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I hope it is as simple as a 'blown' valve cover gasket

ohiorider

ohiorider

Cruisin' Guzzisti
Joined
Apr 8, 2011
Messages
174
Location
Hudson, OH
I did the last valve adjustment at about 14000 miles. Had issues with seeping when I used the 'never buy another valve cover gasket again', so I switched to the Guzzi OEM paper gaskets. Flogged the bike out to Montana and back home .... over 4500 miles, and not a drop of oil leaked.

I've put about another 1000 miles on the bike, and noticed just today oil dripping down the right cylinder head cooling fins. No issues with the left side. I wiped it as clean as possible with paper towels, snugged the valve cover bolts I could reach without removing the fuel tank(6 out of 8) .... they were all snug anyway. Went for another 30 mile ride, and oil was once again dripping off the cylinder head fins onto the exhaust. Not pouring, but a drop or two or three for a few minutes after I shut down. The 'porkchop' that supports the brake pedal and footpeg is also covered with an oil mist.

I cannot imagine anything that would cause a valve cover gasket to decide to begin leaking after working drip-free for almost 6000 miles, although that seems to be the most logical source of the oil.

Are there any other things I should be looking for, other sources that could cause this oil leak on the right cylinder head? I'm not 100% familiar with the pieces and parts of the top end of this engine (1200cc/2 valve per cylinder). Any pipes, hoses, external oil lines (doubtful, but I have to ask). Any vents that might be blocked, causing pressure inside the right valve cover?

We are experiencing the best weather we've had for weeks, and I'd like to spend some of that time on the 1200 Sport. Hopefully I can isolate the problem later today.

Bob
 
Yes it could be the valve cover gasket has blown, Other possibility are in the picture below is part numbers 15 and 16, these are the plug and o ring that allow access to the rear head bolt, the o ring could be leaking


valve.jpg


Part number 10 and 11 in the below picture is the blow by hose and O ring seal that is screwed into the head on the rear.

pressure.jpg


Hope this helps
 
Thanks, Dan - I also pulled up the page in the parts manual that showed the entire crankcase ventilation system. I guess with all the clamps and small hoses that make up that system, something could have begun leaking there (I think that's what you were showing in the second pic you posted). Lots of things to check. Hopefully, most of this stuff is accessible without removing lots of pieces and parts.

Well, time to go fight the fuel line "quick disconnect" battle, get the tank off, and see what I can see. Even if it is simply a valve cover gasket gone bad, I find it easier to do the valves, etc, with the tank completely removed. Oh, well, the old Beemer has been crying to be ridden, so it isn't like I'm grounded for the weekend!

Bob
 
As I suspected, the fuel line connector was a fight. Once the tank was removed, I removed the rocker arm cover. Although I'd greased the OEM paper gasket on both sides before installation, it still stuck, part to the cover, part to the cylinder head, and took a long time to clean up. Perhaps my choice of silicon grease (plumbers grease) was the wrong choice.

Dan, I cannot tell by looking if the bolt cover plug and o ring are causing a problem, but I can verify that the blow back hose that attaches to the inside rear of the head (your second pic) is dry.

One of the small hoses that make up some of the Crankcase Ventilation System at first glance appeared oily, as did both plug wires, but I'm thinking some of that could be residual from when I misaligned the aftermarket silicon gasket and had a real oily mess on the same cylinder a few months ago. Don't know.

Think I'll be riding the T100 and R100GS for the remainder of the year, which is fast winding down. Since I'm this far into it, the valves are on schedule to be adjusted, and for the hell of it, I'll replace the outer plugs again. Along with the inner plugs, too. And air filter. With the tank off, though I don't have bar heaters yet, I think I'll extend the wiring and tie it down outside the tank until I add the heaters. Gonna make lemonade out of this lemon of a situation!

Bob
 
Hi ohiorider,
a similar thing happened to my 1200 Sport 2V just the other day. I had just filled up with petrol at the servo and noticed wafts of smoke coming off the right hand exhaust pipe. Out of the blue, oil was dripping off the head near the outer spark plug. I found the valve cover screw just above the spark plug was not as tight ( not loose either) as the other screws. I tightened it and this has fixed the leak. I don't want to mess around with a full tank, but when it gets low, I will check the valve clearances and replace the gaskets.

Cheers,
Mark.
 
You don't have to remove the tank on the 1200s to take the rocker cover off, just remove the bolt at the back of the tank, slide it back and raise it up with a block of wood under it.
 
Magi111

welcome to the forum.

May I suggest you piss the link off to your or your mates exhaust business.

I like most people that visit the site search "guzzitech" to get information relevant to the great Marque (forgive me if the spellings incorrect might be a result of too many MB's at this hour of the night). ;)

If every member of the site,was into self promotion/ had a link to the business their associated with , we'd never find a thing. (i'm sure no one wants to know that I can sell them a copier, computer or pen - but then again maybe , in a weird way I could justify putting a link to our website, as after all its Guzzi related. i.e you could buy a copier to copy the Guzzi service maunal, get a laptop to hook up the VDSt that you buy from Todd or buy a pen to write down parts numbers, tricks to service etc that you find on this site; Or even better still forget the pen, I'll sell you a printer.

Sorry to harp on , must of touched a nerve. (I'm Just sick of wasting time, saying that ,if the business does Guzzi exhausts then great, just make sure the link takes members straight to the appropriate page, from there they can search for what they want.)

On that note it time fo another MB, so I must go.

P.s If you need a copier, track me down at the Spag rally. I'll be the one drinking MB's and at some stage will be having a chat to Mr Roper about the repair he did to the CARC on my 1200 sport ( Pete, only had an opportunity to put 500ks or so on it since last weekend , but so far so good).
 
You might also want to check the connections at the oil cooler, mine were barely tight when I removed them to drain the cooler at the time of my last oil change. Not sure if their position corresponds to the location of your leak, but figurd I'd mention it nonetheless...
 
Brian UK said:
You don't have to remove the tank on the 1200s to take the rocker cover off, just remove the bolt at the back of the tank, slide it back and raise it up with a block of wood under it.
Click to expand...

+1 ! I'm amazed at the number of people on the forums who bemoan the difficulties of removing their tanks, when a simple block of wood beneath the tank allows for easy access to just about everything underneath, without touching the fuel lines. Just remember to place a thick rag or towel beneath the back end of the tank before propping it to protect the plastic/paint, and away you go! Almost as easy as the hinge/built-in prop set up on my 900SS...
 
BTW - it was a leaking valve cover gasket. I guess I suspected it was going to be a more significant issue, since the gasket had been in place for over 5,000 miles (changed in August 2011), but it was no more than that ..... a valve cover gasket that decided to leak copious amounts of 10w60 onto the cooling fins and my new Olympia riding pants!

And guys, yes, I do understand I don't have to remove the fuel tank to adjust the valves. Watched Jason Speaker do the first valve check at 900 miles, and noted that he propped the rear of the tank up. However, since I suspected something other than a leaking valve cover gasket, I wanted to have good visibility into the back side of the cylinders.

Bob
 
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