head gasket oil leak maybe not

[speedlimit85]

How to find the source of oil leaks? Will the wind only push it back or forward too?

Mine looks wet at the top oil return bolt and just above the chain tensioner.

[LAB3]

Dust any suspected areas with some powder and run the engine a bit, any leaks should be easy to spot when they get wet.

[DiverRay]

White flour is a great place to start for the powder! Oil leak will change the color of the flour.

[bikerphil]

Foot powder aerosol spray works too. Keeps the motor smelling fresh.

[speedlimit85]

Instead of kicking the bike with the good foot, I sprayed powder on the motor.

There is a new drop under the top oil return bolt.

I want to try replacing the banjo bolt washers on only the top bolt.

[bikerphil]

Torque value of that bolt is 14.5 ft-lb.

[speedlimit85]

Well, I changed the metal tube and washers. Now it is leaking at the bottom bolt. Could the oil return metal thing have a break- crack? The bike is hot, so I'll let it cool overnight.

Is there a way to test the integrity of that metal? Once tightened are those washers shot? Do I need new ones?

[speedlimit85]

Someone here wrote about heating the copper washers then cooling in water. Will that help stop a leak?

[bikerphil]

Yes, you can anneal the copper washers by heating them cherry red with a torch and then quench in water. You can reuse them this way.

I usually skip the annealing process and just reuse them with no issues.

You may be able to see a crack in the tube if it was off the bike. If it's a slow leak or drip, it probably isn't cracked, it would probably be faster leaking because it's under pressure.

Didn't you have an issue with one of those bolt threads being stripped before?

[speedlimit85]

Yes. I stripped the bottom bolt and it was repaired 5 years ago. I think the top bolt has been leaking slowly since that repair and looked like it was coming from the head gasket.

The threads feel good and I hand tightened starting both bolts. I don't want to break anything again.

Do I need to clean the surfaces better? Install the washers A certain way?

[bikerphil]

Well certainly if there is any debris on the mating surfaces you will need to clean it. You will need to determine that.

There is not any special way of installing the crush washers, just make sure they are also clean.

[speedlimit85]

I did change the metal pipe to the one that was there when I broke the bolt. Maybe it is warped or just a bit off where the bolt meets it.

There was some silicon in the top of the tube and around the bolt this morning.

[bikerphil]

Yep, it sure would be easier to repair with the carbs removed, don't ya know.

There should be no silicone used on there, make sure you clean it out. Did the guy who did the thread repair put it there?

[speedlimit85]

The silicon was in the oil maybe from the crankshaft seal. Oily silicon squeezed by a bolt could be a reason for a leak.

Yea. I'm estimating the torque without removing the carbs.

As long as I don't crossthread anything again or continue to tighten while hot like before, I should be capable of getting it right.

When they repaired the threads on the bottom bolt, I think they left the top bolt not fully tight and it started a small leak.

[bikerphil]

OK brother, good luck.