Valve cover gasket again

[f1nxlife]

hey fellows...im ready to light this ****ing bike on fire and collect the insurance money for it....this mother ****ing valve cover is starting to leak in the same ****ing spot on the same right side of the bike,i just had the ****ing thing replaced,,up until tonight i have been riding local.....tonight im doing 110 on the freeway and the ** valve cover is leaking again from the same spot,,,,im starting to think i shouldnt have bought this ****ing bike,,,ive put lots of money into it,,,the valve cover did not leak until tonight after a run on the freeway,,,,the only good new is that the fork brace worked well,,,no speed wobbles at 110...what the **** is going on with this ****...please tell me what the **** to do.,.,.,jesus ****ing christ,,,,,,brett

 

[tmdoth]

Is it leaking from one of the half moon sections in the valve gasket?

 

[SandstoneSmitty]

I feel your pain, but easy on the "***". The 1st week of March is no cuss week. Good luck with your leak.

 

[zlMark]

On level ground with a cold engine, lift the seat up, put a level across the frame tubes and have someone hold the bike level. Make sure that the oil is not over filled. Also make sure the crankcase breather under the left side of the airbox is not obstructed. It's the one that comes out of the bare aluminum cap above the transmission

 

[Billy]

half harley, lol . I hate a leaking bike, back up breath survey the problem, remember it's a machine built by humans. then torch the fcking thing lol

 

[f1nxlife]

hey mark,the oil level is good.,,the left side of the air box has a short elbow hose going to the top of the tranny...very short curve from the airbox to the top of that aluminum cap,,,then there is a small outlit coming straight down ..no obstruction....doesnt that need a hose with a small air filter,,,seems i have seen that in pics of other bikes.,?,,,the leak is not coming from the half moon areas,,,,just from right in the middle of the right side valve cover,,,hasnt leaked until last night,,,,and its coming from the same place that it was before i had it replaced,,,,im not sure if it would do any good to have the shop that did it look at it,,,,it looked like they did it right,,although maybe they didnt clean up the top of the head or the bottom of the valve cover,,you would think that they would have lightly sanded it smooth,,,,?? brett

 

[markus56]

The valve cover gasket and the plug well gaskets are some of the most annoying leaks you can have on these ZL's. Cussin' like a sailor won't accomplish nothin'.....except annoying other people. I've learned how to seal up the top end on these motors after a couple of unsuccessful attempts and I know how frustrating it can be to have it spring a leak on 'ya again. I always use all new gaskets, (cover gasket, plug well gaskets, and the cover bolt gaskets) since it's good insurance on something so hard to get at. My secret is High Tack by Permatex. I always glue the gaskets onto the cover (valve cover and plug well) first and then let dry for a day. When you go to put the cover on, put a little on your finger and apply a small amount to the half moons in the head and I like to also put a small film on the bottom of the valve cover gasket on the sides where you described it was coming from. The valve cover bolts won't need any High Tack......just make sure you tighten in the correct sequence starting with the center bolts. I haven't had a valve cover leak in the last half dozen changes and I wind mine up pretty good! I can't trust taking my bikes to ANY shop.......that's why I do my own. Mark

 

[tmdoth]

The valve cover gasket and the plug well gaskets are some of the most annoying leaks you can have on these ZL's. Cussin' like a sailor won't accomplish nothin'.....except annoying other people. I've learned how to seal up the top end on these motors after a couple of unsuccessful attempts and I know how frustrating it can be to have it spring a leak on 'ya again. I always use all new gaskets, (cover gasket, plug well gaskets, and the cover bolt gaskets) since it's good insurance on something so hard to get at. My secret is High Tack by Permatex. I always glue the gaskets onto the cover (valve cover and plug well) first and then let dry for a day. When you go to put the cover on, put a little on your finger and apply a small amount to the half moons in the head and I like to also put a small film on the bottom of the valve cover gasket on the sides where you described it was coming from. The valve cover bolts won't need any High Tack......just make sure you tighten in the correct sequence starting with the center bolts. I haven't had a valve cover leak in the last half dozen changes and I wind mine up pretty good! I can't trust taking my bikes to ANY shop.......that's why I do my own. Mark

That pretty much sums up what I would say. With the half moons, I don't mind putting a little extra gasket sealant on and having it squish out the sides a bit. It is easy enough to take a razor blade to it and clean it up after it has dried. Gluing the gasket in place can help as well, might be overkill,, but at the same time it is all to easy to have a small portion of the gasket ending up not seating itself in quite right. Usually in the hard to see spots. It is strange to see this happening with a new gasket though, That would have been my first guess after the sealant application to the half moons. Even a nice used one can still shrink or be just stiff enough to allow seepage past it. I found that on the o-rings for the rear coolant pipe; the pipe didn't leak before I removed it, but it did after I put it back on... all I needed to do was replace them with new ones. If I had a spare gasket I would ship it out, but SO CAL ZL got my last one.


ps mark, I will be calling another bike wrecker in town today, might luck out with another cover or two... so those gasket changes are slowlygonna start becoming a lot easier

 

[paulfun]

That pretty much sums up what I would say. With the half moons, I don't mind putting a little extra gasket sealant on and having it squish out the sides a bit. It is easy enough to take a razor blade to it and clean it up after it has dried. Gluing the gasket in place can help as well, might be overkill,, but at the same time it is all to easy to have a small portion of the gasket ending up not seating itself in quite right. Usually in the hard to see spots. It is strange to see this happening with a new gasket though, That would have been my first guess after the sealant application to the half moons. Even a nice used one can still shrink or be just stiff enough to allow seepage past it. I found that on the o-rings for the rear coolant pipe; the pipe didn't leak before I removed it, but it did after I put it back on... all I needed to do was replace them with new ones. If I had a spare gasket I would ship it out, but SO CAL ZL got my last one.


ps mark, I will be calling another bike wrecker in town today, might luck out with another cover or two... so those gasket changes are slowlygonna start becoming a lot easier

If you turn up one of the valve covers without the reed valves in it I would be very interested in buying it!! Always wanted to get one and just never could find one.

Let me know!!!

 

[tmdoth]

If you turn up one of the valve covers without the reed valves in it I would be very interested in buying it!! Always wanted to get one and just never could find one.

Let me know!!!

If you guys all start putting Canadian parts on you bikes, then mine won't be the fastest anymore...

This is one that is at a local shop. It has a crack that has been repaired in it, but if anyone can weld it properly and make it look like new, I would be happy to pick it up for them. I have the pics on my laptop and haven't uploaded them to a site. If anyone wants the pics, just PM me your email addy and I will send them out.

I will be glad to help you out Paul if I can. Mark has dibs on the next couple, but I will be on the look out from now on, and have already put the word out to a number of bike shops to call me first if they get any in.

 

[zlMark]

Brett,
If you had that repaired at the shop then they may not have replaced the 6 rubber bushings under the bolts. Obviously the original design wasn't good because the higher numbered motors used an updated bushing like the zl/zg/zx1000.

Markus,
So is the fix for this to replace the bushings, or replace the bolts and the bushings with the newer style?

 

[markus56]

Brett,
If you had that repaired at the shop then they may not have replaced the 6 rubber bushings under the bolts. Obviously the original design wasn't good because the higher numbered motors used an updated bushing like the zl/zg/zx1000.

Markus,
So is the fix for this to replace the bushings, or replace the bolts and the bushings with the newer style?

In my view, the fix or "trick" to it is in the Permatex. I've had success with both styles of bushings, the thin and the thick ones. I always use new ones unless they're VERY RECENT since old ones won't put the proper squeeze on the cover gasket. Be careful and don't put too much sealant in the moons or on the sides....you don't want it inside the motor!

 

[tmdoth]

In my view, the fix or "trick" to it is in the Permatex. I've had success with both styles of bushings, the thin and the thick ones. I always use new ones unless they're VERY RECENT since old ones won't put the proper squeeze on the cover gasket. Be careful and don't put too much sealant in the moons or on the sides....you don't want it inside the motor!

This is a very good point. I probably should have specified the amount a little better then I did.

 

[f1nxlife]

hey guys,,,sorry for the profanity.,,,sometimes my temper doesnt do any good,,,,after a long talk with zl mark and reading markus s email,,,,i found the the upper right hand valve cover bolt was not tight and also slightly stripped,,,the head side was ok....i ordered new bolt grommets for the six bolts and new well grommets and a new gasket,,,,,as well as a new set of bolts,,,im going to replace the bad bolt and both right side rubber bolt grommets and see if the right torque will now stop the leak,,i was able to clean up the not so good bolt and re use it for now just so there is some pressure...i used a washer as well as to take up some space as well as grab a little better on the head side,,,now ill wait for the new grommets and bolts,,,,if that doesnt work,,im flying zlmark out to cali and hes going to go through the whole bike,,,im not letting anyone else out here touch it,,,,and for now ill stay off the freeway,,,the bikes just fine for local work,,,,,thx all for your help,,,brett and ps....richards...(tmdoth) fork brace was awsome at 115 mph...that coupled with the new tires the zl feels more planted than ever...........

 

[Jarney]

ps mark, I will be calling another bike wrecker in town today, might luck out with another cover or two... so those gasket changes are slowlygonna start becoming a lot easier

I think you better corner the market on these covers tmdoth - since I think we all would like to have 2 or 3 of these - hahaha - Later.

 

[golddrakul]

Also, the bolts themselves were updated; the new ones have a shorter shoulder which allows the cover to be pulled tighter against the gasket. I posted pictures of the two different bolts for a previous thread, not sure which one it is.

Brett,
Obviously the original design wasn't good because the higher numbered motors used an updated bushing like the zl/zg/zx1000.

 

[paulfun]

hey guys,,,sorry for the profanity.,,,sometimes my temper doesnt do any good,,,,after a long talk with zl mark and reading markus s email,,,,i found the the upper right hand valve cover bolt was not tight and also slightly stripped,,,the head side was ok....i ordered new bolt grommets for the six bolts and new well grommets and a new gasket,,,,,as well as a new set of bolts,,,im going to replace the bad bolt and both right side rubber bolt grommets and see if the right torque will now stop the leak,,i was able to clean up the not so good bolt and re use it for now just so there is some pressure...i used a washer as well as to take up some space as well as grab a little better on the head side,,,now ill wait for the new grommets and bolts,,,,if that doesnt work,,im flying zlmark out to cali and hes going to go through the whole bike,,,im not letting anyone else out here touch it,,,,and for now ill stay off the freeway,,,the bikes just fine for local work,,,,,thx all for your help,,,brett and ps....richards...(tmdoth) fork brace was awsome at 115 mph...that coupled with the new tires the zl feels more planted than ever...........

Use a tap or a thread chase to make sure the threads are good in the head before you install a new bolt in where the stripped one was.

I wouldnt let that shop change the air in my tires. They broke your plug boots stripped the bolt and didnt tighten all the other bolts as well!!!

I would be Irate and on a war path with that shop!

 

[markus56]

Use a tap or a thread chase to make sure the threads are good in the head before you install a new bolt in where the stripped one was.

I wouldnt let that shop change the air in my tires. They broke your plug boots stripped the bolt and didnt tighten all the other bolts as well!!!

I would be Irate and on a war path with that shop!

That's why I don't let any shop "practice" on my motorcycles!:

 

[f1nxlife]

thx paul and markus,,,,yes its a shame what we have here that call themselves mechanics....its too bad that a shop so close to my house was such a joke,,,brett

 

[markus56]

The sooner you decide to work on that bike yourself, the better off you're going to be Brett!