Oil leak front Cylinder left

[SavageRider]

I just noticed a small leak coming from the front cylinder left side between the lower rocker arm cover gasket and cylinder head.
I checked my service manual and it looks fairly straight forward to remove the rocker arm covers and replace the gaskets. Are there any little gotcha's the manual doesn't cover that I should be aware of before I tackle this project? The bike only has +3400K on it, this seems kind of soon to be having gasket leak problems. What do you think? Has anyone else run into this problem any advice is welcome. I can do some wrenching but I'm no expert on anything.:frownthre

[a45junkie]

take your time, do it right. read the manual an read it again

[rottenralph]

Be careful with the three small bolts. They snap easily and it can be painfull trying to get them out. It is an easy job. Make sure your torqe wrench is available. Take your time and it should not leak.

[ted]

It may sound too simple to mention, but inch pounds and foot pounds are very different. Pay very close attention to torque values. I'm thinking the ones who break the 7/16 head bolts on rocker boxes are reading inch pounds as foot pounds. Personally, I snug them all down pretty good and then give them just a bit more. Haven't broke one and haven't had a leak, (yet).
Make sure you get the solid steel lower box gaskets.
Ted

[SavageRider]

Thanks for the encouragement guy's. I do have a torque wrench and I did read it as inch pounds for the setting in the service manual. 12 inch pounds equal 1 ft. pound right? I suppose the dealer would carry the solid steel lower gasket? We are set for some more rain so I might get to it this week. Thanks again.

[rottenralph]

I think the last lower I used is the newest version and it is coated with something. I used torqe wrences when I broke one. I have two snapon torque wrenches and know the difference. Be careful, as stated, they are brittle and can easily break. Just search the forum and you will come accross the how do I fix the broken bolt threads. You will also find a thread where I put a washer on the cap screw and caused my own leak.

[SavageRider]

[QUOTE=SavageRider;637777]I just noticed a small leak coming from the front cylinder left side between the lower rocker arm cover gasket and cylinder head.
I checked my service manual and it looks fairly straight forward to remove the rocker arm covers and replace the gaskets. Are there any little gotcha's the manual doesn't cover that I should be aware of before I tackle this project?

I visited my local dealer they didn't have the gaskets so, I ordered a kit from Dennis Kirk that will be arriving in a few days.

Reading the Service manual it says to strip the bike prior to engine work per page 3.3. It seemed to me a bit of over kill to remove all those parts just to replace the rocker arm cover gaskets. I can see removing the ignition module for better access but the others don't seem necessary except maybe, to disconnect the negative battery lead. What did you think?

The other question, in the manual where it says Rotate crankshaft until both valves are closed on head being repaired but doesn't say how to achieve both valves being closed. I'm guessing, I need to remove both spark plugs put the bike in fifth gear and while rolling it forward use my finger over the plug hole and when it pops it off, I should be on the compression stroke with both vavles closed is that correct? Any help would be appreciated.

[whiffy]

Hi Savage..

It is a simple job, and you are right, putting the bike on a stand with the rear wheel off the ground is a good thing. Strip off the tank and probably the coil at the front, the carb can come off and makes access easier. Earth lead on the battery could stay on, but is safer to disconnect it, just to be sure. Undo the bolts on the top covers, and lift off the top rocker covers. The rear top one can be a bit tricky...

If your leak is coming out of the head to rocker cover joint you will need to lift the rockers off, that is why the manual says rotate the engine until the valves are closed. That way there is very little upward pressure from the pushrods to the rockers. If you remove the rocker assembly without the valves closed there is a lot of pressure from the pushrods and this is not good cos unless you are careful it is easy to bend the pushrods!

If you remove the spark plugs and put the bike in top gear, rotate the rear wheel until both valves are closed on the cylinder you are working on. You can see the rockers open the valves, so its easy to see when the valves are closed. A pal is useful here, but not really needed.

Undo the rest of the bolts easy a bit at a time equally, probably best done in a diagonal manner. Small bolts first, folowed by the four large ones. Once the bolts are undone you can lift the rocker assy off the head. You may have to fish out the pushrods on the rear cylinder to make this easier. Make sure you remember which pushrod goes where as they are different lengths.

When you put the new gaskets on and re-assemble, make sure there is no oil present on the mating surfaces, should be clean and dry.

Tighten the bolts evenly a bit at a time, and make sure that the pushrods seat (if removed) in the tappets correctly, and check that once assembled the pushrods can be rotated by hand before turning the engine over. You may have to wait for the tappets to "bleed down". Should not be a too long wait. Have a cofee, save the beer for later.

If you follow the manual you should not go wrong. Careful with that torque wrench!

I normaly put some oil down the pushrod tubes and around the valve pockets before I button it all up, just to make sure that all is lubed at start up..it takes a while for the oil to get that far..

Good luck.

Whiffi.

[SavageRider]

Hey thanks to all for the great advice. I completed the job today and did remove the gas tank and ignition coil. I also removed the odometer to get the gas tank off. The rest went pretty well except for the rubber gaskets and trying to keep them in their grooves it was like trying to herd Cats. I started it up and it seems like so far the oil is staying inside. A quick spin around the neighborhood and it still stayed in. I guess only time will tell if it holds.