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Post- Harvey: Under the Head Cover (Read 539 times)
Mavigogun
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Post- Harvey: Under the Head Cover
10/25/19 at 21:54:31
 
So, I raised the bike- my wife's first -up as high as I could- 18", or so, atop a hastily rigged ramp in the living room -as the flood water rose.   In the end, the water stabilized around exhaust-header-height- for over a week.

After the waters receded, we drained the crank case, but found only oil in it- some miracle, that.   Disassembled the carb and air box, both of which seemed clean.    When we got this 2007 bike in 2017 with 3000 miles on the odometer, it would reliably cut out/loose power in the high 60's; the previous owner had put a Harley exhaust on it, but made no changes to the carb.   Since we had it off for cleaning, we rejetted, adjusted the screw, and, hey-presto, it could sustain an indicated 82; faster than that sustained, the bike would loose power, demand to be ran at a crawl for a few minutes, if not stopped, before creeping back up to the max-reliable speed.  In the next year, she put 3-4 hundred miles on it before switching to a CB500F.

The Savage became my first bike.  The whole cruiser style wasn't my thing, and the heavy front end seemed sluggish- but that single big rumbling cylinder- there was no mistake that you were riding a machine.   I dug it.  I could live with 82 mph, so put 2300 miles on it in less than 2 months.   A couple weeks ago I checked the oil, and- nothing in the little window.   Balanced the bike upright while curled low, waiting for it to fall on me.   Still nothing in the window.   Tilted it toward me a bit.   Still nothing.

I had no clue riding the bike hard it would drink oil.   There was a fine mist of oil on the battery box that I attributed to road muck.   So, I drained the very little oil remaining, filled-and-drained it again to removed any burnt remnants, replaced the filter, topped it off.   After the first long ride, I noticed fresh oil on the battery box; after the second, the battery box, speedo cable, and upper right fins were oil covered.   Looking into the recess behind the exhaust header port reveled a pool of oil.

So, I freaked out, curled up in a little ball on the sofa with this forum, began sifting through posts, and discovered the infamous bolt-cap leak.   It seemed, given the leak localization, like a reasonable place to start.

While dissembling the head cover, I was alarmed to find the spark plug was only finger tight; while there was oil back behind the recess at the top end of the plug, there was no oil on the normally air-exposed head top on the left side.  I was surprised to find the bolt cap stuck firmly in place.

So, I've removed remnants of the old gasket from the cover and head, carefully pealing away ribbons of (?)silicon and rubbing the surface clean with a cloth.

A few questions:

1) that loose spark plug was screwy, wasn't it?

2) what's with the stuck bolt cap?   I'm the proud owner of a Verslagen plug, so will be replacing it, but whatyathink- could that stuck plug still be  responsible for the leak?   How should I dislodge it, anyway?   Is it advisable to grab its top rim with pliers and tug?

3) is wiping the surface in prep for the gasket sufficient, or need I use a de-greaser, such as denature alcohol?

4) the head cover bolts located directly under the frame required the use of a universal adapter to get a wrench on; I can't imagine getting a torque wrench on them directly -are you able to?

5) the head cap clearance over the timing chain is crazy tight getting it off/on- so I'm inclined to only put gasket on the head, not the cap, to avoid smearing on assembly.   Is that cool?

6) if I elect to replace the cam shaft cap, can it be removed without disturbing the shaft?   Should it receive any gasket?   (I'm guessing "no".)

Here are some pictures just to make the post seem interesting.   Who knows?   -maybe you'll see something.   Notice the corrosion on the springs.   What's that funky coil of metal mesh  in the head cover?   -some sort of oil filter?   Notice the blue number painted inside the head near the chain- ever seen THAT before?





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Re: Post- Harvey: Under the Head Cover
Reply #1 - 10/25/19 at 22:36:41
 
Mavigogun wrote on 10/25/19 at 21:54:31:
1) that loose spark plug was screwy, wasn't it?
I've seen it before, the class of threads makes the seal, the washer just keeps it from loosening. Quote:
2) what's with the stuck bolt cap?   I'm the proud owner of a Verslagen plug, so will be replacing it, but whatyathink- could that stuck plug still be  responsible for the leak?   How should I dislodge it, anyway?   Is it advisable to grab its top rim with pliers and tug?
that's an old style cap, it's a rubber covered metal plug, just grab it and pull Quote:
3) is wiping the surface in prep for the gasket sufficient, or need I use a de-greaser, such as denature alcohol?
I use acetone Quote:
4) the head cover bolts located directly under the frame required the use of a universal adapter to get a wrench on; I can't imagine getting a torque wrench on them directly -are you able to?
nope, I just guess and torquing all the others Quote:
5) the head cap clearance over the timing chain is crazy tight getting it off/on- so I'm inclined to only put gasket on the head, not the cap, to avoid smearing on assembly.   Is that cool?
I've done it both ways, putting it on the cover is easier, if you put it on the head, not everything needs it, practice a couple of times w/out the sealer to figure out how to get it on easily, some frames have more clearance than others Quote:
6) if I elect to replace the cam shaft cap, can it be removed without disturbing the shaft?
the big one between head and cover? yes Quote:
  Should it receive any gasket?   (I'm guessing "no".)
the one in the cover has an o-ring Quote:
Here are some pictures just to make the post seem interesting.   Who knows?   -maybe you'll see something.   Notice the corrosion on the springs.   What's that funky coil of metal mesh  in the head cover?   -some sort of oil filter?   Notice the blue number painted inside the head near the chain- ever seen THAT before?

not corrosion, paint.
mesh is for oil recovery.
nope, but they do paint marks in various places.
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Re: Post- Harvey: Under the Head Cover
Reply #2 - 10/25/19 at 22:42:26
 
While it may seem cool to put those pict's all in the one post by uploading in another.  if that post is ever deleted, there goes your picts.
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Re: Post- Harvey: Under the Head Cover
Reply #3 - 10/26/19 at 06:07:54
 
I have found that the left front cylinder stud can create an oil leak near the spark plug.  The stud has a cavity around it, and the oil drains from the head back to the crankcase around this stud.  The brass washer under the nut can sometimes weep oil.  When I have the head cover off I take this nut and washer off, clean everything up, apply a small amount of RTV to both sides of the washer and install it, then put a small dab of never seize on the stud and then install the nut and torque the nut.  (I do the same on the right rear stud, as it can weep oil if not sealed and if you look at the right rear of the head - you can see where this stud is visible and oil will leak out the right rear of the cylinder).

Do you still have the stock vacuum petcock on the bike?
If so - it could be the cause of the loss of power at speed.  When you are using a lot of engine power the amount of vacuum decreases, and if the diaphragm in the petcock is stiff it can reduce the amount of fuel flow and starve the carb for fuel.  This can also happen if you have installed an inline filter..........don't stick an additional filter in the fuel line, as the plastic housings are thick and the small inlet/outlet holes are restrictive and reduce fuel flow (and they can air lock and prevent any fuel flow). Replace the stock petcock with a real Yamaha Raptor petcock (don't get a cheap chinese copy....get the real part that come in a white Yamaha box and costs around $30).
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Re: Post- Harvey: Under the Head Cover
Reply #4 - 10/26/19 at 07:16:30
 
[quote author=727E69767870786A711F0 link=1572065671/0#0 date=.   Since we had it off for cleaning, we rejetted, adjusted the screw, and, hey-presto, it could sustain an indicated 82; faster than that sustained, the bike would loose power, demand to be ran at a crawl for a few minutes, if not stopped, before creeping back up to the max-reliable speed.  .

   The fact that the bike lost power was caused by it running lean, I would think ,you changed jets, but you didn't mention doing the spacer mod to raise the jet needle, that may cause you to run lean in mid range, and even more so at throttle openings greater than 3/4 (overheat)  which is why when you slow down and the motor drops down to normal temperature it will again repeat to 82 mph until it overheats again . You could damage the motor by running to lean running to rich wastes fuel, and may foul your sparkplug (it can be cleaned and reused) but won't damage your motor. I'd do the spacer mod ! How many # 4 steel machine washers you use ,(or if you sand down the white plastic spacer) depends on your elevation above sea level, generally 1/2 spacer or 2 washers below 1000ft or 3/4 or 3 spacers above 1000 ft . doing the mod  will allow you to feel a real increase in performance as well,faster pickup and a top speed of about 85-87 mph.
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Re: Post- Harvey: Under the Head Cover
Reply #5 - 10/26/19 at 08:03:44
 
Great feed-back, all.

The spacer mod, I believe, wasn't performed, but has been on my radar, and will be confronted.

The petcock is stock- now a Raptor is on the way.

The casing around left-side studs are dry- I'm reticent to add a new variable before testing my handiwork, as I don't yet trust my technique -but is great to be made aware of when regarding the engine, and in the event of a future rebuild.

I'll acetone clean the gasket surfaces.

All things considered, a remarkably robust design.   I wonder if a "modern" bike with fuel injection would have fared as well.

I'll include a picture of the spark plug for another data point.   I wonder if the new plug will come with a washer?

Does anything under the cover need lubing before all is re-interned?




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Re: Post- Harvey: Under the Head Cover
Reply #6 - 10/26/19 at 08:05:03
 
To prevent imaging orphaning, I'll attach the previous images in sequence.
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Re: Post- Harvey: Under the Head Cover
Reply #7 - 10/26/19 at 08:05:41
 
Infamous cap.
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Re: Post- Harvey: Under the Head Cover
Reply #8 - 10/26/19 at 08:06:18
 
Paint, apparently.
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Re: Post- Harvey: Under the Head Cover
Reply #9 - 10/26/19 at 08:07:26
 
Vista shot.
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Re: Post- Harvey: Under the Head Cover
Reply #10 - 10/26/19 at 08:08:17
 
...your lucky numbers are:
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Re: Post- Harvey: Under the Head Cover
Reply #11 - 10/26/19 at 09:32:34
 
Lube the cam lobes, and when the head cover is back on - squirt oil through the exhaust valve access hole to fill the trough under the cam.
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Re: Post- Harvey: Under the Head Cover
Reply #12 - 10/26/19 at 09:59:00
 
Dave wrote on 10/26/19 at 09:32:34:
Lube the cam lobes, and when the head cover is back on - squirt oil through the exhaust valve access hole to fill the trough under the cam.


With what shall I lube the cam?   Just engine oil?

Is the "exhaust valve access hole" the cavity just to the bike-oriented-right of the exhaust header flange?   If so, that seems to be one of the sources of my recent leak.

The attached image is looking at the engine from the front of the bike.


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Re: Post- Harvey: Under the Head Cover
Reply #13 - 10/26/19 at 10:12:08
 
Here's another curiosity- the view into the cavity next to where the exhaust header attaches to the engine.   I've suspended a light above the engine with the cover off; light may be seen at the back of the cavity, toward the back side of the engine.

I could use an explainer on how this open cavity leading into the space under the header cover works.   Is it for cooling?   Some sort of pressure device?   What would be the consequence of limited airflow into the cavity be?  -such as at low speed, or if a fairing diverted air around the opening?

Tangential, will dispensing with the aluminum engine side overs have any impact worth mentioning?

Topical to the oil leak, and having found oil pooled in the cavity, might-could that first bolt at the bottom inside of the cavity be a likely contributor?
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Re: Post- Harvey: Under the Head Cover
Reply #14 - 10/26/19 at 10:20:01
 
Dave wrote on 10/26/19 at 06:07:54:
...petcock is stiff it can reduce the amount of fuel flow and starve the carb for fuel.  This can also happen if you have installed an inline filter..........don't stick an additional filter in the fuel line, as the plastic housings are thick and the small inlet/outlet holes are restrictive and reduce fuel flow (and they can air lock and prevent any fuel flow).


The original petcock features an integrated filter; what will do that job once the Raptor replaces it, if not an in-line filter?    Does the design of the Yamaha petcock preclude the uptake of tank debris, or is the prospect of contaminates the price paid for better flow?   Or something else, beyond my imagining?
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