is anyone near me that can help with a fix??

[redbone]

i have an oil leak which i think is the head gasket. while i don't have a prob with the small stuff like brakes and things, i believe this mite be a little above my abilities. i am not looking for free labor, i will bring the beer and all. i have the tools just not the knowledge.
my issues are (1) i live in an apartment and have no garage[ the bike is parked out front covered in plastic]. (2) i have no help.
the prob has gotten worse the past couple weeks where after a long hot day of ridin the oil is leaking down both sides of engine.

1980 1100 mns

PM or post if interested.
thnx to all in advance
redbone

[trbig]

You aren't going to get an oil leak from the head gasket. What you probably have is simply a leaky valve cover. Try tightening up all those allen bolts first. Then wash the engine well, start it up, and watch to see where exactly it's coming from.

Sorry if I just messed up someone's plans for free beer..

Tod

[hamjam]

the other 'nasty ' is the cam chain adjuster it sometimes looses the 'plug' on the front and the oil migrates along the fins so that it looks like its from the head

[newc4]

You weren't up on Skyline Dr last weekend were you? While riding with the triples group I saw a Yamaha off to the side near Thorofare Mtn overlook. At our gas stop down by 340 one of the other riders said it was a 1100 MNS.

I'd wash it down then try to figure out where your leak is. The valve cover gasket or the side rubbers? are usually the culprit.

Anyway, I'm down in Vienna VA. Lemme know if I can help. I've never done major engine work though a ring job is in the future.

With coaching youth football, scheduling may be tough, I've a busy fall.

Darrell

[redbone]

sharp eye

new c4, what a coincidence, yes that was me. i only went up [or down i guess] skyline for about 15 miles then turned around and went to the skyline cave.
anyway back to the prob. perhaps i am not sure where theoil is coming from. it looks to be leaking where the case and the head come togetther. perhaps that is not the head gasket. it leaks to the rear.
hop this helps.
any info appreciated

[Guy_b_g]

Probably leaking from the cam chain tensioner, flowing down the front of the cylinders and being blown back between the cylinders by the wind as you ride.

[trbig]

Mine used to leak at the inside of the valve cover into the area where spark plugs 2 & 3 are. Wind would blow it through to the back where it would run down the edge of the carb boot and drip directly onto that precise fin between the cylinders and head. When stopped, it would run around to the front and drip off the front edge. But, as stated, a leaking adjuster will blow oil back up through there also.. but will usually show itself with a hanging drip of oil off it's nose when stopped, or a couple drips on the ground under it.

Tod

[redbone]

update

i suspect the P.O boned me again.
i really think it is the cylinder base gasket is the one that is leaking. yeah, looks even worse to get to than the head gasket.
anyway, i was down there cleaning the oil off to try to find out where it may be coming from, and lo and behold i started to remove blue RTV that had been painted black. seems the p.o had probly found this problem earleir and wiped off oil as best he could, then smeared RTV on it and painted it. held for a while til it gets real hot.
i have found his [p.o.] handiwork with blue RTV before when i took the carbs off and found he tried to glue the aibox to carb tube/hose back together with blue RTV after he mangled it. i stuffed the leaky area with papertowls and will take it for a spin tomorrow to see if i can find the leak.
after lookin in catabugs repair manual to fix this....i know this is way out of my league. i'll keep you all updated, i hope

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Redbone,

That area is not under great pressure, and so after you remove all of the old RTV, spray it clean with brake parts cleaner so get all of the oil off of it, and then slather it with some other type of oil resistant sealant. Gasket maker type RTV would be one choice. I've heard pros and cons about RTV, but now that my CRS is suppressed, I think it wasn't recommended with GAS, but is good with OIL. You'll want to allow a good 24 hours curing time. Much easier and cheaper than taking the engine all apart for a "little" weepage....IMHO!

[Ken Talbot]

i really think it is the cylinder base gasket is the one that is leaking.

Lots of people have thought this over the years, because that's where the oil seems to be collecting. 99% or more of the time, the oil is coming from the cam cover gasket or the cam chain tensioner. Take the tank off so you can get a good look at all the possible leak areas and the various galleys and paths for that oil to find its way down to the base gasket area. One suggestion from a few years back was to pressure wash the top end, and dust it with baby powder. When the leak starts again, the path is readily visible in the baby powder. Bonus - your bike smells real nice for a while!

[Ivan]

Ken beat me to it with the baby powder, but I usually wash down an engine real well, and use the spray foot powder. Its more convenient and stick in place better. The white powder will show oil leaks really well. It doesn't work for vacuum leaks though.

Also, if you get an itch you can't seem to scratch, having tinactin in the ol toolbox comes in handy.

[redbone]

top cat, ivan, ken, i'll try your suggestions. to; topcat, what is CRS??

[XJOK2PLAY]

Redbone...

After reading your posts, it sounds to me like you and I have the same problem.

I've noticed now mine has developed an oil leak, and it sounds like the same place you're describing... on the back side of the engine, where the jugs meet the engine base... right out of the middle. It makes a flanged out area right there... leaking right out of the gasket area.

Mine was just replaced back in Jan. this year, and I know for a fact everything was cleaned perfectly, cause I know the guy who did it...(Bohn)

It's a pretty good leak, as long as the engine's running... stops when you shut it off. Runs down the left side cover, and down on the exhaust.

Sound familiar?

It's been suggested to me to re-torque the head bolts to try to seal it...

BUT... when it leaked from here before, the PO had tried that, and it got worse.

Not sure if a slather of gasket maker will stop this particular leak...

I'm beginning to wonder if warpage between the 2 surfaces isn't the culprit?

I know for a fact mine was assembled correctly, clean, torqued properly, then re-torqued after 50 miles. It's held for a while... now here we go again.

If you can't stop it, and you go the tear-down, base gasket replacement route... I'd recommend having both surfaces checked and milled before reassembly. JAT
Bob

[tarzan]

CRS=cant remember s**t

[audijunky]

Mine doesn't move that much right now except for test runs and I also have/had a leak that looked like the area you are describing. I found out it was my cam/valve cover gasket and my cam chain tensioner gasket. the cam cover gasket was leaking on the inside, down into the spak plug areas then out the vent holes onto the fins of the head. I thought at first my head gasket was leaking till I did some investigating and found where it was coming from. I would suggest removing your tank and fully inspecting the inner mating/gasket areas between the head and the cam/valve cover.