2010 Stelvio NTX Power loss + Oil leak ?????

[tristan]

Gidday,

I hope you guzzi gurus have an idea what is going on with my (5800km) stelvio.

Firstly thanks again for all the information and (know how) passed on this site- Exceptional.

Just the other day I got a rear spring upgrade which went from the factory 8kg to a 14kg, fantastic handling now with adjustment- and does not bottom out, it was running great then suddenly the problems started.

There was a little rain when I picked it up, but I don't know whether that has anything to do with it????

When I got it back I noticed a little oil leaking from what appears to be the exhaust outlet and I have lost a lot of power (feels like a postie bike- 125cc) when accelerating. I can only go 100km on the flat and 80km up hills and that is with the accelerator flat out.

The bike will surge and power restores for a a second or two then it goes back to being a postie bike.

I don't know if the bike service agent did anything to the bike to cause it or if it is just coincidence, - I am not trying to blame anyone, just trying to fix it.

I don't know whether it is a clutch problem, a final drive problem, electrical problem, and don't want to jump to conclusions????

The oil leak appears to be around the exhaust outlet, a bit is it coming off some of the fins, so I have attached photo's, it is only on the left hand side of the the engine, and I was not sure whether they remove it to get the rear shock out????????

Can I just re torque the exhaust flange or is it better to replace the seal or is there any where else it could leak?????

As for the power loss- I am at a total loss and fear the worse and hope for the best.

I also read somewhere that the valve clearances could cause power loss, but once again I am not too sure??????

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers,

Tristan

 

[john zibell]

I don't think the oil leak is related to the power loss. There appears to be a oil galley plug there that is leaking. As to the power loss, have you upgraded the spark plug boots? Are there any error codes?

 

[canuck1969]

When they changed the shock, make sure they didn't kink a vent line (either oil breather or tank vent). I seem to recall there are some lines very close to the shock including electrical (o2 sensor I believe). What did they remove to change the shock? Worth a look. I am not one for coincident. I have seen is some cases, people removing the air box to get to the upper shock bolt. If they did that it is open season on what could be wrong, but will at least point you in the right direction. Sounds like a kinked line, but which one?

 

[tristan]

I don't think the oil leak is related to the power loss. There appears to be a oil galley plug there that is leaking. As to the power loss, have you upgraded the spark plug boots? Are there any error codes?

Hi john,
Thanks for the reply. I will have a look into a oil galley plug. It does seem to be coming from the exhaust outlet, but may be better to take the tank off and have a look.
No spark plug boots have been replaced or up graded. It only has 5800km so im guessing they are still all standard, and no error codes are coming up on the dash.
Cheers for the help.

 

[tristan]

When they changed the shock, make sure they didn't kink a vent line (either oil breather or tank vent). I seem to recall there are some lines very close to the shock including electrical (o2 sensor I believe). What did they remove to change the shock? Worth a look. I am not one for coincident. I have seen is some cases, people removing the air box to get to the upper shock bolt. If they did that it is open season on what could be wrong, but will at least point you in the right direction. Sounds like a kinked line, but which one?

Hi canuck1969,
I will take the seat off and the air box and have a look. It does sound more like crimped line rather than anything with the oil leak. Im thinking as you said they probably removed the airbox to get the shock out.
Cheers for the help.

 

[canuck1969]

The oil leak may be related if they kinked the oil blowby line to the air box. See if you leak is originating at the oil blowby connection on the head.

 

[john zibell]

Hi john,
Thanks for the reply. I will have a look into a oil galley plug. It does seem to be coming from the exhaust outlet, but may be better to take the tank off and have a look.
No spark plug boots have been replaced or up graded. It only has 5800km so im guessing they are still all standard, and no error codes are coming up on the dash.
Cheers for the help.

I think I see the plug in your first picture. The spark plug boots should be replaced on new bikes as the original ones do cause problems. Search the forum on this. There is an NGK cap that is recommended.

 

[tristan]

Thanks again for the help John zibell, and canuck1969.

The progress so far is-

I removed the rear section, no pipes were kinked, and all the plugs were connected.

So I moved to the spark plugs as suggested.

One problem potentially sorted.....................The plug looks as if it was arcing through the insulation to the body (there was a fair bit of moisture and burnt white, I also found a little bit of metal coming out of the side of the boot, which probably did not help, So I have attached a photo.

I will be definitely be replacing the boots with the NGK as recommended. would you recommend doing the plugs also at the same time??

Still no luck with the oil leak, it definitely looks like it is coming from the exhaust inlet and opposite side of the cylinder on the rear. would it be worth retention the exhaust flange or replace the seal? Still don't know why oil is coming out there??? Might be able to find out more when I remove the tank to do the spark leads.

Thanks again guys appreciate the help.
Cheers,
Tristan

 

[john zibell]

As for replacing the spark plug, that depends on the condition of the plug. For the oil leak, it shouldn't be coming from the exhaust port unless you have a very serious problem with the head. Oil from the exhaust port would burn before it leaked. You would think the bike is a two stroke. The thing with oil, it goes everywhere and finding the exact source can be difficult. Have you seen this thread? https://www.guzzitech.com/forums/threads/oil-leak-from-mystery-hole.4792/page-2#post-95705

 

[Cage Free]

Its been since July that dealer jb welded my freeze plug in place to stop leak and its still dry. I ride almost every day so that's a lot of miles and heat cycles.

 

[WayneOrwig]

Thanks again for the help John zibell, and canuck1969.
Still no luck with the oil leak, it definitely looks like it is coming from the exhaust inlet and opposite side of the cylinder on the rear. would it be worth retention the exhaust flange or replace the seal? Still don't know why oil is coming out there???

As stated, the leak is very unlikely to be the exhaust outlet.
It IS likely to be something like that plug screwed into the head that you can see in one of your original photos. That leaks appears above the head gasket, so unlikely to be that. There is an air passage through the head, from the exhaust all the way through to the intake. So a leak anywhere in there, even around the spark plug, might appear like that.

 

[tristan]

Hi guys,
Thanks for the help.
I have replace the leads and i am waiting on the ngk boots. Hopefully they should arrive next week i am using some bosch leads in the meantime which fit just fine.
After some further investigation with the oil leak it may be coming from the grommet screws. I was going to put some baby powder on to determine the leaking grommet. Any suggestions on the sealer to use on the screws?
I was also going to replace the grub screws with high tensile socket heads with the same length?
Cheers again for all the help and suggestions.
Tristan

 

[tristan]

Hi guys,
Thanks for the help but not too happy!!!!!
I think I have found the leak, but it looks like I have a hole or a crack in a cooling fin!!!!!!! Don't know how this happened, its in the rear of the left cylinder head.
I'm thinking i have to get it welded or replace the cylinder.
Has any one had to do this???????
The leak looks to be in the mid section of the cylinder part, and the head looks like it is slightly leaking around the exhaust port (to be confirmed) Why could this not be an easy fix????
Cheers,
Tristan

 

[canuck1969]

Hi guys,
Thanks for the help but not too happy!!!!!
I think I have found the leak, but it looks like I have a hole or a crack in a cooling fin!!!!!!! Don't know how this happened, its in the rear of the left cylinder head.
I'm thinking i have to get it welded or replace the cylinder.
Has any one had to do this???????
The leak looks to be in the mid section of the cylinder part, and the head looks like it is slightly leaking around the exhaust port (to be confirmed) Why could this not be an easy fix????
Cheers,
Tristan

Wow,that is a first that I have heard of. Try some JB Weld as a cheap fix. At least it will tell you for sure that this is the only leak point. Properly prepared, it will last a long time. Failing that a new head or a good welder. Cast aluminium is tricky to weld so find a good welder.

 

[tristan]

Wow,that is a first that I have heard of. Try some JB Weld as a cheap fix. At least it will tell you for sure that this is the only leak point. Properly prepared, it will last a long time. Failing that a new head or a good welder. Cast aluminium is tricky to weld so find a good welder.

Cheers canuck1969, I will try a few places with a good welder, I am going to try and talk to the manufacturer contact on Monday.