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Message started by kennycreed on 05/26/08 at 22:44:24

Title: cy head oil leak
Post by kennycreed on 05/26/08 at 22:44:24

:-? I don't If I'm doing this right I'm brand shinney new to this game (computers and things),but then again at 61 some of my pollish is beginning to fade.I live in Stornoway on the Island of Lewis.. Western Isles west coast of Scotland. I have bought a 1990Ls in London that I am very pleased with, but seeps oil from around the cy head. As I would have a 600miles+ ride home to the island with it, is there a chance the this oil leak would cause harm.Being new to the savage(bike now yam79 XS650 spec) Is it a major job to fix it, could I fix it beside the road with the right tools or is it a strip down job, which would be no problem for me at home, I have seen on your form some sort of plug in the cy head that leaks could it be this, cheers, and all the best to you all over there,,kenny

Title: Re: cy head oil leak
Post by kennycreed on 05/27/08 at 00:17:34

Hi again, probably in the wrong place here but how do I send a pic of the bike to you. cheers,, kenny

Title: Re: cy head oil leak
Post by mpescatori on 05/27/08 at 01:51:24

Aye, Kenny,

Hello ! Maurizio here from Italy !

I too have a similar problem, and it stains your riding gear with oil dripping from around the head fins onto your legs.

I too rode a full 800+miles from Varese, close to the Swiss border, all the way down to Naples, and then back up to Rome, and all's well as long as you pack a pint of your favourite 15W40 (Castrol GTX white bottle is actually a 10W40 so it may be a wee bit thin)
As you'll be spurting oil, you may actually prefer going for... Halford's own.
If you have pannier bags (even soft ones) buy a gal. bottle of Halford's own 15W40 and a funnel and just fill up your (half)pint every time you refuel.

Godspeed !

Title: Re: cy head oil leak
Post by KwakNut on 05/27/08 at 03:43:37

Kenny,

There are two 'common' reasons for oil seepage round the head.

First one you can get at relatively easily at the side of the road. Tank off, cylinder head chrome side covers off, and you can see the inspection covers for the valve clearance adjustment. Take the cover off if it looks like where the oil is coming from , clean up the rubber seal and add a little gasket sealant to be sure before refitting it. That might do it. (Taking the tank off can be very awkward clearing the fuel tap past the frame rails - on some bikes you need to drain the tank and take the tap off).

It could also be coming from the plug that sits inside the head cover above the front right cylinder head bolt. You can see that bolt by looking into a gap in the head casting just next to where the header pipe goes into the head - you might be able to tell if that's where the oil is coming from. The head cover has to come off to fix this (either with new plug or sealant round the old one). Still achieveable at the side of the road with a small socket set and handful of spanners, but a lot more to take apart and a brave thing to undertake away from workshop with somewhere to put/clean all the bits - the head cover is held on by about 16 or 18 fasteners all of different lengths, and needs to be sealed with a smear of liquid gasket.

Could be the head cover to head seal itself, or the head gasket, but the first two are the most likely.

If it's just a slow seep and you keep topping up, the only thing to worry about on the trip back is oily trousers.

(To put up a picture, join a website like www.photobucket.com, upload your pictures there, then cut and paste a link to the picture in your thread).

Title: Re: cy head oil leak
Post by photojoe on 05/27/08 at 03:44:33

Hello and welcome. The leak is well documented, and there's a great tech article on the fix here: http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1099227295. Unfortunately, it's not a "side of the road" thing as you can see. I've been "preparing" to do the fix for over a month. One day I'll get to it. For now, I can ride all day and I know what to expect. I bring my favorite cleaning cloth with me t do the after ride wipe. The leak doesn't use much oil at all, that may be why I'm procrastinating. The bike runs fine.

What may throw you off is seeing oil on the left side of the bike after you get back from a ride and the bike has been sitting for awhile. The oil tends to ride the fins to the other side as it's tilted in the parking position. The leak is actually on the ride side, just above where the exhaust header bolts on. You'll see an acorn nut. Just above that nut is a plug/seal that needs to be replaced. It's a plastic plug that cost's under $10. With the right tools, and a few pints, you should be able to pull it off in under 4 hours.

Title: Re: cy head oil leak
Post by verslagen1 on 05/27/08 at 14:42:44

It would be very brave to undertake the head plug replacement by the side of the road. But if you have to... do it in front of the suzuki shop as you're very likely to twist off a bolt and need to get a replacement. :o

But you might check the torque of head cover bolts. I R&R'd mine, and one of them leaked. Perhaps because the sealant settled. Couldn't cause I missed torqueing it down. ::)

As said watch your oil level and ride. ;D

Title: Re: cy head oil leak
Post by Reelthing on 05/27/08 at 21:02:55

7E707B7B6C7667707071150 wrote:

I have seen on your form some sort of plug in the cy head that leaks could it be this

Near 100% yes - either way the head plug or a seal washer on a head cover bolt or what ever - it's unlikely to get bad enough to matter - other than trashing your pants with a few drops

carry a couple quarts check the sight glass at ever fuel fillup and keep going - now the cam chain is another matter >25kmiles think about some maint there

Title: Re: cy head oil leak
Post by kennycreed on 06/17/08 at 13:09:08

Hi to you all over, I'm back again, sorry for not acknowledging your replies but I was called away and have just finished a 16 day trip at sea, as I was working on a ship out of Oban which is away south of the island of lewis I took my van with me and when the trip was over I just carried on from Oban and drove down to etham in London met David Ward (one of nature's finest gentlemen) whom I bought the bike from and put it in the van and drove home 13478miles round trip, just come back from a 40 mile run and she's perfect cant make out any oil seepage theres nothing to bother about.thanks to Verslagen1...Reelthing...Photojoe...Kwaknut...Mpescatori...for exclent advice. It's fantastic knowing that if I have any problems there's a grand bunch of lads and lassies on this site willing to help, yous are all just a treasure, THANK YOU,,kenny

Title: Re: cy head oil leak
Post by verslagen1 on 06/17/08 at 13:40:45

[smiley=thumbsup.gif]

glad to be of service. ;D

Title: Re: cy head oil leak
Post by Cornerstore3000 on 06/17/08 at 21:45:06

So could this possibly drip from right under the kick stand area? That is the only place I ever have any oil at all. It will leave a few drops in the garage and is wet only on that bottom bolt near the kick stand. I have checked to make sure all the case bolts and any bolts are tight and they are. Did that make any sense??

Title: Re: cy head oil leak
Post by verslagen1 on 06/17/08 at 22:49:25

Did you check the bolts that go thru the case and attach the foot pegs on? 50 ftlbs.

Title: Re: cy head oil leak
Post by Cornerstore3000 on 06/18/08 at 17:19:50

I checked those bolts today and they were so so. I tightened them down a lot more though so I hope now it will stop having 2 drips under it. I also noticed I was way down on the oil level but never enough leaks to be able to lose that much. I think it was from when I was running WAY WAY WAY too lean and it was getting so hot it would evaporate the oil. Does that sound about right? I put in a 55 pilot and a 155 main, and adjusted the needle with 3 smaller washers. I feel I might be a little too rich in a few spots now. I don't know that much about this stuff yet.

Title: Re: cy head oil leak
Post by verslagen1 on 06/18/08 at 23:14:03

check the plug every so often.
keep an eye on the header, blue for lean, white for rich.
watch the brake arm, black for rich, clean for lean.
check the face, ear to ear grin, rich, slight upturn of the mouth, lean.
and last but not least... mpg 50/55 about right, 45 rich, 65 lean. ;D