oil leak - opinions please

[ecka00_imp]

Bought the bike 2 months ago and have about 2.5K on the odometer. Is this something I need to get fixed ASAP or (as long as it doesn't get any worse) can it wait until the end of the riding season? And will this impact compression? -A

[Lord Popgun]

There was some discussion about this earlier this Spring. It is your valve cover leaking. Apparently some were installed incorrectly at the factory. One guy found his gasket pinched. Some (can't remember totally) had the sealant that you can see at the caps not done right.

If it is under warranty, get the dealer to fix it. Of course valve cover leakage does not affect compression.

[ecka00_imp]

Thank you! It is under warranty however, the local shop has a month + backlog so I'm going to wait until the end of the season versus go a month without riding. I wanted someone's opinion so I wouldn't have to worry about damaging the bike further by not having it fixed asap. Thanks for the peace of mind....

[Lord Popgun]

Just so you know, there are probably a couple million or more cars with leaking valve cover gaskets.

You might want to show it to the shop before you clean it off, just in case.

[kmoney_imp]

Yup. The gaskets on my 91 LS 400 have been leaking since the turn of the turn of the millenium and it still runs like a top.

You could try snugging up the top bolt on there, but the leak is nothing that will harm you engine.

[veech_imp]

The problem with leaking valve cover gaskets in a car is the cabin smell when running air or heat...sort of smells like wet horses or cows...not exactly a 'chick magnet'.

[kevbroce_imp]

Mine did that so I brought it to my mechanic. He grabbed a wrench and tightened the bolt on the top of the cam cover closest to the leak. Problem went away.

[HikerToo_imp]

also, if a dealer says they are back logged for that much time, couldn't you just make your appointment, drop it off the night before and pick it up the day they do the work? Not like you have to leave it with them for the 30 days while they get around to working on it...

[Pterodactyl_imp]

Ecka, this may be just a case of the seal "taking up". Ensure that the cover bolts are tightened correctly. After tightening, wipe away the oil and check wether the leak continues. If so, the gasket or sealant may be defective, or been installed incorrectly. With the small amount of leakage involved you can continue to run the bike with complete confidence that no engine damage will occur until you get it to the dealer.

Cheers and good luck.
By the way, I took my cylinder head cover off during a valve clearance check. After re-installation there was a slight oil leak, or rather more like what is called a "weep". At this time I also changed to a full synthetic oil. Synthetic has the reputation of producing this "weeping" on initial use. In any case, whatever the cause, I tightened the cover bolts and "abracadabra", like magic, problem gone.

Cheers again.

[CIP57_imp]

I had the same problem after I switched to full synthetic oil. I would call it more like sweating down the first three fins. Mine was on the left side only. I loosened and torqued the valve cover bolts which helped. Torque values are very low on the bolts which is the main cause of the problem.