Oil leaks?

I do between 3 and 5 engine rebuilds every year. Sometimes more... last year was more like 10 but I digress... There are places on a KZ engine that WILL leak no matter what you do and the little oil drops can be annoying.

On the last engine I rebuilt, I experienced a couple of leaks and have already fixed them... like to hear from other folks on HOW they fix leaks in the various areas...

5. ENGINE OIL SEALS - Mostly, the oil seals don't leak if you take the time to change them out in all the engine covers. The newer and more pliant new oil seals will go over whatever and not deform. On my last engine rebuild, the oil seals all looked nice so I didn't use new ones. Of course, the oil seal that goes over the crank and located on the inner points cover case cover was hard as a rock. When reinstalling the cover, the seal deformed when I stuck it over the crank and leaked... Basic cause was not using new oil seals.

4. OIL PIPE leaking. Ever had a leak at the base of the oil pipe... the thing that sits next to your cam chain tensioner where the wire to your idiot light is connected? The reason is that the orings were not changed. They will be hard and flat and oil will drool from this location if you don't swap orings. These are standard metric orings and are size P20 and 19.8 mm ID and 2.4 mm width. You can order these from places that sell metric stuff.

3. Stator cover grommet. The rubber grommet that is fitted into a stator cover where the wires will come through WILL leak. The later covers, like on the MK II and ST have a better design and so far, mine have NOT leaked a drop. The older covers, like on the Z1/KZ900/KZ1000 tend to drool oil. Replacing the grommet helps but requires you to cut the stator wires and resolder them. I have also coated the inside of the stator where the grommet is seated with liquid nitrile rubber and it helps.

2. OIL JOURNALS on top the cylinder head. The four outer studs double as oil journals. This is why there are copper crush washers between the cylinder head and stud nuts. If you carefully anneal the copper washers to bring back some springiness, it helps. I also slather some black Permatex under the washers. Unfortunately, the annealing (heat the washer with a torch till it is glowing then toss it into some water) doesn't do a great job and leaks can still appear. Anyone with tips here should chime in as I routinely get leaks in this area.

1. CAM END PLUGS... they seep, they weep, they leak. Last rebuild, I used new plugs, roughed them up a bit and used some blue GE silicon sealer and they have not leaked yet. I have used Yamabond #4, Threebond 1211 and 1104, Permatex hi-temp (the orange stuff) and Permatex black... none work all that well. I am considering JB Weld... that should stop a leak in this location... hehe

Not to run your thread in a diff direction, but why haven't the manufacturers solved the most common problem of leaking cam plugs yet?
From my thinking, the cam plugs could be made with a thin, curved "blade" similar to a battle-axe. That "blade" would then slide into a corresponding "slot/channel" that's machined into the head. Something comparable in design to a guillotine or table-top paper cutter.

I lightly sand the copper washers to get some surface texture on them. New Aluminum washers can replace the old copper washers if they are shot. Also I sand the bottom of those 4 head nuts.

A drop of engine case sealer on both sides can also help.

The only silicone I use is Ultra Copper.

I've had pretty good luck with cam end plugs using either Ultra Copper or a little case bond sealer. I think the key is to go lightly on that stuff.

I've also used 3M emblem adhesive on them and it worked well.

Post edited by: larrycavan, at: 2007/01/27 20:20

larrycavan wrote:

I lightly sand the copper washers to get some surface texture on them. New Aluminum washers can replace the old copper washers if they are shot. Also I sand the bottom of those 4 head nuts.

A drop of engine case sealer on both sides can also help.

The only silicone I use is Ultra Copper.

I've had pretty good luck with cam end plugs using either Ultra Copper or a little case bond sealer. I think the key is to go lightly on that stuff.

I've also used 3M emblem adhesive on them and it worked well.<br><br>Post edited by: larrycavan, at: 2007/01/27 20:20

my hero!

Ive used the same cam plugs over three times now and I started putting a light thin layer of silicone on the erea and between the plugs, it seems to work pretty good. With a base gasket Ill only do one side to give it somthing to squish, but I don't like the idea of having too much silicone down there as to me it's asking for trouble. When i clean a surface ill spray it with cleaner and wipe it quickly before the cleaner evaps, that way the rag will pick up the impurities and grease and i wipe one more time to get what smeared ( and that's stuff you can't see). The pores get cleaned out and the silicone will stick better. Cleaners leave a residue of some kind, and i always figure id better wipe that off too in case. I had some enines leak slightly when started and ran but once they are driven and get nice and hot they seal up then wont leak later on Cam caps and valve covers do that alot.

Post edited by: nads.com, at: 2007/01/27 20:56