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Some 850 T5 questions

Well, I finally have met with some success in regards to the tachometer cable. It was really leaky yesterday on my ride home so I decided to pull it apart again last night. I pulled the actual drive out last night to see if there were any issues with it. Nothing. I put it back together and snugged it down. I then used a little electrical tape over the part of the cable that was exposed from the outer lining coming off. After I put the boot back over all of it, I used two cable ties, one on the top and one on the bottom, to secure the boot in an attempt to, as a previous poster had suggested, keep the oil from coming out.

After I did that, I pulled the seat and the tank to check the breather tubes that run to the frame. I had read a little about that here and on WildGuzzi so I thought I'd check it out. The left side breather hose (which is now fuel line from being replaced) that runs to the frame from the top of the crankcase was filled with old crusty oil. I pulled it off and held it to a light. No light came through so I took a long screwdriver and cleaned it out. When I could see light and see that the hose was completely cleaned out, I put it back on. The big hose that leads from the airbox to the frame on my bike has also been replaced at some point with heater hose. It's kinked under the frame where the hose begins to turn back towards the airbox. I fiddled with that and was able to get it as unkinked as possible. I think new hose is in order there.

I drive 22 miles one way to work everyday. I had planned to drive the car today for court, but I remembered that I had a court suit at the office so I rode (and I wanted to see if the leaks were any better). My wife folowed behind me and told me that the bike is smoking much less than before but still a little bit at stop lights. When I got to work, I checked the tach cable and it's dry as a bone. Score! Did cleaning the vents have anything to do with this?

I'm going to put a little more MMO in the cylinder tonight. The area is due for some massive storms tonight and tomorrow so the bike will be sitting. I can use that time to let the rings soak.

I'm still getting a good leak from the left head. I thought it was all the oil line on the top of the head that was just running down, but it's coming out all around the head between two fins. It doesn't look like the head separates here so how could I have a leak?
 
A closed crankcase breather will definitely cause the crankcase positive pressure to attempt to escape via other openings especially if your rings are worn. The tacho cable was obviously one such opening. Definitely replace that kinked hose!
 
shabba said:
I'm still getting a good leak from the left head. I thought it was all the oil line on the top of the head that was just running down, but it's coming out all around the head between two fins. It doesn't look like the head separates here so how could I have a leak?
Click to expand...

Does the leak line up with where the short head studs attach the head?
 
john zibell said:
shabba said:
I'm still getting a good leak from the left head. I thought it was all the oil line on the top of the head that was just running down, but it's coming out all around the head between two fins. It doesn't look like the head separates here so how could I have a leak?
Click to expand...

Does the leak line up with where the short head studs attach the head?
Click to expand...

Without being at the bike, I can tell you the leak is all around the head. Starts up top, continues down both sides and drips at the bottom. I'll have to check when I get home. I had read in Guzziology that the small twins had some sort of issue in that area but I wasn't sure the big twins would.
 
manxkipper said:
A closed crankcase breather will definitely cause the crankcase positive pressure to attempt to escape via other openings especially if your rings are worn. The tacho cable was obviously one such opening. Definitely replace that kinked hose!
Click to expand...

I guess the next question would be with what type of hose? Should I purchase OEM (if possible) or will something else do as well?
 
You might be able to match up a length of radiator hose in the correct diameter and with the correct bends as many cars these days have small diameter hoses. I relocated my breather box further forward using rad hose to enable the use of a LM3 airbox as our environment here is too dusty for open carbs.
 
Rode the bike to work today after It sat from Friday afternoon to this morning. I sprayed PB blaster in the cylinder (instead of making a huge mess with MMO) everyday this weekend. Not too much, but enough to get in there and hopefully loosen up the rings. My new tach cable came in as well as the other stuff I ordered from MG Cycle. I replaced the tach cable and, as the leak is still present, it's not the cable.

I was able to look at the left side cylinder and can see the oil is weeping out between the fins about halfway down the top of the cylinder. It is NOT the oil line as I previously thought. Am I going to have to remove the head to fix this? I assume so.

When I replaced the cable, I also replaced the headlight. The low beam was very weak so I looked for a silverstar replacement but couldn't find it so I bought an extravision bulb. Much better though still not as bright as I would like (I'm spoiled by the HID headlights on the BMW car). I was also able to adjust the headlight so it's more useful now.

My wife followed me this morning and said the smoke is greatly reduced. Apparently, the bike only smokes when I decelerate/downshift and it's better than it was before. Now, I also did an oil change this weekend (I had MMO in the oil for about 130 miles) and it was cooler out this morning than usual. The real test will be this afternoon. As I'm going to be off the bike for labor day week, I'll probably do another soak in PB blaster and MMO again. It will get to sit for 7 straight days then.

I'm going to pull the hose off of the airbox and see if I can, as suggested, cut a better length of hose to get the kink out. I just think there is something up with the vents on the bike what with all the leaking I have. The Tach cable shouldn't be leaking now, but it is, and it's obviously not the new cable.
 
There should be a pcv valve in the large breather pipe from the crankcase and I think it is the type with a single ball bearing as the moving part. If the ball is jammed closed the crankcase may still be trying to vent through other orifices. We experienced this with an LM3 which spewed oil out all over the show until we located the problem. A slightly larger diameter stainless steel ball sorted the problem out.
 
The leak may be from the top stud access plug in the head. Remove the valve cover, then the plug (10mm Allen). There is an o-ring under the plug. While the plug is out, clean the area around the top stud. If the leak persists after doing the access plug, it may be a failed o-ring on the top stud. This o-ring is between the base gasket and cylinder. There are 6 o-rings per cylinder, two on the short studs between the base gasket and cylinder, and four between the head and rocker support tray.
 
Well, another setback has occurred. On the ride home from work yesterday, at speed, the bike lost power 3 times. I was riding along around 70-75 mph on I-95 and the bike just lost power like the engine cut off. It lasted all of 2 seconds and it regained power. This happened 3 times. While I would think this might be something in the fuel tank again, with two petcocks, how could I possibly have blockage in both at the same time? It felt electrical in it's sudden loss and sudden rebirth.

It only did this 3 times and I made it home with no more reoccurences. However, my confidence in riding to work was beaten to a pulp so I drove today. I'll pull the carbs this weekend and see if there is something in there. I have new float needles I want to install anyway. But the damage is done and I'm afraid to ride it any distance at this point. :(
 
john zibell said:
The leak may be from the top stud access plug in the head. Remove the valve cover, then the plug (10mm Allen). There is an o-ring under the plug. While the plug is out, clean the area around the top stud. If the leak persists after doing the access plug, it may be a failed o-ring on the top stud. This o-ring is between the base gasket and cylinder. There are 6 o-rings per cylinder, two on the short studs between the base gasket and cylinder, and four between the head and rocker support tray.
Click to expand...

When I pull the carbs this weekend, I'll do this as well. Looks like my weekend is booked for work...
 
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