Engine Seal

[happyker]

Just noticed this. Last picture I had of this side of the bike was Sept 1st and it wasn't like this in the picture so I think it just happened. I've never had any kind of dropping of the bike since I purchased it though I do now put on lots of NYC miles.

This is on my new to me 09 FZ6 that I have put on 4k miles (15,400 total now) on since I purchased it out in Colorado early Aug. The engine has always sounded fine to me although I'm pretty sure the tap tap of the cylinders at idle is louder than my 06 was with 60k miles on it. Or it could be just in my head since one would assume a newer bike would be quieter and I haven't ridden the 06 since I discovered the frame snap on it.

What do I do?

Thanks to all who read as usual

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Just noticed this. Last picture I had of this side of the bike was Sept 1st and it wasn't like this in the picture so I think it just happened. I've never had any kind of dropping of the bike since I purchased it though I do now put on lots of NYC miles.

This is on my new to me 09 FZ6 that I have put on 4k miles (15,400 total now) on since I purchased it out in Colorado early Aug. The engine has always sounded fine to me although I'm pretty sure the tap tap of the cylinders at idle is louder than my 06 was with 60k miles on it. Or it could be just in my head since one would assume a newer bike would be quieter and I haven't ridden the 06 since I discovered the frame snap on it.

What do I do?

Enlarging the pic, its pretty obvious someone had the valve cover off. You can see the rear, intake half moon part of the seal pushed in (thus the leak-seepage).

And no, the bike shouldn't be any noisier (clickity click) than your old one if the valves are adjusted correctly...

Some bikes, the valves are looser from the factory(noisier), but it seems, logically when the cover was off, they either didn't measure correctly, or ?


IMO, I'd pick up another valve cover gasket (usually re-usable) BUT that ones been squashed in there in-correctly. and check valve clearances...


You know how loud yours was. This one should be quieter if anything...(hopefully the PO didn't hide anything from you)




.

 

[happyker]

As always, thank you very much for your quick and very helpful response.

Other than a valve adjustment what other reason would anyone have for taking the valve cover off? Or why would anyone need to do that on an engine with 11K to 12k (or less even) miles on it?

Also how much of a rush should I be in to fix this? Do I need I take off work and stop riding the bike till it's fixed or can it be done in whatever amount it takes even if I put another few hundred to 1K (NYC) miles on it in the meantime?

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

As for the seepage, you can ride indefinitely, just check the oil level once in awhile but that leak is MINIMAL...

If the valves are loose, you should be able to ride it W/O a problem. I don't think I'd run the engine into the higher RPM's until
you can find out if it is the valves ticking or something else (going by what you describe).

Why they had they cover off with such low miles, dunno. Un-less they an issue of some sort.
There's no reason to pull it off with the mileage of the bike.

Perhaps they were looking for why it was noisy, didn't SEE anything
(didn't check with a feeler gauge either) and slapped it back together..

If you could upload an audio/video for us to listen to might be helpful.

*Is it possible the engine had been replaced with an older engine? Any signs of
assembly not quite right, (IE, lines, wires, hoses, exhaust header bolts replaced or threads nice and clean,
etc NOT in the same position as your old bike was).
.

 

[FinalImpact]

JM2C but the scrape along the cover could indicate the cover was never off but the seal was pushed in from the outside when that scrape occurred...
It really wouldnt take much direct pressure to push that in like it is. I'd guess that half round piece is 8 to 9mm thick and with super sharp pick you could puncture it at a down angle and drag it out. It may leak worse or stop. It depends how pliable it is...

As for the noise, mine needed the valves adjusted by 10,000 mi. I did it at 20k. All remains quite at 27k mi.

Use a long wooden dowel to head above each cylinder and let idle. Place your ear at the dowels end and listen. If the valves are loose you will hear a distinct tap tap tap. A long screwdriver works too.

If you do drag the gasket out and it seeps, give it a few heat cycles and it may seal itself. But its likely better off left alone until you are ready to do it right and adjust the valves while there...

 

[happyker]

Sorry about basically dropping off the face of the earth. I keep meaning to come back here and post video I took for audio purposes but always have trouble uploading on here from my phone and haven't had the time to do it from my laptop.

Something that I think you guys are misunderstanding (or maybe I'm misunderstanding you guys?). The engine looked normal when I purchased the bike. That half moon thing that got pushed in somehow was VERY recent to the time of that post. I mentioned above that I checked a picture from Sept 1st where the engine still looked normal but based on oil leakage I'm thinking it must have just happened within a day or two before my post. It has leaked more ever since though still not very quickly. I've put on probably somewhere around 1500 miles on the bike since my original post in this thread but my oil level is still normal but it did get more oil on the engine nearby.

My theory after talking to the mechanic at the Vespa dealership 3 doors down from my apartment (friendly people and we chat motorcycles and such on occasion. They sell used motorcycles too) is that it's from extreme heat changes somewhere. I do after all use the bike to do motorcycle courier stuff in NYC (so lots of starts and stops throughout the day, getting through heavy traffic and the weird weather) and also not too long after I posted that I noticed the bike running pretty hot bease of a rock that got stuck in the fan.

Could it have been the heat changes that did it? I have not dropped the bike at all during my time of owning it so the theory of it happening when it was dropped wouldn't be it.

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Heat changes wouldn't have pushed that gasket in..


I'm sure you could easily push it in with a screwdriver/blunt object(for some unk reason).

Unfortunately, you have to lift the valve cover to re-seat it(I would replace it as it's probably got a crooked "set" in it now).

**You may try sneaking in a real thin SS dental pick, with a hook and yank it out some from the bottom. At this point, it can't hurt.

And your fan motor is probably toast as "one rock jamb" will fry it. Watch your temps and perhaps test it.
The rock vs fan motor is a common problem unfortunately.


I made up an aluminum guard that bolts and fills in the space where the rock would have come from:

 

[happyker]

Thankfully the fan still works after I took the rock out (it blew two fuses before I figured out why it wasnt working since I couldnt see the rock and I could actually hand turn the fan with only a little bit of resistance, though it wouldnt free spin). It seems to do its job too since it kicks in around 208 to 212 and the bike rarely goes over that. Ive seen it register to up to 219 right after turning it off but while its running I dont think Ive seen it over 212. The fan does sound slightly funny though when it spins so maybe it doesnt have a long life span ahead of it. It almost sounds like its hitting something every time it spins but just barely since it will free spin now.

Im going to order a new valve seal for when I get the chance but Ill try pulling it out in the meantime.

Now for the video. I uploaded 2 videos. One shorter and one with me riding a little bit and the phone sticking out of my pocket. (I kept hitting red lights everywhere so could never go that fast).
http://adventuresofkerri.com/Video/enginesound.mp4
http://adventuresofkerri.com/Video/enginesound2.mp4

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

You need to buy a lottery ticket!

You have the FIRST FAN motor to survive a rock jamb (since I've been here), especially after replacing TWO fuses.


Now that IS city, stop and go traffic!!