Oil from head gasket

[robmac]

One for the engine guys...

Bike(893 Blade)hadn't been started for 4 months. Replaced cam chain and tensioner, did the valve clearances and put it back together. Fired up first push of the button and sounded great. I let it warm up then shut it down. Was well chuffed :)


Next morning I go into the garage to find oil on the floor. Not too concerned but after a bit of investigation it looked like it was coming from the head gasket, so I cleaned it up and started it up again. Little puff of smoke and let it warm up and everything looked fine with no leaks. Thats until I shut it down and ever so slowly oil starts coming out of the head gasket at #3. My first thought was valve stem seals but there wasn't any tell tale blue smoke from the pipe that I noticed when it was running.

Anyone got any ideas?? Also anyone recommend a place to get my head reconditioned if this is the issue??

Cheers
Rob

[grindella]

sure its not leaking from tappet cover and dropping down to head? Seems that way, you had cover off and only leaks oil after you have run and stopped bike

[robmac]

I wish it was, would make it an easier fix. Definitely coming from the head :(

[Booster]

Dunno about the honda's but the suzi's have a drain for the sparkplug that pisses out out if you loose one of the o ring type seals in the top at the rocker cover

[80s freak]

You're onto it Booster, the o-ring slash seal around the plug hole will have dropped out or not in it's reccess properly. You can see the edge of the plug seal in the pic, they link right across the cover. This is a 1996 model so it might not be excatly the same but you get the idea.
http://www.asfphotos.com/upload/1272158127.gif

[robmac]

If that seal isn't sitting right around the plugs then the spark plug hole would be full of oil? My leak actually comes out of the head gasket....

Will be taking it to pieces this afternoon if I get off work early enough.

[80s freak]

That's gotta suck then.

[Booster]

Plug holes always have a drain somewhere, my suzi's have it near each exhaust port, kawasaki's i think were out the side
Pull the cover again, it will be obvious if its the o ring

[robmac]

Booster and Mr freak take a bow [:I]

Didn't even notice that the sparkplug drains came out there and sure enough when I pulled the plug cap from that cylinder it was covered in oil which is a pretty good indication that a seal isn't doing it's job [:p]
I pulled the rocker cover off and the first thing I noticed was that for some reason I had reused the old seal by mistake. Quick rummage around on my bench and sure enough there was a brand new one still in it's packaging [:o)] Must have been excited about getting the bike together or something [:0]

Anyway, new seal in, cleaned up the oil and fired it up. Sounded as sweet as always and when I shut it down there was no oil :D

Problem solved but I think there was a small part of me that was ever so slightly disappointed for the thought of getting a Blackbird engine with a snail popped into my head within seconds of the engine having a problem ;) haha Maybe next year [:p]

Thanks for the help boys, much appreciated.

[Booster]

Just experiance speaking, done it myself, actually mine was knocking the o ring off installing the cover .. now know to check with a flashlight even if i think it all went on ok
glad it was an easy fix ..

[Hillsy]

Yep - same thing happened to me on the ZX9. For all money I thought it was coming from the head gasket, but sure enough it was leaking from the rocker cover.

Another thing is that the bike will be pissing out coolant as well as oil if it was a leaking head gasket.

[80s freak]

Done it on an oil boiler 1100 once, made a bloody great mess. Glad to help.

[grindella]

seen it and done it before, looks like a big problem, easy fix