I just got my bike back from the shop and they were supposed to fix an oil leak and replace the cylinder cover gasket. I just pulled in and it's leaking oil at a healthy rate. Is this a break in period? Did they screw up? I did a search and there was something about needing a new base gasket when the head gasket gets replaced, any truth to that? Could it be the cold?
Edited, cylinder head cover gasket, not head gasket
There is something wrong, there is no break-in period. The gasket either seals or it doesn't. Most likely they screwed up.
Many '07's have had a cylinder base gasket leak problem from the factory which sometimes cannot be fixed. (Either that, or most Suzuki mechanics are idiots) Is yours an '07? Tell us more.
Yeah it should leak oil at all, under any conditions or at any point in time in the life of the bike.
You need to get back on the horn with the shop and explain to them the issues
Wanna bet they over torqued the freaking head. When you take the thing apart, you have to deck the head and make sure its perfectly flat. Cos over torqueing will cause warpage. Which may be the problem to start with.
Most bikes never leak oil from the head, ever. Not in the almost 50K I rode my 89.
BTW, head or valve cover ??? valve cover leaks are common.
Cool.
Srinath.
I was totally wrong about the gasket, it's leaking from the cylinder head gasket. It looks like it's new, and it there's a new one on the bill, I had the shop do the valves, now it's leaking. It's a 97. I just warmed the bike up again (didn't ride around) but it wasn't dripping oil. Test ride tomorrow and put liquid gasket on it if it still leaks? I just really don't want to give these bastards at the shop any more business, they had my bike for a month to do the valves, replace fork oil and a clutch assembly, and I need to get home for thanksgiving and they aren't open till Tuesday.
Do you mean the valve cover gasket? (The valve cover is the H-shaped silver cover on top f the engine.)
If the valve cover gasket is leaking, that's an easy fix. Is it leaking from the gasket itself, or from one of the bolts on top of the cover? If one of the bolts is leaking, simply replace the o-ring under the bolt.
If the gasket is leaking, but very slowly, it will normally go away within a few days. If oil is dripping you'll have to take the valve cover off and install a new gasket.
Liquid gasket slathered on the outside will not fix your problem.
The shop should fix all the shaZam! work they've done free of charge since they failed to fix it the first time...
Quote from: Kasumi on November 18, 2007, 09:52:52 AM
The shop should fix all the shaZam! work they've done free of charge since they failed to fix it the first time...
You're absolutely right! If I was a motorcycle dealer I would be horrified to have a customer tell me any of the stories I've read here over the years. It wouldn't be a question of when can you could get it here. I'll be over to get it, RIGHT NOW! The parts and labor to fix the problem will be free, all charges for previous work refunded and a significant gift certificate issued to ensure that you come back to see me when you're in a better mood.
However, it seems like many dealer service departments don't give a damn about the quality (or safety) of the work they turn out. The law of diminishing returns applies here, I believe. If you take the bike back to an inattentive or downright stupid mechanic what else will he screw up the next go-round?
The GS is such a simple machine to maintain. I've decided to go the route of recommending that all GS owners do their own work. With instruction, a basic set of tools and a little patience they can do a better job for significantly less cash. Plus, being on a farm yourself, I know you realize the value of mechanical knowledge. It's a life skill that so many lack.
Yea i have to say i think mechanical knowledge is something that very few people have and in some cases its just essential. Even some basic knowledge of problem solving and deductive reasoning can get you somewhere.
Engines and such things work logically and only work one way, if you have a problem even without knowing alot you can learn and rule things out to find your problem and unless you need things welding and fabricating you can do most work yourself or with a friend to help. Plus these days with cars and bikes to try and reduce your loss of resale you have to have regular maintenance and the dealerships are charging hundreds of pounds to simply top your oil up. Its insane. I know people who can't top the oil up or check it. Filling the water bottle is hard enough for them. I mean its a serious issue.
I know what your saying about shops, me and my dad work on building and fabricating custom parts and doing custom paint work for things and if something goes wrong were disappointed in ourselves and will go back and do it again even if it is going to cost a fortune because you want to be happy with your own work let alone impress the customer, but shops these days don't seem to care if they did something shoddy so long as it gets out of their shop and the stuff that really makes them money - like the ripping people off to check oil can come back and fill their bays. Shops arn't interested in getting involved in doing long jobs as they make less money doing that (even though its a fortune) than they do with 5 minute oil check jobs that made them a hundred and fifty quid.
If i ran a shop i would guarantee all work would be done to a high standard and if your not happy you will be reimbursed. Just people arn't honest these days. And very few dealerships like their warrenty policies on the work they do and if something does go wrong they simply get frustrated and bodge it again.
I'm at college without any tools, otherwise I'd have done it myself (maybe not the forks). I took the bike in after a brake lock-up that sent me down, so I figured I'd have them check out the frame, forks and do a bunch of maintenance I'd been putting off. Never again for these bastards. I've got to do some work, but I'm going to tighten down the bolts and go for a test ride in an hour or so, will report back.
Be careful when you check the valve cover bolts.
The valve cover bolts are threaded into the tops of the camshaft bearing caps. If you torque on them with abandon it is possible to crack the bearing caps, which will require a partial engine teardown and a new head to remedy. The bolts should be torqued to 10 ft. lbs. , or just past snug. Additional torque will not increase the gasket clamping force as the bolt head eventually bottoms on the camshaft bearing cap.
If you use a standard 4" hex key and have a decent feel you should be OK. Don't go using a 2ft breaker bar. ;)
Let us know what you find!
Only one of the cover screws was kinda loose. Nothing leaks until the engine gets warmed up, but coming to a stop after a ride it's just leaky mayhem. Looks like I get to take a bus home for thanksgiving!
I had the valves done once and the gasket failed after about 100 miles.
There were a couple bad ones out there a few years ago.
The gasket material felt kind of stiff.
Shop was embarassed and fixed it at no charge.
Take it back and give them a chance to fix it.
Just keep your cool and give them a chance to fix it.