Gasket leaking?

[roosterbike]

Ok after I picked up the wrecked 06 GS, i joined some friends on a 250 mile round trip, at a minimum speed of 85, and yes the GS500 will do the 13o mph on the speedo. After about 150 miles, that oil leak i had mentioned previously, had returned to the right side. Ok heres the question, when looking at the front of the engine, what is the gasket the runs horizontally across the engine, directly above the oil filter. Thats where a oil stain and dirt build up is forming and is being blown back to the frame right at my right foot. So I dont look like an idiot at the dealer, its only been mine a week Tuesday, and only 750 miles.

[roosterbike]

Just talked to a buddy O' mine who  thinks itmight be the case gasket?

[dgyver]

The cases do not have a gasket, they use a sealant.

[roosterbike]

well that knocks that out

[GSinUS]

I am by no means the best expert here but it sounds to me like the valve cover gasket.  Is it a horizontal gasket somewhere at the middle of the block with a tab on each side?  If so this is it.  And if it is, it costs about $40 and isn't very hard to replace (I replaced mine when I did the valve adjustment).

[CndnMax]

i had a leaking Head gasket on my 06, took the dealer two weeks to fix the thing and it only had 400 miles on it haha oh well. is it leaking from the middle of the cylinder?

[bower100]

  Hi,
  I'm a brand new guy here...just logged on for the first time... and before I posted my "hello everyone" intro I just opened this thread up.  I know a bit about bikes ... was a mech years back. It sounds like your decribing the seam between the lower and upper half of the crankcases. It's a horizontal joint because the GS is a multiple cylinder inline twin where more than two main bearings requires a horizontal split engine.

  The Japanese almost always don't use a gasket there... just sealant. Suzuki has their Suzuki-Bond but the big three all use pretty much the same sealant.

Make certain its really leaking there...clean it real well and then check it frequently 'till you see the first sign of oil. You may have been misled by the wind blown trail of oil and there's more likely spots oil can escape.

Good luck, dave

[roosterbike]

Yeah its the "seal" area about where your talking. My main problem is that its not doing it enough at city speeds to trace, just at highway speeds when it gets up to temp. Im gonna go clean it up in just a min, I really want to know what to look for so I can tell the dealer. I dont think i can handle 2 weeks in a cage

[NiceGuysFinishLast]

If it really is the valve cover gasket, it's no biggie. Mine leaks.. actually, the leak just got bad, and I'm about to order one and replace it... but seriously, just keep an eye on your oil level, and have the dealer replace it..

[The Buddha]

I think base gasket ... just above the oil filter will not be between the case halves will it
Cool.
Srinath.

[roosterbike]

Yep its that seal. Took off my fairing and did a mass cleaning, in the mile I drive to work, i was sure to hit 60. It was too low to be valve cover. Has to be that Suzuki-bond stuff right above the filter cover on the bike right side. Dealer says its impossible. The oil must have beeb high, its lost enuff to show, but its not. still full

[Dan02GS]

Wow keep us posted as to what the dealer says, I have a similiar problem with my bike. It leaks alot of oil at highway speeds and I have had it for about 2 weeks. I took it back to the dealer and they said it was a breather valve that sits over the carbs. I got it home and sure enough still leaking. I dont think the dealer cares too much abuot fixing bikes. It is now at a shop. Hopefully I will get the leak solved. Good luck and keep us posted

[roosterbike]

I called up my buddy if Florida, hes a fomer Mech with Harley, Suzuki, Ducati, and Kawasaki, AND is currently looking at working for Kawasaki as a test rider. He said that there is a  machining process that puts the sealant in, yes its not done with human hands. He says if the air bubbles caused by the "casting"(cant remeber the term he used), if the bubbles arent machined out prior, the sealent machine doesnt know. So he thinks what will need to be done is, tear down the engine, check the "deck" for flaws, reseal, re-assemble, ride the hell out of it and be glad i got the extended warranty.

[roosterbike]

Well its getting worse, todays the first day I left the GS in the driveway. Its bad enough to be dripping, or what Ive been saying around the house, "She thinks she's a Harley". But still the oil dipstick is showing full, could it be the put too much oil in and its coming out that breather? Where is the breather exactly and do I need to lift the tank?

[RVertigo]

You're checking the oil on the center-stand right? 


If the oil is coming out of the breather tube, then that means it's in your airbox...   THe three tube on the right side are: Airbox Drain, Gas Tank Breather, and Battery Breather.  The Airbox breather is the one with the rounded tip on the end.....  (Well, mine is anyway).


There are other places that oil can be coming from...  LIke you said, clean that Buddha Loves You until she shines... THEN look for the oil source.

[roosterbike]

OK, the 07 is at the shop. Pity I haft to ride 30 miles away to a decent shop. The one thats just about 2 miles away wouldnt do my service work, eventhough they are our towns Sukuki dealer. Said since i didnt buy it there, not to come back.
So I left Asheville, went to Dal-Kawa in Hendersonville NC. They are going to do the 600 mile service, find the leak, plus add a15 tooth front sprocket for extra bump. As soo as i can figure out how, ill get some pics up.

[roosterbike]

I put this in a new topic but wanted to update here as well.
It was the base AND head gasket both. I started back firing on occasion and I told them that, guess the impossible was possible after all.
Anyway Im looking at getting back on the 15th, maybe sooner. Since Im gonna try to buy a Busa for a sport/touring, 2 up bike, They made me high priority.

[Wrecent_Wryder]

[5

[Dan02GS]

I just got my bike back from a pretty good mechanic out here, he had figured the leak I had was the clutch cover gasket. So he went ahead and replaced it yesterday I got it home last night and sure enough there was a sheen of oil around the area of the gasket and a drop of oil uinder the bike. $242.72 dollars later. I have just about had it with the whole thing I am so bummed out.

[RVertigo]

$242.72 to replace the gasket?  Holy CRAP!  The hellish hassle to replace the magnito cover gasket myself doesn't seem so bad now...