Sealing oil leak from outside?

[belfastguzzi]

There is oil seeping from the right side of the timing chest down the front of my engine. It runs along the sump and blows back onto the exhaust. Baldini previously told me that this is a common place for leaks. I have just done a service and I tightened what allen screws I could get at. It hasn't made any difference. After even a few miles there is oil over the engine and a pool of lovely, clean, fresh oil under the bike when parked.

 

The proper fix is probably to take the case off and reseal it. I'm not about to do that just now, so I'm wondering if it might be possible to make a temporary seal over the join? It doesn't really seem feasible that a good seal could be made, but it's worth a try. It will probably be a bit difficult to get a clean, dry surface on the black wrinkle stuff.

 

Has anyone tried this? What sort of (non-permanent) sealant might work?

[Baldini]

Mine wept from just below r/h engine mount at c/case /timing case join. Tightening the bolts fixed it, but it was just a small weep. Sounds like you need to replace gasket if tightening all bolts doesn't help. Don't know about sealing from outside.

 

I wonder if engine mount overstresses the joint. Engine is hung from timing cover.

 

Sorry can't be more helpful.

 

KB, Cymru

[emry]

My gasket leaked (same spot both times, right below the r/h motor mount) at about 500 miles and was repaired by the delaer. Pulled the cover and replaced the gasket. About 2000 miles later it began to leak again. I had checked the torque on the bolts several times during this mileage but they were never loose. Cleaned the supected area really good, smeared some black silicone on and it has been good for the past 3000miles. Sure beat the week it took the dealr to R&R the cover gasket.

 

Makes me wonder how good the machined surface is between those two pieces.

 

I wonder if engine mount overstresses the joint. Engine is hung from timing cover.

This is something that also came across my mind. But if the area is over stressed almost all model should have the same leak. I am leaning toward just a bad match of slightly inaccurately machined cases and covers.

[Guest gooddog]

I actually had the gasket blow out of the seam when it went. One theory was that there was rough debri, ie paint or poor machining on the cover edges which added to the loosness of the bolts and seal. as a precaution, Jason at Moto I went over the cover with a razor blade to smooth it out before replacing the gaskette and cover. l

[belfastguzzi]

Cleaned the supected area really good, smeared some black silicone on and it has been good for the past 3000miles.

Just to clarify, Emry: did you smear the silicone over the top of the joint (not between the joint faces)?

 

 

I see the posts are all re. 2002 bikes so far.

[Guest Thundering Subash]

2002's seem to be especially afflicted with this problem. If you're experiencing the same issue that I did, it will get real bad real fast (within 500 miles). I had my timing cover gasket changed out twice, it still leaked, and then the problem was determined to be an internal gasket (never did find out what that one was called). The internal gasket was changed out along with the timing cover gasket again, which seems to have done the trick. Good luck.

 

These are unique bikes with loads of charm

[Baldini]

Belfast Guzzi,

 

My guess is you're probably going to have to change the timing cover gasket. I've not done a V11 but design is similar to old ones & although a PIA it should be fairly straightforward. Sounds like it would be worth checking mating surfaces too.

 

I don't understand about the "internal gasket" story. Timing cover gasket should keep the oil in...unless it was crank seal gone & oil was coming out of alternator cover?

 

This should be a waranty item but I guess you don't have a dealer? Did you ever get a waranty sticker from Guzzi in Italy? My Scura is from OYB & they'd not sent off registration. Corsa Italiana registered warranty w/Guzzi for me.

 

All the best, KB, Cymru

[mik]

I don't think I've ever seen thinner gasket material than that which MG uses. Toilet paper looks heavier. If mine leaks or seeps I'm going to put the new gasket on with a slight film of silicone sealant on both sides of the gasket...and I do mean slight. It was all I ever needed to keep the old model Triumphs I owned from leaking like everyone else's did.

I am having to read about everybodys experiences here because the weather in northern Illinois is worse than Alaska at the present time. How I envy all of you riders that live in more temperate climates Wish I were riding.

[Baldini]

I've usually used silicone as well, if nothing else it holds the gasket in place while you fit the parts...

Very thin coat tho...

On sump, rocker covers I use on one side only & put thin film of oil on other so they come apart w/o sticking...

 

Mind you don't think my bikes have ever been totally oil tight, so probably best not listen to me...

 

KB, Cymru

[callison]

The 2002 models had the black paint ON the sealing surfaces and bolt holes, shaft seal surfaces etc. This led to a lot of sealing problems. Later modes get those surfaces masked prior to painting at the factory. To do the repair proberly, the case paint on the gasket surface should be removed, then the gasket put on. Engine stress? I don't think so. I did 2000 miles on my V11 Sport with a bent frame and the stress was so high the engine mounts broke off of the timing cover. No leaks.

[windchill]

Whatever happened to good old Hylomar? I've never been ken on silicone as a gasket material.

[emry]

Just to clarify, Emry: did you smear the silicone over the top of the joint (not between the joint faces)?

 

I just smeared the silicone over the top of the joint this time. The gasket had not actully "blown out" like it did the first time.

 

If it starts to leak again I will replace the gasket with one that is hand cut from thicker material and use a little

Hylomar

or 3M 1104, also know as Yamabond. I just used silicone this time because it was black and was being used externally; wouldn't let that stuff near the insides of my engine.....

[Mike Stewart]

Whatever happened to good old Hylomar? I've never been ken on silicone as a gasket material.

I agree, silicone and gaskets dont mix well. The slippery silicone sealant can cause the gasket to slide out and crack causing another oil leak. I had used silicone on one gasket on my Toyota Landcrusier transfer case many years ago and learned the hard way. Moral of the story is, I had to remove the transfer case one more time to replace the gasket. Now I just use silicone by its self or use the good old brush on sealer with the gasket. No more problems and I have been doing it this way for the last 25 years as a GM tech.

 

I agree with Carl, I had talked to the past Guzzi rep. and he said the timing cover leak was from the paint being on the gasket surface. This caused the gasket to slide out and crack. A sanding block over the surface should solve this problem.

 

Mike

[belfastguzzi]

From post in other thread>

I have put instant gasket on the outside to see if it will seal the leak. I then smeared black sealer over the blue stuff.

 

I suspect that the gasket could have been damaged on assembly at the factory. I noticed that bits of gasket were sticking out of the joint at the engine mount area, where the leak seems to be.

 

After a little run this afternoon – so far, so good. The 'instant gasket' over the top of joint is keeping the oil in and looks to be holding up ok.

 

The various comments about a slipped/broken gasket on assembly seem to make sense from what I have seen.

[twhitaker]

After 22,000 miles my bike is now oozing a tiny bit of oil in this area and I'm going to try the non-invasive repair this week. I just hope I can get the surface clean enough for the 'sensor safe' gasket cement to adhere.