on GSR. IDK any more about it b/c my bike does not use shims, but I am certain it does not cost $600 to join.
 
MAJikMARCer said:
Ok so about the shims. A shim kit is almost $600. Do I just measure and figure out which ones I need and order only those? Is that the best solution or is there another solution? Maybe the local dealer would have them in stock?

I'd like to make this a weekend (maybe a rainy one) job, not a multi-week one due to ordering parts.
Click to expand...
You do NOT need a shim kit. Remove the valve cover, measure your clearances. You will have to inspect (and record) your shim sizes, then determine what you will need. You can order new shims from Z1 Enterprises and slowly build up your own supply or join the Shim Club here on GSR to exchange your shims. Good luck on having your local dealer having anything in stock for your bike.

Not too much problem making it a multi-weekend event, if the bike is already running. If your valve cover gasket is not damaged in the process of removing the cover, you can do all your measuring, then put the cover back on and continue riding while waiting for parts to come in.


MAJikMARCer said:
The parts list for my bike has two cylindar head cover/valve cover choices.
greenshot_2012_04_09_08_02_59.jpg

I looked on the bike to see if there was a number that I could see, but either it wasn't there or I didn't know where to look.
Click to expand...
Most of the time, they also give the years for those two choices. They added an extra bolt or two to the valve cover mid-'82, so the choices are usually for '81 and for '82-'83. Your bike is an '81, so make sure the gasket has holes for only 16 bolts.

.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top