Hi all,
My bike is showing oil on the thread of the left hand spark plug and it has 55,000kms (34K miles) and is running well with no smoke from the exhaust. The oil rapidly reappeared soon after new plugs were installed. The oil is not leaking down from the rocker cover unfortunately.
Anticipating repair or replacement coming up I was wondering if later model engines will fit my 9/95 GS500E. A local wrecker/recycler has a 2000 and 2004 model engine in stock and I was wondering if these engines will fit my bike or if anyone knew a year range of engines i could use.
Any info would be appreciated to keep my beloved, although with surface rust here and there, great bike running for a few more years.
All will fit from all years. They are all interchangeable with some minor differences such as oil coolers on the F models.
Oil from a plug doesn't make sense - as there isn't oil in the cylinder.
Clean it SPOTLESS in that area and totally dry.
Dust with baby powder.
You will then see where the oil comes from as it starts to leak.
I bet it is the valve cover gasket.
If there is a leak at the top due to some crack or something other than a gasket, you could get by with a new head. No need for a complete engine unless you prefer not to work on it buy just swap it.
On the outside around where the spark plug is it is completely oil free and dry.
I've heard it is either worn valve guides or the rings. Hmmm.
I see. You're seeing oil when you remove the plug.
I'd first suggest a compression test. That can tell if you have a problem with a cylinder.
However, I wonder if it is just one side not firing well or running rich. A test would be to go ride for 15 minutes. Then kill the engine. Take out the plugs as soon as you can. Look at them. Post a picture. The condition of the plug will help tell what the problem is and tell how well the cylinder is firing.
How is your oil level? Is it going down?
If oil was leaking from the valve guides or somewhere into the cylinder, you'd be burning oil and your oil level would be going down. A wet plug could simply be poor firing or rich. Poor firing can be coil, ignition unit or timing pickup (89-2002 models).
If it is the head, valve guides can be changed. Or a head can be swapped. I once was afraid of that. Fortunately, I have other GS500 friends in my neighborhood that showed me how to do everything. Until I learned that, I was also ready to swap engines when I had one fry the counter balancer bearing.
If you have other GS500 owners in your area, that can be a great asset.
Post pix of the plugs after a test ride.
I took 4 photos of both plugs after a 20 min commuting ride but unfortunately the system won't allow them to be uploaded >>>>>> "Your attachment couldn't be saved. This might happen because it took too long to upload or the file is bigger than the server will allow. Please consult your server administrator for more information." It wouldn't allow even 1? >>>>>>> it is a real shame as the photos are up close and well focussed.
I noticed a small amount of oil creeping half way up the thread on the least affected plug (right side). Dipstick is still reading same from an oil change 1500kms ago.
The left plug is a very black dry soot. I have owned the bike for 7 months and ridden it 10k kms. When I bought it the left plug looked richer than the right and have since gone up 1 size on primary jets and 2 for the mains plus a sports muffler. Its power delivery is much improved at a small cost of very low rev low throttle hesitation.
I'll try to get the compression tested this weekend to begin with.
Reduce the photos. Generally the area of 900 pixels wide works well. Raw camera photos can be 2000 pixels wide or more which would be too big.
You can register on gs500.net and use that for photos. You register. Then you complete registration. Then I get an email to approve you for uploading (so only registered gstwins members get to upload)
You still should reduce your photo size.
Some people use photobucket for photos.
Your description is that one side is running very rich. A carb sync might help.
After some :technical:
For some photos of the plugs pls see Photobucket.
:icon_eek:
http://s1273.beta.photobucket.com/user/soq255/library/
Hopefully it will reveal something to the trained eye
These plugs to me look more carbon fouled than oily. One of your carbs is running to rich and needs to be synced. Try doing this first and hopefully this will fix your problem. If that no worky it may be a stuck float or bad needle.
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pOAwN1wb5Mc/UPwIQ8_bEhI/AAAAAAAAA9o/j5jBlmTXBY4/s1600/check_spark_plug_condition.jpg)
I disconnected a lead a time with the engine running. Taking off the right and the engined stopped, with the left of it kept running quiet well.
I lowered the jet needle by one clip position on the left carb took and took it for a 10 minute run. The low rev low throttle jumpyness has now gone.
Then repeated the lead test and with the right taken off the engine kept running at 400 rpm less, but running. I will try a new spark plug and inspect after a few days of riding.
The end of both jet needles look really good, and nice taper to a point with no scoring. The seat could be bad on the left carb causing the richness?
If the problem persists perhaps new needle and seats will be in order.
Back to oil on the thread mainly on the left plug. The electrode and earth strap are only covered in soot. Any oil on these parts are probably being burned away I guess. The oil must be valve guides or rings to explain this I guess.
Unplugging one then the other you can adjust the carb sync screw and do what we term (well, I term) the "Hillbilly Carb Sync". adjust the screw balancing the carbs until the motor runs the same with either side unplugged.
Quote from: camsGS500E on March 02, 2013, 12:19:37 AM
Back to oil on the thread mainly on the left plug. The electrode and earth strap are only covered in soot. Any oil on these parts are probably being burned away I guess. The oil must be valve guides or rings to explain this I guess.
If one carb is running rich it could be fuel and dissolved soot on the thread. Do the easy stuff first. Sync your carbs and see how it goes. Even if it oil on the plug you say it isnt blowing smoke? Keep on riding it.
That makes sense! no smoky exhaust or oil usage = look elsewhere, back to the carbs, syncing in the morning. I've used things to cooking point before, this bike will be no different.