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General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> Oil leak from the head
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Message started by Elmer on 05/10/16 at 06:27:06

Title: Oil leak from the head
Post by Elmer on 05/10/16 at 06:27:06

Hi!

I bought my first S40. I have $400 in it so far including the purchase price.

I rode it for 50 miles and found that I had an oil leak from the top of the fins and it blew back all over the right side of carb and bike.

1995, S40, red with 24k miles. Was left sitting for 5 years under a tarp in the hot phoenix sun before I rescued it. This is my first bike. I have mechanical skills on Jeeps mainly.

SOooo, I read up on the forum on all the possibilities. Went step by step on removing the head cover and revealed what you see in the pics. Looks good to me!! The only thing that i noticed was the gasket/seal on the head was almost non-existent. Just rubbery grey residue that crumbled and fell to pieces as I removed the head cover. but.....I don't know what it's "supposed" to look like. So maybe you guys can take a look? Here are two decent pictures attached.

Any help is greatly appreciated!

Title: Re: Oil leak from the head
Post by Elmer on 05/10/16 at 06:27:40

Second Pic

Title: Re: Oil leak from the head
Post by Dave on 05/10/16 at 06:43:37

It looks good.....and it does look like you had a leak in the sealer above the spark plug location - that is not all that uncommon as the miles build up. The oil on the right side was most likely the famous head plug leak.

The sealer between the head cap and head will be very thin - is is a machined surface and the top/bottom of the cam bearings are included in this mating surface.....so the use of a very thin layer of sealant is necessary, and if you goop too much on it will just ooze out of the joint when you tighten the head down and make a horrible visual mess (or plug up the cam oil passages). I recommend you use the official Suzuki sealant for this, and not try to use the RTV gasket makers you buy a the hardware or auto parts store. The SuzukiBond sets up slower and give you more time to work, and you can use a small wooden scraper and some rags to clean off the stuff that oozes out of the joint after you tighten the head cover down.

You should also install a Verslagen head plug over the front right cylinder stud - it won't shrink and leak like the stock one does.

You have a of cleaning up to do, some parts to order (Verlsagen head plug, Suzukibond, O-ring for the oi passage (11178-24B00), rubber seals for the bolts in the head cover, O-rings for the valve inspection caps, etc.

You also need to be aware that the bolts that hold this on thread into aluminum, and should be carefully torqued to the value listed in the manual.....they strip easily if you try to make them really tight - they have small threads and can strip the head or cylinder easily.

Title: Re: Oil leak from the head
Post by Art Webb on 05/10/16 at 06:49:06

+1 to everything Dave posted, and congrats on scoring an S40 for $400, I am so jealous of you right now ;D

Title: Re: Oil leak from the head
Post by Elmer on 05/10/16 at 19:43:24

Thanks for all the help! I have ordered all the new seals. I have not ordered the plug yet but I did get the gasket stuff from the suzuki dealer. Funny though, they didn't have the suzuki brand and said they have not had it for quite some time. But they gave me the Honda brand. I hope that works the same.

Anyways, all the gaskets and seals will be in on friday and i'll start re-assembly.

Title: Re: Oil leak from the head
Post by Elmer on 05/23/16 at 14:40:15

I am still leaking oil. Almost as much as before. I ordered the head plug from here and it should be here tues / wed. I think maybe the gasket I used failed? I don't know. It will be interesting to see it once I get it all apart. :'(

Title: Re: Oil leak from the head
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 05/23/16 at 14:57:23

You put it together without replacing the head plug? Why?

Title: Re: Oil leak from the head
Post by Elmer on 05/24/16 at 14:16:09

Because......science?