Oil Leak

I started up the KZ900 yesterday and took it for a quick ride around the neighborhood. When I got back, I saw smoke coming from the front of the engine. After checking for the leak, I noticed that it was coming from the front of the engine between the head and the block. I had the engine apart this during the spring replacing the piston rings. When I put is back together, I put a 2 piece head gasket I also installed a new gasket center cylinder O-ring. I tried to torque the head again, but still no good. Any idea's what my be causing this oil leak ?

Check your Tach fitting at the head.
Steve

BIGKEVIN wrote: I started up the KZ900 yesterday and took it for a quick ride around the neighborhood. When I got back, I saw smoke coming from the front of the engine. After checking for the leak, I noticed that it was coming from the front of the engine between the head and the block. I had the engine apart this during the spring replacing the piston rings. When I put is back together, I put a 2 piece head gasket I also installed a new gasket center cylinder O-ring. I tried to torque the head again, but still no good. Any idea's what my be causing this oil leak ?

yeah what's going on is that the aftermarket o'ring is junk. The only time I've done this and not had a leak is when I used high temp silicone sealer in the groove with a new o'ring and let the junk get slightly tacky for a few hours before assembly and then AFTER TORQUEING to spec', I ran the engine until it got hot, shut it off and came back in the morning and retorqued all the bolts correctly as per the FSM.

No eBay APP ID and/or Cert ID defined in Kunena configurationI'm done with the two piece head gasket. I found a one piece I'm going to use this time. I used a early Z1 gasket but is smaller than the bore. It worked but this one fits the bores. They have the 70mm, I got the 72.
Steve

Yup, I used the 72mm Cometic on my 1075cc rebuild a couple weeks ago too. $50 YIKES! that was painful.
So far... zero leaks.
I did spray it with some light weight, high temp head gasket sealer first, and yes both sides... also filled the O'ring groove with Permatex Ultra Black.
Oh, and I ground down the 4 little damper rubbers for the chain guide shafts....to about .170" so they weren't too proud over the block.
However, out of the blue, over the last week or so ...and after a little under 600 miles...I have a little drip down by the damn dyno cover and also were the wires exit the dyno.... This morning I noticed the little puddle under the dyno was about the size of a quarter.... ugh.
Guess I should just expect stuff like this since I let the bike sit for almost three years before this spring.

swest, I checked the tach cable and it's not leakng from there, but I'll double check it just to be sure.

missionkz, should I fill the groove with the high temp silicone sealer then put the gasket in ? Should I put a little of the sealer on top of the gasket also ?

Thanks for the help also.

The gasket shouldn't need sealer. I do use High Temp copper silicon to fill the groove for the O ring. I don't let it dry and cut it. I put in enough so it will squish out and smear some around the top along the cam chain shaft. If I were to use a copper head gasket, I'd spray both sides with copper coat and use the RTV on the O ring groove. The rubber cushions need to be there untouched. Otherwise the shafts can move around. If they're hard, the need to be replaced. I picked up these things last year used on eBay in good shape. One roller shaft was a little worn last time I was in there and have been planning to do the pistons and change them while I'm at it. :whistle:


Unless you have deep pockets, (I don't) these things need to be gathered piece by piece. :dry:
Bruce, get a new grommet for your alternator. You won't regret it.
Steve

I used no rubber O'ring, fiilled with hi-temp sealer and used spray copper coat on both sides of the one piece head gasket. Zero leaks, but less then 600 miles on now.
Steve I have a new one of those square grommet seals for the wire group. Is that the one you are talking about?

Yes, I cut the wires inside the cover. PITA to solder back. Next time I will cut the outside under the clutch cover. I used RTV inside and filled the channel too. The grommet is so big, when it compresses, it crushes around the wires. Good as new.
Steve

swest, I meant the o-ring, not the gasket. I have some Permatex Ultra Copper silicone gasket maker. I'll give that a try and see if it stops the oil leak.

I've tried squeezing silicon in there, didn't work. Tried JB Weld, no good. The only way to get it to stop is a new one or a one piece gasket. The aftermarket O rings just don't last. Mine in 13 was new, I was talked out of a one piece copper one, Z1E doesn't carry the one piece fiber, so I regretted it for a year with oil all over my foot. I used a 900 fiber gasket just to see if it would work. No leaks. This time it's going to be a one piece fiber gasket for the 1015. $50 is what they charge for the two piece and the lousy O ring is extra. F THAT.
Steve

I'm trying to see who has a one piece cometic head gasket for a stock KZ900 now.