question about valve cover access, oil leak

[jddetroit]

I've got an oil smell upon start up.  I suspect the valve cover leaking a bit onto the exhaust, but haven't verified.
Question is, if I pull off the tupperware, are the valve cover bolts accessible, in the event that maybe one or more have just become loose?  Hoping I can just tighten and resolve the problem, however if they're not accessible, I'll not bother taking her apart, and just run it into the dealer for more warranty work..
thanks,

JD

[jayke]

Define accessable.......

Some of the bolts you might get to.  There is a lot of stuff under the plastic.

This is cruise control instructions for an '08, but gives you an idea of what is under the plastic. Just look at the pictures.   http://www.murphskits.com/catalog/docs/c14cc-install.htm

If it's under warranty, I'd let the dealer handle it.

[feelergaugephil]

As Jayke said, under warranty, let them do it, 9.5 out of 10 the Connie valve cover gasket leaks at the front, Ive never seen them leak anywhere else....

[Cheesecake]

The exhaust cam sensor seal usually starts leaking. The plastic doesn't just peel off. You have lots of frames and special fasteners and hoses and wires and rubber sheets and plugs that also will be in the way. And when you go to put them back on, you will have hell remembering where they all went. Even with a service manual and videos. And you need torque wrenches and to know where to locktite and where not to.

[jddetroit]

Well I took the plastic off. Not sure exactly what is leaking but it appears to becoming from the left front of the valve cover.  Not sure where that sensor housing is.   I couldnt tighten anything so back to her second home for warranty work...On a side note I noticed on the lower RH fairing, one of the bolts was right against a hose. (Mine is an 08).  I spaced it out a little to provide some clearance.

[VirginiaJim]

We've seen some bikes with this leakage and it was the valve cover gasket.  If it's under warranty, get the man to fix it.

[jddetroit]

Oil on the siteglass appears to be high.  If over full,does the engine vent the excess to the outside? If so where does it vent? Wondering if this might be the source of my leak.
Thanks

[feelergaugephil]

Im taking a really good guess here...... does it smoke on start up at the front and vent up past your instrument cluster?  Valve cover gasket at the front. known issue on ZX1400 and Connie.

[ZedHed]

Oil on the siteglass appears to be high.  If over full,does the engine vent the excess to the outside?

If the crankcase is severely overfilled with oil -- the crankshaft "dips" in the oil and causes it to froth up and mix with air - this is also known as windage.  This is catastrophic for your engine.  You never want to overfill your engine.  You can tell by looking at the oil in the sight glass as it will look all foamy.  Just overfilling by a small amount is not going to be a problem.

I doubt oil will be vented out of the engine unless the engine was severely overfilled.

[jddetroit]

Oil is above the sight glass but I don't believe it is crazy overfilled.  No foamimg for sure.  I guess I am grasping at straws hoping to avoid having to have my bike torn apart by who knows who.  Thx

[BudCallaghan]

Oil on the siteglass appears to be high.  If over full,does the engine vent the excess to the outside? If so where does it vent? Wondering if this might be the source of my leak.
Thanks

What in the hell are you talking about?  If the author of this thread's original post cannot better express his question, can anyone else possible decipher it and inform the rest of us so that we may possibly know what is actually wrong, and then make an analysis and render opinions?  Sorry to answer a question with a question but please make an effort to actually state the problem. 

[jddetroit]

Sorry Bud if you couldn't "possible decipher" my post, but apparently it was clear enough to be understood by some.  It is the valve cover that is leaking, so off to the shop she goes.

[VirginiaJim]

I would think that an overfill condition would cause the oil to come out other orfices rather than leak at a gasket.  The gasket leak you describe, while not extremely common, has been noted at least several times by other members and affects the ZX14 as well.  Sometimes the cover is loose and sometimes it's the way the gasket was mounted at the factory.  I think taking it to a dealer, assuming you have warranty left would be the best option.  If not, you are probably looking at a new gasket at the very least.

[BudCallaghan]

I would think that an overfill condition would cause the oil to come out other orfices rather than leak at a gasket.  The gasket leak you describe, while not extremely common, has been noted at least several times by other members and affects the ZX14 as well.  Sometimes the cover is loose and sometimes it's the way the gasket was mounted at the factory.  I think taking it to a dealer, assuming you have warranty left would be the best option.  If not, you are probably looking at a new gasket at the very least.

Jim is right, a slight overfill of oil will do nothing to increase internal pressure.  To determine the extent of the overfill, have someone else assist by holding the bike level while you observe the sight glass.  Then very gradually lean the bike to the left until you see the oil begin to descend on the glass.  You can then determine the extent of the overfill.  If it's slight, there's nothing to cause concern, just ignore it.  If it's way too much oil then you'd best get the excess out of there.  Drain a bit into a clean container and then put some back in to achieve a proper level.  Or if you're in need of an oil change or close to it then just do the oil change a bit early.  In the event of an extreme overfill, probably a quart or more, then ZedHed's warning could come into play.  This is not likely though and provided your warranty is still in effect a trip to the dealer is your best option.  While the valve cover is off the bike take the opportunity to measure valve clearances.  If you do take it to the dealer, get the oil level down to its proper level to avoid giving the dealer any reason to blame you for the leak.  Best of luck to you.   

[jddetroit]

Well, I'm baffled.

I was prepared to take her in to get the valve cover replaced, but got sent out of town, so she sat on the side stand for a couple of weeks.  On the side stand, she leans in the direction from which the oil was leaking, (or so I thought) so I figured that when I fired her up, she'd start smoking like crazy.  Nothing.
rode her for a hundred miles, starting her up a few times during that trip...no smoke.

Parked her for a few more days.....still no smoke. 

I'm now wondering if my thoughts on oil somehow making its way into the airbox, or somewhere above the engine, and leaking out were justified.  I don't know what is going on, but I've never seen any leak 'fix' itself.

Anyhow, long story short, I'm going to ride the heck out of her until I smell burning oil again!!!

Thanks for the input and comments!

JD

[BudCallaghan]

Well, I'm baffled.

I was prepared to take her in to get the valve cover replaced, but got sent out of town, so she sat on the side stand for a couple of weeks.  On the side stand, she leans in the direction from which the oil was leaking, (or so I thought) so I figured that when I fired her up, she'd start smoking like crazy.  Nothing.
rode her for a hundred miles, starting her up a few times during that trip...no smoke.
Parked her for a few more days.....still no smoke. 
I'm now wondering if my thoughts on oil somehow making its way into the airbox, or somewhere above the engine, and leaking out were justified.  I don't know what is going on, but I've never seen any leak 'fix' itself.
Anyhow, long story short, I'm going to ride the heck out of her until I smell burning oil again!!!
Thanks for the input and comments!
JD

There's the possibility that no oil leak ever existed.  It's conceivable that something (oil, tar, you name it?) may have found its way onto your exhaust and taken awhile to burn off.  Until it did, you smelled it.  From my experience, oil leaks don't fix themselves.  Let's hope it was just a misdiagnosis. 

[Conrad]

I've got an oil smell upon start up.  I suspect the valve cover leaking a bit onto the exhaust, but haven't verified.
Question is, if I pull off the tupperware, are the valve cover bolts accessible, in the event that maybe one or more have just become loose?  Hoping I can just tighten and resolve the problem, however if they're not accessible, I'll not bother taking her apart, and just run it into the dealer for more warranty work..
thanks,

JD

By any chance was the oil smell after you rode in the rain?

[MGvalerio]

Well, I'm baffled.

I was prepared to take her in to get the valve cover replaced, but got sent out of town, so she sat on the side stand for a couple of weeks.  On the side stand, she leans in the direction from which the oil was leaking, (or so I thought) so I figured that when I fired her up, she'd start smoking like crazy.  Nothing.
rode her for a hundred miles, starting her up a few times during that trip...no smoke.

Parked her for a few more days.....still no smoke. 

I'm now wondering if my thoughts on oil somehow making its way into the airbox, or somewhere above the engine, and leaking out were justified.  I don't know what is going on, but I've never seen any leak 'fix' itself.

Anyhow, long story short, I'm going to ride the heck out of her until I smell burning oil again!!!

Thanks for the input and comments!

JD

 
Accensione a motore freddo con olio motore al massimo è facile sentire detto odore che proviene da l' airbox.
Molto spesso sento questo odore che può avvenire pure ad accensione a motore caldo.
 
Tranquillo non è perdita d'olio dal coperchio valvole,fatti 200 metri e non si avverte più niente.
 
Il livello olio motore nella coppa dopo 12.000 km è sempre quello..al massimo o poco ci manca.
 
 
MGvalerio.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Turning a cold engine with engine oil to the maximum is easy to feel that smell that comes from the 'air-box.

Very often I hear that this odor may be well-ignition engine is hot.



Quiet is not an oil leak from the valve cover, made ​​200 meters and no longer feel anything.



The engine oil level in the sump after 12,000 km is always the best .. or not far off.
 
 
MGvalerio.