Oil coming out of valve cover

[wftreg]

Coming home the other day I smelled burning oil.  As I pulled into the short road to my home, all of a sudden smoke and oil started gushing from the front of my engine.  I quickly check the engine temperature and it was normal...no oil warning light on the dash.  I turned off the engine and coasted home and into my driveway and garage.  The next day I removed the faring and took a look but did not see where the oil was coming from. I turned the ignition and the engine started right up and oil came out the front so I immediately turned the engine off.  I took the bike to a local bike shop and they just told me the engine is shot. A valve cover bolt had come out and that is where the oil came from. The bolt was loose on top of the engine. I was told the compression was 25 to 60 psi in the cylinders.  I have used nothing but Rotella T6 full synthetic.  I was told that the engine would not start after they replaced the oil.  A friend said that I need to have them do a "leak down test."  Any suggestions, ideas or comments?  I love this bike and it has never given me any problems.  I am not quite convinced that the engine is shot...perhaps I am in denial.  

Bill

 

[escapefjrtist]

Did you see the low level "oil" light come on? How many miles on the bike? Any other related problems or recent work done?

A valve cover hold down bolt could give a small leak but I doubt as bad as you're describing.

~G

 

[FJRay]

Doesn't sound right. Oil would not gush from a missing valve cover bolt. Minor leak at best. Can't think of anything that would gush and cause compression loss that quickly. I think you need a qualified second opinion.

 

[wftreg]

The low oil level light did not come on. The only work I had done this year was to have the front forks and swing arm serviced.  I road the bike from Minnesota to Tennessee this summer and have made several other short trips with no issues.  The bike has about 58,000 miles.  Thanks!

 

[Cyclepath]

I think you should quickly take your FJR elsewhere and get a second opinion.

These things really are built pretty well, and the opinions you've received from the first shop just sound cwazy to me.

Good luck in your quest...

 

[kmanflyer]

I turned the ignition and the engine started right up and oil came out the front so I immediately turned the engine off.  I took the bike to a local bike shop and they just told me the engine is shot. A valve cover bolt had come out and that is where the oil came from. The bolt was loose on top of the engine. I was told the compression was 25 to 60 psi in the cylinders.  I have used nothing but Rotella T6 full synthetic.  I was told that the engine would not start after they replaced the oil.

Maybe the shop thinks the engine is shot because you entered the "Fast Starter Syndrome" zone. https://www.fjrforum.com/topic/135171-fjrf011-fast-starter-syndrome/ Since you started it up and then quickly shut it off right before you brought it to the shop.

As far as the oil leak: I would investigate and repair the loose v/c bolt. Check the v/c gasket for damage/kinks and repair if needed. Start the engine following the remedy in above link (WOT along with freshly charged battery and being careful not to overheat the starter motor). After successfully starting the engine,( making sure oil level is at top mark to begin with), let the engine run long enough ( with drip pan underneath engine) to carefully inspect for oil leak or leaks. Hopefully it is the loose v/c bolt or gasket and there is no further leak(s). If it's still leaking: some things to check 1) Oil Check Bolt, located above #4 exhaust port. 2) Oil Cooler housing/gasket, located engine front behind headers. Since you said the forks where serviced, maybe something happened while jacking up the front of the bike.(Just a thought). 

Like ~G~ and FJRay mentioned it seems unlikely the loose v/c bolt would gush oil everywhere, but you'll have to address it either way and then go from there. Good Luck. 

 

[BkerChuck]

I had the "fast starter syndrome" issue once and it definitely makes the bike sound weird as you try to start it. I seriously doubt that your engine is "shot" at under 6ok miles. For some folks on here that would mean replacing their bike every 2 years! Get your bike out of that shop and as stated start with the basics. be sure oil is full and battery charged then go through the FSS starting process to get it fired up and let it run for a while to get up to temp.Probably should replace the missing valve cover bolt first. One missing bolt will allow for leakage but will hardly be spewing it out. I messed up last year on a valve check and had the cover gasket slip out of place and discovered it on the way to SEO. I monitored oil level and in almost 2k miles I added a mere 4 ounces of oil! Oil leaks can look worse than the actual amount lost so be cautious but not paranoid.

Best of luck and keep us posted.

 

[RossKean]

Make sure that the valve cover gasket is secure and that the "half-moon" bits on the sides are in place.

 

[John d]

Did that bike shop also do your valve checks? It seems that since the valve cover bolt came loose, there was shoddy workmanship done previously. RossKean is probably right about the half moon bits on the valve cover gasket not being in place.

If your compression is 25 to 60 psi, your butt dyno would have noticed a serious lack of power before you it brought in. This doesn't pass the smell test.

In my opinion, someone else needs to look at it.

 

[hppants]

I highly doubt the bike would start with 60 psi or less.

The mechanic is dishonest.  Seek help elsewhere. 

 

[pierreroyoldtimer]

My first generation 2005 has 172,000 km (110,000 miles...) and runs strong and does not uses a bit of oil. I never had a single engine issue with it and I performed the first valve adjustment at 100,000 miles and only 4 exhaust valves needed to be adjusted. I must say I do everything myself except rebuilding my rear shock at around 60 k...

Find another shop very fast! 
 

Good luck!

 

[12tinker]

Hey Bill,

Bike still at the "shop"? May be time to load on a trailer and start getting familiar with your bikes top end in the comfort of your own or a buddies garage during the winter months in Buffalo, burr..Sure some great FJR people in your neck of the woods to invite over for beer and tech advice. If i was closer, I'd give you a hand.

At least the problem didn't get you in the spring and hopefully you got some riding in. Lots of great how to's here and on the web. Betcha it's a valve cover gasket/loose cover. Keep us updated, keep the monkeys from working on her and have faith in this super machine.

best of luck!

Dan

 

[TripperMike]

Did that bike shop also do your valve checks? It seems that since the valve cover bolt came loose, there was shoddy workmanship done previously.

Just to show you what kind of character Bill is, he didn't mention that it was me that did his valve check.  Did it during my 2016 (17?) tech day.  Seems odd that it took that long for a bolt to wiggle it's way out.  As for the "half moon bits" maybe not being in place, I assure you they were.  I started doing my own valve checks after an experience with a "professional" motorcycle repairman needing 3 attempts to get that part of the gasket set properly in place.  After the first and second attempts, I had oil all over my right leg and boot by the time I arrived home.  You know pretty quickly when those half moon bits aren't in there correctly.

As hppants pointed out, it seems pretty unlikely that the bike would be able to run with 60 psi or less.  However I would have liked to get a look at that gasket.  Is it possible it could have cracked and bits worked their way out and allowing gaps where the oil could come out from?

 

[RossKean]

I have never seen that gasket to be anything other than supple - at least around the circumference.  The parts that go around the spark plug holes and PAIR openings can get a bit hard and could possibly get brittle.  The bolts for the valve cover are only torqued to 7.2 ft-lb so to have one come loose is not a big surprise, especially if the rubber gasket/washers are degraded and hard.  I clean and thoroughly degrease the gasket and the groove in the top of the valve cover and then "glue" the gasket in to the cover using O2 sensor-safe RTV silicone.  Makes installation MUCH easier.

Yamaha says to replace the whole valve cover gasket each time but I didn't in the almost 200,000 miles I had my '07.