head gasket seeping

[Tapartacus]

Hi all, just discovered my 92 FJ1200 head gasket is seeping oil! didn't notice it before, I'm thinking maybe because of my recent switch to synthetic oil? Also Blue smoke at startup, smoke turns white when bike is warm. Any thoughts? Bike has 12k miles.

Thanks

[Arnie]

HI Tapartacus,

Lets see. 19 year old bike with 12K miles.  That's an average of about 700 miles per year.  I guess its possible, but is it the real milage?  Are you sure its not 112K miles?

That smoke could be oil from the seeping head gasket on the exhaust pipes burning off, or it could be valve stem seals that are worn( ? ? ? ) or hardened and cracked.  I'd do a leakdown pressure test or at least a compression test to try and determing what is happening.

Doubtful that the change in oil has caused this.

BTW - IF you're only doing 700 miles per year, why do you want/need synthetic oil?  I'm assuming you are still changing it at least each year.

Arnie  

[Pat Conlon]

You are sure it's the head gasket (very rare) and not the valve cover gasket (common)....or even the rubber grommets (most common) on the valve cover bolts?
If it the head gasket for sure... what's your compression numbers like?
The oil smoke on startup can commonly come from dry hard valve seals.....Typical on a bike not used frequently.

Solution: Ride the bike. Ride the bike a lot. Ride the piss out of the bike. Exercise the bike in the kookaloo zone often. Add oil as needed.
Many folks with the same problem have commented that after a good long run the oil smoke went away as the dry valve seals softened up.

Cheers!

[Tapartacus]

After some investigation I realize it is the valve cover gasket seeping, and the as far as I can tell it is 12,000 miles. Can I replace the valve cover gasket easily and if I do should I change the valve seals at that time. I have a Klymer manual and seems like quite a job with specialized tools.

[Pat Conlon]

Can I replace the valve cover gasket easily....

Yes you can do the job easy. It's up to you if you want to invest in a new $40 valve cover gasket. Perhaps you don't need a new gasket. You won't be able to tell until you pull the old gasket off and clean it up. However that being said, I'm reminded about Murphy's Law regarding gaskets;
The probability of reusing your old valve cover gasket is inversely proportional as to whether or not, you have a purchased new gasket.

I recommend changing the oil seal grommets on the valve cover bolts while you're in there... See Randy@RPM for the best prices.

and if I do should I change the valve seals at that time. I have a Klymer manual and seems like quite a job with specialized tools.

No I would wait on the valve seals....see my above recommendation.  Ride your bike first, see what happens. It might clear up on it's own.  Cheers!

[FJTillDeath]

Visit Randy's site here

http://www.rpmracingca.com/products.asp?cat=39&pg=5

The valve cover grommets and the valve cover gasket were recommended to me as I have the same kind of problem.

As for for Pat says, I agree with him. When I first got the bike it had 4500km on it(real or not) and it had the same problem you describe, rode it everyday to work and back and took it for a very long tour and never noticed any smoke afterwards

[Mark Olson]

You are sure it's the head gasket (very rare) and not the valve cover gasket (common)....or even the rubber grommets (most common) on the valve cover bolts?
If it the head gasket for sure... what's your compression numbers like?
The oil smoke on startup can commonly come from dry hard valve seals.....Typical on a bike not used frequently.

Solution: Ride the bike. Ride the bike a lot. Ride the piss out of the bike. Exercise the bike in the kookaloo zone often. Add oil as needed.
Many folks with the same problem have commented that after a good long run the oil smoke went away as the dry valve seals softened up.

Cheers!

listen to Pat, ride the piss out of it and then see what ya got.

[Tapartacus]

Thanks for the great info everyone. Have ordered the valve cover gasket and grommets. As soon as they are installed I will ride the "piss" out of it! Ha

[Tapartacus]

   Just one more thing, I was in my local automotive store today and found a product that stops your vehicle from smoking by lubricating (conditioning) the seals in your engine. Also supposed to stop leaks, has anyone tried this type of product and does it do anything?

Andrew

[FJmonkey]

   Just one more thing, I was in my local automotive store today and found a product that stops your vehicle from smoking by lubricating (conditioning) the seals in your engine. Also supposed to stop leaks, has anyone tried this type of product and does it do anything?
Andrew

Some of the stop leak products cause the seals to swell and temporarily stop or reduce the leak. The seals tend to get weaker from the product that causes them to swell up and then fail rather quickly and leak worse. Lubrication is what keeps the seals from breaking down from friction, if they are already leaking then it may be a case of too little too late. Besides, I would want to know if this product will affect my clutch in a bad way before I added it. Maybe just before an oil change, if it does crappy stuff to the clutch then dump it and consider it a lesson learned.

[Mark Olson]

You mentioned that you have synthetic oil in it already, so don,t mess with additives . Just ride it.