what is this leak? head gasket?

[perfdrug]

i won't punish you guys with the 1280x960 pics in the forum, but check them out here (last two pics).

I got the bike a couple weeks ago, and was always too excited riding it to remember to check the oil.  Well i checked it yesterday, and it was /low/. only the tip of the stick read any oil. so i got some oil, put about a quart in, and decided that was good enough since i'm gonna change the oil tonight anyways.  Then i noticed the right side of my engine was quite oily. i rememberd that last time i went riding (to christen my new boots) i wound up with a splashed right boot. i wrote it off as water, and wiped it off, but it didn't all come off immediatly. i haven't ridden it since then, but just found the oil soakage last night

any ideas where the oil is coming from, and how costly it would be for replacement parts? should i hold off on changing the oil? this weekend i'm gonna take the tank off to clean my petcocks, so i suppose a dig through the engine is in order as well unfortunatly. any help would be super appriciated. i don't want to go to a dealer for a quote.

thanks in advance [/url]

[The Buddha]

Looks like the damn head gasket... Top rebuild at the time you pull it apart. Ask people that have done it. BobB, Dgyver, KevinC (GStwinner At large), Rashad (Man whore AWOL) others... search old posts, might as well fit total seal rings or other cool gizmo's.
Cool.
Srinath.

[perfdrug]

ttt. any other opinions?
hints would also be greatly appriciated, since i'm new at this engine stuff.

[dgyver]

It is hard to tell where it is leaking from those pics. It is either going to be the head, base or right case cover gasket. Clean the oil off the motor and run it to verifiy where it is coming from.

Can you take clearer pics?

Is there any oil on the cylinder or just the case cover?

I have bought complete engine gasket sets off of ebay for less than $60 from seller PartsNMore

He has one listed now for $55:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=35595&item=7901870748

[perfdrug]

It is hard to tell where it is leaking from those pics. It is either going to be the head, base or right case cover gasket. Clean the oil off the motor and run it to verifiy where it is coming from.

Can you take clearer pics?

Is there any oil on the cylinder or just the case cover?

I have bought complete engine gasket sets off of ebay for less than $60 from seller PartsNMore

He has one listed now for $55:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=35595&item=7901870748

awesome, thanks a lot. i'm having a friend who knows a lot more about this stuff than i do head over and we're gonna tackle this bad-boy.

[etam]

I have bought complete engine gasket sets off of ebay for less than $60 from seller PartsNMore

He has one listed now for $55:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=35595&item=7901870748

Anyone know if I can use the 89~96 gasket set for my 99?

[perfdrug]

i'm not the definative source, but i'm pretty sure the motor is still the same as it's always been.

if you've got any questions about the gasket swap, feel free to pm me. and also be prepared to spend 16 hours on it, if it's your first time. i went all the way to the base gasket and replaced it too.

[dgyver]

they are the same

[Blueknyt]

looks like those Orings didnt seal right for what ever reason.

[The Buddha]

i'm not the definative source, but i'm pretty sure the motor is still the same as it's always been.

if you've got any questions about the gasket swap, feel free to pm me. and also be prepared to spend 16 hours on it, if it's your first time. i went all the way to the base gasket and replaced it too.

Hey did you take the motor out of the frame to do the gaskets??? If not... how hard was it getting the head and cylinders out.
Cool.
Srinath.

[dgyver]

The head can be removed without dropping the motor. It is a tight fit. The cylinders and then even easier to remove. With another helping, I can tear in down to the base gasket and have it running again in about 1 hour.

[perfdrug]

you've got to literally take it off piece by piece to make it fit, but it definatly stays in the frame. the breather hose cap thing on the valve cover needs to come off in order to get the valve cover off. then the valve cover, then cams, then head, then cylinders. it really wasn't that hard, i just went so slow. i wouldn't say me and another person could do it in an hour, but if i really think about it, i'm sure it could be done. i can have my tank off in about 3 minutes now. the first time i took it off i was so careful and it took a long time.

the only thing i absolutly needed another set of hands for was putting the cylinders back on the pistons. i depressed the rings one by one, and my sister slowly lowered the cylinders.