Hairline Crack in Cylinder Head Temp Fix

I have oil slowly oozing out of my riders side left cylinder head. Do they make a aluminum weld type epoxy I can use until I find a new head? Beside that the bike runs strong, Thanks Stan

Please add your bike's year & model to your signature line. Knowing what you are riding makes helping you MUCH easier. Regarding the leak - are you positive the head is cracked and can you provide photos. A cracked cylinder head is an uncommon problem on a stock motor; could it be oil leaking from a joint or seam and migrating along a casting mark that makes it look like a crack? I ask because saw a photo of such a leak before. Ed

Ed, its a 82 Kawa 1100 d2 spectre bike, its a really fine leak, i'll check it out more closely though, Thanks

I guess, it is outside leak, I would use JBWeld.

There is also Alumaweld rods...

Either one of you ever seen a cracked head on a stock KZ? I haven't, but I have seen a 750 with the valley on the front of the motor where the head meets the block, filled with RTV to stop a head gasket leak. Obviously didn't work.

And I have a 750 twin motor with a casting flaw in the case, right on top a oil galley, that was a steady leak. Epoxy fixed that one. But have never seen a cracked KZ head on a stock bike.

IIRC, the 1100's have oil passages surrounding the two head bolts on the left side. so one of them might be leaking at the top or bottom of the block.

I have one in the trunk of my car. The crack runs from the #4 spark plug hole out to the side of the head, through all of the cooling fins. I bought it thinking the head was repairable. It's not.

I should add that cracks in the combustion chamber don't count.

As far as the busted head in the trunk, how did it get broke?

Someone screw up trying to re-thread the spark plug hole?

I don't know exactly how it happened, but it looks like there might have been a defect in the head and the thing just let go - The gap on the crack is unbelievably wide and, like I said, goes all the way to the edges of all three cooling fins. It's wider in the combustion chamber than outside, but it's still a ridiculous crack.

The guy I bought it from said "rebuildable, some welding may be required." He was apparently confused. The "good news" is that it's heavy enough that I should be able to almost get what I paid for it as scrap aluminum.

swaluda wrote: Ed, its a 82 Kawa 1100 d2 spectre bike, its a really fine leak, i'll check it out more closely though, Thanks

Clean the are suspected of leaking to remove ALL oil traces. Spray it with spray foot powder. Turn the idle up to 2000 RPM and plug the crank case breather. Watch for the spot where the powder turns brown first.

Post up some real clear pic's. Like Steel said, the oil comes up the head studs and there are O-rings there at the head gasket, 4. These can leak. The o-ring at the cam chain tunnel is a common leak. These would require pulling the head and fitting new o-rings and head gasket. Might wan to do the base gasket to as you'll disturb it, pulling the head. Also there is a tack drive seal on most models except the LTD and A2 sport touring which use electric tachs. The Tach drive oil seal is real common. Then of course there is just the valve cover gasket, and those pesky 1/2 moon end seals. Those like to seep a bit. When was the valve clearances checked last? It might have a leak from those 1/2 moon seals or valve cover gasket. Finally, i've seen a weep of oil from the small oil galley plug, right on the end of the head, near the 1/2 moon seals. Its a small like 6mm plug that gets driven in to place, where they do a drilling for an oil galley.

If the 1100 Spectre is like the 750 Spectre that I have, it won't have the tach drive, it'll be an electric tach.

Did you try retorquing the head nuts like I suggested in your other thread? May as well try the easy thing first.