Mikey Posted January 8, 2006 Share Posted January 8, 2006 Ok, here is a pic of the right side of the bike. Notice the oil. No specific source but it's well above the oil filter..... Then I look on the left side. Damn..... check out the oil seaping from the second gasket down, just under the exhaust pipes. Looks like I have to seperate the engine. Does it need to come out? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Master Of Pain Posted January 8, 2006 Share Posted January 8, 2006 That's the headgasket... Warped heads or blown. Not likely to be "loose", but anything's possible. Have you noted water in your oil? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northman Posted January 8, 2006 Share Posted January 8, 2006 Step 1) Wash the fucking motor with a quality degreaser & a brush then dry off Step 2) Run the engine stationary long enough for the oil leak to show up Looks to me like the oil has sprayed everywhere, not necessarily leaking from above. Did you check the oil filter? I still put my money on 4 possibilities. The oil cooler, the oil filter, the oil drain tube O-rings, or the drain plug. I highly doubt it's a head gasket leak. There's only one pressurized oil passage going up to the cylinder head, and it isn't on the left side of the bike, so the "leak" you point out can't be oil seeping out of the head gasket. If you are still having trouble finding the leak, put some UV dye in the oil, run the engine in a dark room, and poke around with a black light. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EVLXX Posted January 8, 2006 Share Posted January 8, 2006 +1 on what Chris said. What's that... a FRAM I see in the first pic... and alot of oil around it ? You didn't accidentally have 2 rubber gaskets under that filter do you ? Seen that happen before. Another tip... is after you clean everything up, mist your motor with a little water (fine spray), then Blow a cloud of Corn startch on the block and let it dry. Then run the bike, in your garage stationary for at least 10 minutes. and inspect... Remember oil likes to travel along gasket edges.... it kind of wicks it's way along. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikey Posted January 8, 2006 Author Share Posted January 8, 2006 Okee dokey. I'll get the head degreased and do the cornstarch thingy first. If that does isolate it, Chris, where do I get UV dye? I have the light (don't ask). Thanks guys. 'preciate the help. I'll get on that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northman Posted January 8, 2006 Share Posted January 8, 2006 Send me your address, Mike. I have some at work I can send off to you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrdxx Posted January 8, 2006 Share Posted January 8, 2006 I'd be suspicious of the gunk in the vicinity of the oil cooler pipes. I think it's just a coupling that's loose or a bad o-ring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XXTi Posted January 9, 2006 Share Posted January 9, 2006 Did you check your valve cover gasket? It could be leaking there and running down on your head gasket. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveK Posted January 9, 2006 Share Posted January 9, 2006 I can't believe no one said it.... Sell it, and don't say anything. You wouldn't be the first on the board to sell a bird "perfectly clean" with MAJOR DAMAGE ! :wink: Obviously kidding...I would probably be the only one to do it and sleep just fine ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikey Posted January 9, 2006 Author Share Posted January 9, 2006 Thanks Chris, I appreciate it. I'm gonna toss the bike on a trailer and bring it to a coin wash and clean it up hopefully this week sometime. Then I'll try the starch thingy then the UV. There was no seepage around the top valve cover and it hasn't been off this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrBadExxample Posted January 9, 2006 Share Posted January 9, 2006 If you're so inclined get a leak detector kit. They cost about $50.00. The one I have is about five bottles of different kinds of phosphorous dye and a powerful black light. 1. degrease the outside of your engine 2. add about a 1/4 teaspoon of dye to the engine oil 3. run the engine for 15 - 20 minutes or so, or however long it takes to start leaking oil. 4. In complete darkness, shine the black light on the engine. The leak should show up as a bright green/orange trail back to the source. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K9XX Posted January 9, 2006 Share Posted January 9, 2006 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redxxrdr Posted January 9, 2006 Share Posted January 9, 2006 Be careful at the coin wash. If it is a pressure wash, you may have gasket problems you didn't start with. A good degreaser, a long bristle cleaning brush, and a source of warm water will be much safer, and won't risk blowing out a gasket or o-ring. Yes I know from experience. :oops: To quote my wife. " Experience is what you get....... When you don't get what you want" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomek Posted January 9, 2006 Share Posted January 9, 2006 You call THAT an oil leak?? :shock: :shock: If you were a H-D owner you would not even take a notice of that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arcticflipper Posted January 9, 2006 Share Posted January 9, 2006 http://www.cbr1100xxforums.org/forum/viewt...pic.php?t=28355 hmmmm.... edit: Is this still the same problem as in the previous post? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartonmd Posted January 9, 2006 Share Posted January 9, 2006 I don't think anybody really said it COULDN'T be anything but the oil filter... It was just said to check the easy things first, before removing the engine on the assumption it was something major... we still don't know that even... Mike Edit: Yes, it is the same problem as in the other thread... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikey Posted January 22, 2006 Author Share Posted January 22, 2006 Same problem as previous post, just this time I found it. So I picked up some dye at Canadian Tire and ran the engine. Found the leak. Oddly the UV light picked it up fine, but the camera wouldn't capture it. Anyhow here is what I found: Looks like I'll need to drop the engine, take off the head. Not as bad as I thought really. Anything I should watch for?....Chris? Almost looks like maybe a bolt is loose. But I do have to drop the engine though, no? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete in PA Posted January 23, 2006 Share Posted January 23, 2006 Hold on one second... See the hole right under the exaust tube? That is for rain water to drain off from the sparkplug hole. What if your valve cover gasket is wrinkled there and oil is draining down on top of the plug then out the hole? I would check EVERYTHING before I pull the engine, then head gasket. NO ONE that I know of has ever blown a head gasket. Also,wouldn't you be in the water jacket there instead of where the oil is draining back down? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbrxxquad Posted January 23, 2006 Share Posted January 23, 2006 looks like valvecover gasket ,no need to pull motor,,had the valves checked lately???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikey Posted January 23, 2006 Author Share Posted January 23, 2006 Not lately. I'll go your route fer sure.... I'll let ya know what happens. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northman Posted January 23, 2006 Share Posted January 23, 2006 +1 on the valve cover gasket, and definitely easier than removing the head! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikey Posted January 23, 2006 Author Share Posted January 23, 2006 So I should be able to remove the tank and the air box, then look down the holes with the UV light to see if oil is in there right? Or would it be smarter for me to fire some compressed air up that hole (sounds like I'm talking dirty) to then mark the area (will have UV dye if leaking through there). Hmm, decisions, decisions. I was just happy it wasn't the lower gasket. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northman Posted January 23, 2006 Share Posted January 23, 2006 That spark plug will be covered in oil. Just take it apart like you're putting plugs in it (tank, airbox & plug wires), and you'll see your problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikey Posted April 24, 2007 Author Share Posted April 24, 2007 So I was reminded that I hadn't posted the answer to what the problem was (thanks Matt). Ok, so I put in the dye and it was leaking around the spark plug. Looked like the shop that checked the valves last year had crushed the valve cover gasket. So I bought a new one, installed it, crushed it, and then bought another and installed that. Originally I tried replacing it through the front and not having to remove the airbox and everything. Turns out that was terribly difficult so I ended up doing it per manual (disassemble the toys at the top) :] I have a slight drip now, one drip every once in a while, but I can't be bothered to track that down right now. I will, but not now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbrxxquad Posted April 24, 2007 Share Posted April 24, 2007 Would have taken half the time to do it right. har har Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.