Engine Air Leak?

[RJordan09]

I'm looking at a bike at the moment, its a 1980 GS850G. Everything seems to be expected, except for an apparent air leak under carb 4. The seller passed attached this photo of where the air is coming from:

unnamed.jpg

The only description I got was "f you put your hand there you can feel air puffing out" Any ideas what the issue here is??

Thanks!

[bobgroger]

Carb boots and o-rings most likely. Have a look at this and be prepared to spend $500-1000 to make it a daily rider.

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?171846-Top-10-Newbie-Mistakes

[tom203]

The "air puffing out" stuff seems odd .... Does this thing run/idle ok?

[TxGSrider]

That is odd... could it be a head gasket?

[Burque73]

That is odd... could it be a head gasket?

I thought the same thing but I would expect quite a bit of oil leaking out as well.

[RJordan09]

I was thinking it was an intake boot o-ring but it doesn't match with what he's describing. Says it's literally air puffing out of the engine cutouts below the 4th carb. I also thought maybe a head gasket but I'm told it runs and idles fine and has no fluid leaks.

[uk gs nut]

It would show up with a compression test, a low result for that cylinder ?.

[Steve]

Get a small package of baby powder, spray it in the general area while the engine is running, you should find the source quickly.

.

[JTGS850GL]

Sounds like a base gasket leak to me. Won't show up on a compression check but should show up as an oil leak. The baby powder method should detect it.

[TxGSrider]

I suppose you could use a piece of hose and put one end to your ear and the move the other end around until you find out where it was coming from. It should get you pretty close to the source of the leak.