Covered the bases & still leaks oil!

[Anonymous]

Just changed out the cam cover on the wifes 850G and I can't for the life of me why its' still leaking oil?
I checked & cleaned all the sealing surfaces with new Gasket & rubber "plugs" It is virtually pouring out as if It is pooled perhaps an inch worth where the cams reside while on the sidestand....left side????????
Just can't figure out why so much? so fast.
Any ideas out there.....some drain holes somehow plugged? holes not "punched out " on a headgasket?.....what am I overlooking?
Rick.......

[gremlin]

recheck

clean motor put baby powder on the area and warm up moto then it will show you ware the leak is.

also if your oil needs changing it will be thiner and leak out faster.

[Redman]

Oh, man, thats frustrating. Can you be more specific as to where the oil is leaking from?
Airbox? Tach Drive? CamChain Tensioner? Cam cover Plugs?
Or are you saying its from the cam cover gasket? You say when on side stand? Only when running or after you shut it off and put on side stand?

[daveo]

did you RTV the cam end, rubber, 'half-moon' plugs into place?

[Anonymous]

I don't like RTV on cam end half-moons, I wrap the rubber plugs with a wrap or two of teflon tape. Works great !
I also had a nagging leak from cam cover after solving base gasket and head gasket, the project is leak free for the first time.

[Anonymous]

Oil Oil everywhere!

Oh, man, thats frustrating. Can you be more specific as to where the oil is leaking from?
Airbox? Tach Drive? CamChain Tensioner? Cam cover Plugs?
Or are you saying its from the cam cover gasket? You say when on side stand? Only when running or after you shut it off and put on side stand?

Redman:
Yeah...heres' the scenario....changed gasket while on sidestand, while charging battery, tried to start er up some dozen times (Different story) parked it, came back some hours later & noticed a pool of oil.
It seems to start at the front bolt two inches from the "end" sweeps around the plug & almost to the other bolt on the back side.
It is the sheer quantity that baffles me, how it could run ....Maybe half a cups worth all down the finning, case & finally to the ground & pool a smear some 24 inches long & 5 inches in width tapering down....really ugly!
Rick.......

[Redman]

Mostly I was just asking to clarify. . . . dont really have complete answer for you.

So you are definitly saying it is leaking from cam cover gasket . . . just while sitting . . . after trying to start it . . . and it not having run, YIKES.
I have had the rubber plugs leak after replaing them and cam cover gasket, the plugs need a good application of sealer or tape, but thats not the type of leak you seem to be describing.

Yah, sounds like a bad leak, like the cam cover isnt really seated in the right place. Maybe by now you have taken it back off. How about those locator roll pins, those all the way in, I would think that tourqing bolts would push them into place if they were not, but I am not an expereinced mechanic. Or maybe gasket just wasn't in right place. Maybe others here have comments.

When I replaced my cam end plugs, I had to scrape out stuff from the mating half moon surface (burnt rubber? hard gasket sealer?) in the head that at first just looked like the head surface was discolored, but after a while I realized it was stuff stuck there and had to be removed so that the plugs would sitt down all the way in. Could that be same on yours and plugs arent sitting all the way in and holding up cam cover? Would think that tourquing cam cover bolts would just compress the rubber of the plug, but just quessing here. Maybe others here have comments.

Minor factor is that on the side stand it is leant over to side and oil then pools on that side, which is not a problem.
That area really isnt under oil pressure (which is why its a really bad leak to leak with no pressure) so that will not really effect how the engine runs, but ofcourse you dont want to run it like that and have all the oil on outside of engine in a short time.

Let us know how you are progressing, maybe I'll shut up and let more experinced machanics respond.

[focus frenzy]

are you sure you got the bolts in the right holes? some are longer.
also take the cover off and make sure it is not warped.

[Anonymous]

Oil..... yuk.....

Dowels?...Dowels?...No locating dowels to be seen. After hearing everybodys input, I'll pull it again, check the straightness of the cover with a straightedge(expensive tool but I have access to one). Clean off the surfaces best possible, wrap the cam plugs with teflon tape, check each bolt to see if it is not bottoming out prematurely (which is what I think is happening) & torque it up to spec......
Ill' let you all know how it turns out....................Rick.....

[Clone]

Be careful, some teflon tape products melt in petroleum based oils and at high heat. I would use a good RTV sealant. But if you prefer the tape and find a suitable one, use it. If you tightened down the cover without having it set on the dowels or dogs, you could have warped it or cracked the aluminum. Check it for straightness, and turn it over and fill it with solvent to see if it sweats as well.