Colin's FJ1200

[FJ1200W]

Good humor Steve what really made me LOL was the picture of the petcock filter i guess you can say that is well used .

"free flow race version custom modification"

Thank you!

[FJ1200W]

"If" the diaphragm passes the suck test....no preference.

That extra 10* of advance when the throttle plates close sure cleans off the plugs.

I'll test with and without.

I like the idea of clean plugs.

[red]

I've had them blow out on cars and bikes.  I'm not sure why on this instance, as it's got a very free flowing filter on the vent.  I chalk it up to "shit happens" and that I probably didn't install the gasket properly (which really pisses me off because I spent a lot of time making sure the damn thing was perfect).  In the past it usually was due to either an obstruction in the crankcase ventilation system (as you mentioned) or a really big ka-pow from the deep dark depths.....

Steve,

Does the crankcase oil smell like gasoline?  A leaky carb (as one example) can put gasoline into the crankcase oil when parked.  The oil level can increase as that happens.

[ribbert]

Made some progress today.
Took a test ride, eff'ing valve cover gasket popped and sprayed oil all over my bare leg.

Steve,

Just gotta ask, why would that happen?  All pistons leak combustion gasses to some extent. 
Is there no crankcase ventilation that works, with that engine?  Never heard of this malfunction before.
Seems to me, if the valve cover gasket did not blow out, then some other seals or gaskets would soon blow out instead.

Red, that gasket would be the last thing to let go from crankcase pressure. If you consider it's section, how much of it sits in the groove and the finished gap between the cover and the head when tightened, no way. What ever caused it to let go, it wasn't that.

Noel

[red]

Took a test ride, eff'ing valve cover gasket popped and sprayed oil all over my bare leg.

Red, that gasket would be the last thing to let go from crankcase pressure. If you consider it's section, how much of it sits in the groove and the finished gap between the cover and the head when tightened, no way. What ever caused it to let go, it wasn't that.
Noel

Noel,

I see . . .   What was it that caused oil to "spray" all over the rider's leg?
.

[FJ1200W]

I pulled the valve cover on a hunch.
Obviously my inspection did not catch it all, as now there is a weep from the front right.
Not as bad as the left rear was, but I'm going in again when time allows.
I think I'll vacuum it clean for a close inspection.
Where this came from is also on my list of things to do.....

[fj1289]

Asking the obvious - Where did the cardboard come from under the valve cover?  

[ribbert]

Noel,

I see . . .   What was it that caused oil to "spray" all over the rider's leg?
.

Red, not saying it wasn't leaking, just that it wouldn't be from crankcase pressure. It had a leak at the left rear corner of the valve cover gasket, right next to his leg, you don't have to go very fast or very far for the wind to "spray" that around.

Steve himself has already alluded to the most likely cause.

Noel

[ribbert]

Asking the obvious - Where did the cardboard come from under the valve cover?  

Hmmm.... spark plug box lid flap?

[Old Rider]

Hmmm.... spark plug box lid flap?

10 points to Ribbert 

[FJ1200W]

Hmmm.... spark plug box lid flap?

Yes, exactly, good call! Well done!

I went out and found the piece, compared with a box.

And then I remember, the plugs I pulled from it were the "Racing" plugs, and the box color matches, as do the markings.

My preference, the standard plugs in the yellow box.

I remove the cover again, checked and cleaned it up but found no more "garbage".

It will be fired up again and tested as soon as time allows.

[FJ1200W]

Asking the obvious - Where did the cardboard come from under the valve cover?  

Looks like Noel-it-all nailed it, as mentioned above. Very cool, I give him credit when credit is due!

I feel better knowing I didn't leave it there, it was from the last time someone removed the cover -

Which makes me think that it may not have been the cause of the leak.....

[FJ1200W]

I see . . .   What was it that caused oil to "spray" all over the rider's leg?
.

That's the million dollar question.

I removed the oil cap and ran the motor, seemed to not make any difference, so crankcase pressure is out.

Could the little piece of cardboard have blocked an oil return and caused the leak, I'm not convinced.

I'm leaning towards a possibly warped valve cover, and that's why the last person to work on it used RTV on it.

So I've added a super thin layer of Permatex Ultra Black RTV to the metal surface of the valve cover and then placed the gasket into place.

Sure made it a lot easy to install.

I don't like using RTV except when called for. But I do make exceptions - and as mentioned, very very thin.

[FJ1200W]

Latest, greatest, so close to the finish -

The vacuum petcock diaphram or seal went bad, leading to the #3 cylinder sucking a lot of fuel.

I'm looking at options -

Man, that bike was spitting out raw fuel like no bike I've ever seen.

Smelled great, I need to freshen up that fuel.......

[FJ1200W]

I believe the tiny flat o-ring type seal on the vacuum side was missing and that caused the fuel to feed direct into ole number three.

I attempted to make one from an old carb gasket, but don't trust it.