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Oil Leak, what to do?

mrhedges

mrhedges

Forum Mentor
Past Site Supporter
I just got my GS850g running good. Valves Adjusted, Carbs synced, and Fresh Tires. Now she is leaking oil pretty bad from the left side. Bad enough that if I run her up on the Highway for longer then 30 minutes my boots and my left shin is covered in motor oil. It seems like it's coming from the cylinder head gasket. I was told if you wash the motor really well then cover it in baby powder you can find the leak. Does this work? Do I have to tear my whole engine down? How hard is this?

I bought her with 10k and put about 1.5k on her. I'd guess the gaskets are dried out from so much sitting.
 
Yes looks like it might be a top end tear down, it's actually not that difficult.

You may want to identify where the oil leak is as it could be the stator cover or cam chain tensioner and the oil is migrating in the wind, if it's one of those then just a gasket replacement or o-ring and gasket for the CCT

Pictures would help.
 
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don't panic, 8/10 times it is coming from the valve cover gasket. clean it up well and see.
 
Takes a pretty heavy leak to cover your boot and shin in oil in 30 minutes. I've had leaking valve covers before. The only time I had a leak that bad, it was the head gasket. If you think you can do it, you probably can. Plenty of knowledge here if you need help.
 
So yesterday I took her for a short ride to the store and noticed that it seems like oil was leaking out of the left exhaust bolts. I degreased it let it dry and today applied baby powder. I started it and let it warm up took some pictures then took it for a short ride around the block and took more pictures. Seems like it's seeping out of the Head Gasket in the center and also out of the bolts on the two left exhausts and in a spot between the two. It was hard getting my phone into the main leak zone which seems to be behind the frame between the two left exhausts. I posted pictures here https://imgur.com/a/TYwEz if your curious. What should I do next? The camchain also rattles at idle.
 
I would think it is time to do a top end rebuild but don't take my word for it. I'm sure someone more mechanical than I will provide you with the proper answer.
 
Ok. If anyone has any links to top end rebuilds post them up. I might try to do that myself, probably with the help of someone more skilled then me.
 
The pics are not extremely helpful, but it looks like you have a valve cover leak. No big deal.

It appears to me that the oil is leaking out the valve cover somewhere in the middle where it's hard to see, then dribbles down and forward, then gets blown absolutely everywhere by the wind.

I suspect you'll find damage to the gasket; possibly overtorqued or part of it slid out of place.

Get on fleaBay and score a new OEM gasket and get after it.
 
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