Could have been a costly mistake

[XS1100 Newbie]

Day before yesterday i took the bike shoping. When i got home, and was taking my rain pants off, the right leg was covered in oil. Panic went through my mind. I went to the bike, and discovered that the forward semi-circular plug had blown out, and was just hanging there. Today i removed the cam cover, filled the crankcase up to see how much oil i had lost. GOOD NEWS! only lost 1/2 qt. Got to looking at the plugs, and noticed for the second time that they had lips on one side. I had noticed this before when installing a few weeks back, but figured that the open side should be on the inside, and the lip was to prevent them from falling in. Guess i was wrong. Anybody know for sure that the lip goes on the inside. I am a dumb butt, having worked with mechanics most of my life, i know to make note of how something comes apart, and take pictures if necessary. Could have been the end of the XS for me.

[bikerphil]

The lip goes on the OUTSIDE, the hollow part of the seal goes towards the inside. Make sure your crankcase breather is operating properly/not obstructed, excessive pressure can blow those seals out sometimes.

[XS1100 Newbie]

Thanks, i will check that.

[bikerphil]

Another thing about those plugs, it's always a good idea to use RTV on the mating surfaces with the head/valve cover, that will keep them in place a bit better. If you are re-using old plugs this is a must because they shrink over time with hundreds of heat cycles.

[XJOK2PLAY]

Hey, Newbie...
Fwiw, if it's any reassurance...
I can tell ya from personal experience that even if you'd dropped the oil pump down into the pan while riding at 100 mph, turning 5500 rpm's, then rode 4 more miles.... that engine would still be ok.

See, mine did just that.
We bolted the pump back up, put it back together, put oil back in it... And I rode it 25,000 more miles w/o any problems!
Still ran fine when I sold it because I bought the new Connie.

It was a true testament to the durability and the amazing strength of these engines. Yamaha really overbuilt them.

I was seriously doubtful that engine wasn't fubarred after that happened... I mean, after all... Everyone knows what happens to cam and crank bearings when you lose oil pressure, right?
Apparently, that applies to all other engines, but not an 11.

Lots of guys rode many miles with me after that happened and can vouch that it's true. I even rode around 20 miles or so on it with T.C. too one evening.

If I live to be a 100, I'll never forget that adventure!
Made me a believer.

[XS1100 Newbie]

Crancase breather is clear, and clear into air filter housing. I used permatex #2 to cement them in, and will wait a day or so to let it set before installing cam cover. I am thinking the silicone i used may have been part of the prolem, making it slipery.

[GLoweVA]

Check you compression. you may find that one of them is low and thus blowing some pressure into the crankcase thus forcing the plug out.
This is how I found out about my holed piston. Blew that plug out like a shotgun.

[MPittma100]

Sealant

Crancase breather is clear, and clear into air filter housing. I used permatex #2 to cement them in, and will wait a day or so to let it set before installing cam cover. I am thinking the silicone i used may have been part of the prolem, making it slipery.

It has been my experience from building a number of engines that the best sealing RTV sealant to use on any engine is the Ultra Grey. It is sensor safe, which may or may not be of interest. But the best feature is how hard it becomes when it dries. By setting up in this manner, it does not allow things to "move" and therefore maintains a very good, leak free seal. Trust me, it works like a champ.

MP

[XS1100 Newbie]

Compression across the board is 130, so no proble there. I use permatex #2 in trouble spots, and have used it for 20 some years. Most people don't even know what it is.

[crazy steve]

I use permatex #2 in trouble spots, and have used it for 20 some years. Most people don't even know what it is.

Still have a tube of it.... But it's 'old school' and its major drawback is it 'glues' the parts together all too well sometimes. I could tell the tale about wrestling a 700 lb Ford FE motor around on the shop floor trying to get the intake manifold off after it had been installed with #2. Ended up taking four people and a 5' crowbar to get it off....

Yamabond is the stuff unless it's high heat, then use the high-heat Permatex silicon....