SuzukiSavage.com - Return of the head plug leak?

DavidOfMA

Senior Member

Offline

Getting back in gear
after a long time
away

Posts: 336
Beverly, MA
Gender: male

Return of the head plug leak?
01/17/13 at 11:06:51

I had a leaky head plug replaced about three months ago and have ridden only a few hundred miles since, as it's been pretty cold around here. I noticed, today, some oil on the left side and front of the cylinder. The bolt in the center of the cylinder, an inch or so under the exhaust manifold, has some oil on it, and the fin under that bolt and the one beneath it also have some oil. Does this sound like the head plug is leaking again, or could it be explained by something else, such as the bolts loosening up due to riding in cold weather?

Thanks,
David

Back to top

- David

IP Logged

Oldfeller--FSO Serious Thumper ModSquad Offline Hobby is now "concentrated neuropany" Posts: 12673 Fayetteville, NC Gender:	Re: Return of the head plug leak? Reply #1 - 01/17/13 at 11:21:06 Who replaced your head plug for you? Did they use sealant on the new plug when they installed it? What kind of sealant did they use? In short, take it back to them.
Back to top	Former Savage Owner IP Logged

verslagen1 YaBB Moderator ModSquad Offline Where there's a will, I want to be in it. Posts: 28886 L.A. California Gender:	Re: Return of the head plug leak? Reply #2 - 01/17/13 at 11:22:52 Re torque that bolt, might go so far as to remove and clean and apply blue locktite... tighten the back one too.
Back to top	Versey's Place Tech Section Index IP Logged

DavidOfMA Senior Member Offline Getting back in gear after a long time away Posts: 336 Beverly, MA Gender:	Re: Return of the head plug leak? Reply #3 - 01/17/13 at 12:00:24 Thanks. Just stopped by the shop, they'll look at it Saturday. I'll mention using sealant on the plug, if they have to re-do the job. What works best?
Back to top	- David IP Logged

Qwapy Junior Member Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 82 Orlando, Florida Gender:	Re: Return of the head plug leak? Reply #4 - 01/17/13 at 12:24:51 "Return of the Head Plug Leak" Woaw! That sounds like the title for a horror movie
Back to top	IP Logged

DavidOfMA Senior Member Offline Getting back in gear after a long time away Posts: 336 Beverly, MA Gender:	Re: Return of the head plug leak? Reply #5 - 01/17/13 at 15:00:16 Starting to feel like one, too!
Back to top	- David IP Logged

Dave YaBB Moderator ModSquad Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 18099 Camp Springs, Kentucky Gender:	Re: Return of the head plug leak? Reply #6 - 01/17/13 at 17:44:27 Best to use? Suzukibond....the Factory stuff.
Back to top	Someday I will be old......But not today! IP Logged

DavidOfMA

Senior Member

Offline

Getting back in gear
after a long time
away

Posts: 336
Beverly, MA
Gender: male

Re: Return of the head plug leak?
Reply #7 - 01/19/13 at 10:15:27

Took it to the shop and they showed me something I didn't know, which is that you can see the top of the head plug from the front of the engine. It didn't appear to be leaking. They removed, cleaned, locktighted, and replaced the bolt that the oil seemed to be leaking from. Road the bike around for half an hour and so far, no leaks.

I asked the mechanic about Suzukibond and the head plug, and his opinion is that adding a sealant makes the plug more likely to leak, not less, so he doesn't use it. What's been the experience here with using a sealant or no sealant with head plugs?

Back to top

- David

IP Logged

verslagen1 YaBB Moderator ModSquad Offline Where there's a will, I want to be in it. Posts: 28886 L.A. California Gender:	Re: Return of the head plug leak? Reply #8 - 01/19/13 at 11:03:29 shops don't usually replace the plug and they leak. we don't tend to replace either, but we use RTV and they don't leak... for a while.
Back to top	Versey's Place Tech Section Index IP Logged

DavidOfMA Senior Member Offline Getting back in gear after a long time away Posts: 336 Beverly, MA Gender:	Re: Return of the head plug leak? Reply #9 - 01/19/13 at 19:23:58 Roughly how many miles have you gotten out of a head plug leak fix? Original plug ran about 8500 miles before it leaked.
Back to top	- David IP Logged

Oldfeller--FSO

Serious Thumper
ModSquad

Offline

Hobby is now
"concentrated
neuropany"

Posts: 12673
Fayetteville, NC
Gender: male

Re: Return of the head plug leak?
Reply #10 - 01/20/13 at 14:57:01

Since your reppie dude didn't seal your plug (and also didn't tighten your cap down correctly nor did he likely retorqe your head bolts correctly either) you'll get to tell us all about it as the leaks re-occur.

Dealing with the Dealership's Mikey dude is a biatch, to be sure.

My stuff hasn't leaked again in 20,000 miles, I'll tell you more as the miles rack up on the repair work. Some have a lot more miles than that, but you see we eat up a cam chain every 30-40,000 miles so we have to go in again.

Generally, a good list method type seal job doesn't leak.

Back to top

Former Savage Owner

IP Logged

Oldfeller--FSO

Serious Thumper
ModSquad

Offline

Hobby is now
"concentrated
neuropany"

Posts: 12673
Fayetteville, NC
Gender: male

Re: Return of the head plug leak?
Reply #11 - 01/20/13 at 14:59:57

Since your reppie dude didn't seal your plug (and also didn't tighten your cap down correctly nor did he likely retorqe your head bolts correctly either) you'll get to tell us all about it as the leaks re-occur.

Dealing with the Dealership's Mikey dude is a biatch, to be sure. They say "they know what they are doing", but the big pile of long term evidence says the contrary -- every Savage is a new experience to this year's new Mikey.

My stuff hasn't leaked again in 20,000 miles, I'll tell you more as the miles rack up on the repair work. Some have a lot more miles than that, but you see we eat up a cam chain every 35-50,000 miles so we have to go in again.

Generally, a good list method type seal job doesn't leak.

Back to top

Former Savage Owner

IP Logged

DavidOfMA Senior Member Offline Getting back in gear after a long time away Posts: 336 Beverly, MA Gender:	Re: Return of the head plug leak? Reply #12 - 01/21/13 at 07:16:51 Hopefully, by the next time I have a head plug leak I'll be more up to speed on motorcycle maintenance and will be able to competentlly tackle it myself. There certainly is a wealth of information on the site and in its membership.
Back to top	- David IP Logged

Digger Serious Thumper 2005 No Login Offline Ya gotta be tough to ride singles! Posts: 1604 Colorado Springs, CO Gender:	Re: Return of the head plug leak? Reply #13 - 01/24/13 at 18:58:19 Oldfeller--FSO wrote on 01/20/13 at 14:59:57: ...My stuff hasn't leaked again in 20,000 miles, I'll tell you more as the miles rack up on the repair work..... Old, What version of goo did you slop on your plug 20,000 leak-free miles ago? Enquiring minds want to know.... TIA!
Back to top	Digger 2001, Metallic Glacial Blue, Raptor Petcock, Verslavy (first hole) (otherwise, mechanically, the bike is stock), 13,xxx miles I don't own a cage. www.astronautbiker.com IP Logged

Oldfeller--FSO Serious Thumper ModSquad Offline Hobby is now "concentrated neuropany" Posts: 12673 Fayetteville, NC Gender:	Re: Return of the head plug leak? Reply #14 - 01/25/13 at 13:36:13 Permatex black RTV (I color matched to the painted head and barrel so the ooze is not noticeable at all)
Back to top	Former Savage Owner IP Logged