GSXR Oil Leak

[cagimaha]

I recently bought a 1990 GSXR750L and because it didn't come with any service history I thought I'd better give it a once over before any serious useage. Some oil, a filter and the Suzuki valve adjust driver were duly purchased and after wrestling with a few seized fasteners on the rocker cover the valve clearances were adjusted and I thought I was home free. I came to start it up and although the valvetrain is reassuringly quieter oil is pouring out from the joint between the head and the barrels just below the exhaust port of the No.1 cylinder.

Now I've seen brit bikes with oil leaks before, even hardly movingsons but nothing like this. Even when it's just turning over on the starter motor there is enough oil pressure to cause a full on stream of oil to come running out. My thoughts so far are as follows, either whilst adjusting the valve clearances I have dislodged a piece of shite/old gasket sealant and it's blocked the oil way into the rocker gallery or I've disturbed the head gasket whilst doing the clearances and it's no longer oil tight. Any ideas as to any other possible causes before I delve deeper?

Any help much appreciated, Ben (currently praying he doesn't have to change the head gasket and associated o-rings )

[El Gringo]

Alrite chap,

First off i'd double check you've got the spark plug o-ring under the cam cover in position, if its pinched or not quite in place it can pump oil up into the area around the plug and it will run down and out of the water drain hole which is just abouve the barrels where you described it.

Don't ask how i know this

Might be worth a look first

Cheers

Chris

[gurninman]

Alrite chap,

First off i'd double check you've got the spark plug o-ring under the cam cover in position, if its pinched or not quite in place it can pump oil up into the area around the plug and it will run down and out of the water drain hole which is just abouve the barrels where you described it.

Don't ask how i know this

Might be worth a look first

Cheers

Chris

This indeed - I may or may not have had personal experience of this.....

Can't see how you would have dislodged the head gasket - unless you just kept undoing everything in sight once the cam cover was off

[cagimaha]

That sounds more than likely... I'll get on the case after. I did put a light smear of threebond on both the plug o-rings and the cam cover gasket and (naievely) thought it would have held them on

[wazrs257]

When you've discovered/fixed the cause, be VERY careful when tightening up the rocker cover, I managed to strip a thread at about half the torque recommended in the Suzuki manual.

[cagimaha]

After an evening in a freezing cold garage I can now report that I had indeed managed to misalign one of the plug recess o-rings and it's now sorted. Many thanks to all those who replied in the usual super fast time. Cheers again, Ben.

[buster]

When you've discovered/fixed the cause, be VERY careful when tightening up the rocker cover, I managed to strip a thread at about half the torque recommended in the Suzuki manual.

Yep, cam journal on number three exhaust, felt it going and stopped before I did too much damage.

Glad you sorted it, I find the rubber gasket betwix head and cover a right bastard to seat, had oil pissing out over my carbs last time I did my clearances.

[cagimaha]

Yeah it's fiddly as hell with the engine in the frame. I think the best way is to use a really thin smear of threebond or similar to stick the gaskets to the cover, leave them for 10 mins for the sealant to set a little then assemble it. It was a lot easier this way, when the outer gasket starts hanging off and getting caught on the cam chain idler it becomes a right ball ache. Still it's easier than the 7/11 method requiring removal of the engine to get at the clearances!

[El Gringo]

Still it's easier than the 7/11 method requiring removal of the engine to get at the clearances!

Ah, now that depends on which 7/11 it is, 1052 or 1127 (or 1159 in a 7/12) and which frame, 750 or 1100, slabby or slingshot.

IIRC theres only 1 or maybe 2 versions which are a pain in the arse to get the rocker cover off, i think its the 1127 into the slabby frame.

I find the best way to get the rocker cover back on is leave the gasket seated in the half moons on the end but "glue" the rings into place.

Then lower it down and sort of circle it around flat a bit until the gasket seats in the groove, sometimes its best to have the front edge of the gasket hanging out a bit so once the backs in you can hold the cover down with gentle pressure and poke the front edge in with you finger.

Easier to do than to describe though

Cheers

Chris