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Whack-a-mole oil leaking

  • Thread starter Thread starter ShirleySerious
  • Start date Start date
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ShirleySerious

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Why use the whack-a-mole analogy? My '78 GS550E has been leaking oil at least 3 times since June. I had a leak in the camshaft cover gasket, so I replaced it. Then my tach cable sprung a leak. That one went away after 4 new parts. To see if my engine was leaking again, I sprayed Gunk Engine cleaner to clean off all the oil.

After riding for a couple days, I began to smell oil again. This time, it seems to be coming from a peculiar spot. I will try to explain it, but I will take a picture if that doesn't work.

If you're looking at the front of the engine, the fins that cool the engine form shelves above the exhaust flanges. Right above the exhaust flange for cylinder #3, below and to the left of the tach cable, is where the oil is coming from. To my knowledge, there is no gasket or opening I can discern. This is only happening on the right side of the engine (looking forward).
 
The problem area is circled in red.
oilleak-001.jpg

oilleak002.jpg


Now that I looked at it a little closer, I took of both of the end caps on the right side and it looks like they might be leaking a little bit. I put some Seal-All on there to hopefully alleviate that. I just changed the gasket, there's no reason why they should be leaking, right? A second opinion would still be helpful, though.
 
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a not so wild guess

a not so wild guess

On top of the cam cover there's a breather to let out air/fume pressure from the inside of the engine. Maybe yours is clogged, allowing fumes etc to pile up in there and force their way out somewhere, taking oil with them. Worth a look to see if that breather gasket is hooped, and if the hose connection to the airbox is still good.
 
rkubik said:
On top of the cam cover there's a breather to let out air/fume pressure from the inside of the engine. Maybe yours is clogged, allowing fumes etc to pile up in there and force their way out somewhere, taking oil with them. Worth a look to see if that breather gasket is hooped, and if the hose connection to the airbox is still good.
Click to expand...

I will take a look when I get the time, but I don't have a hose running to my airbox, since I'm running pods. If this was the case, wouldn't the mess be on the back of the engine on both sides, instead of the front on the right only?

I ordered the half moon plugs just in case, as I didn't replace those when I changed the gasket.
 
I think it is still leaking from cam cover gasket. The area in question is actually a hole that goes through to the middle section of valve cover, near the sparkplugs. I think it is possible that the gasket is leaking (seeping) on the inside where it is difficult to see.

I also think your half moons are seeping slightly from the looks of the photo. It may just be migrating from there.
 
clean it up good, let it dry then spray foot powder (the white stuff) all over your engine. then go for a ride. the powder will show you where the oil is coming from. when i mean clean it up good, get in there with a tooth brush and kerosene and get rid of all that crude so it doesn't give false readings.
 
Cam caps are leaking. Do you use the center stand or the SIDE stand to rest your bike on when not riding? Fluid runs down hill.....:?
 
How many miles are on the bike? How many times has it been ridden in stop and go traffic on really hot days???
I ask these questions for a reason: Mine got too hot several times in weather over 90 deg. F, and the o-ring seals on the head gasket and cam chain valley fried. It started leakiing huge amounts of oil 2 weeks ago, so I ordered gaskets, presently have the head off waiting on the set. All the stud o-rings on the head gasket were crispy, the chain o-ring was still slightly pliable. If nothing else stops the oil leak, look at these possibilties.
I've got close to 58k on my bike now, and a lot of hard miles in the last three years.
 
I have about 13,000 miles and I have had to ride in hot weather traffic a few times this summer. The half moon plugs I can understand, but why would the cam cover gasket give out after replacing it a couple months ago? Do they make them that cheaply? When my new half moon plugs come in, should I use sealant or no?
 
If the cam cover isn't tightened down properly (x style, center out, alternating bolts), it can be somewhat warped. Check the trueness of both surfaces, if they're just a little off, either the Hi-temp silicone or the non-hardening Permatex will take up the slack.
The other areas where mine leaked, happened because of the high temps, but it doesn't take a lot to cause the cover gasket to leak.:-D
 
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