Need help with a 1977 XS4002e problem

[ligatron]

I'm having a hard time pinpointing exactly where all of this liquid is coming from. Any thoughts?

[drewpy]

couple of things;

I would say from the bottom of the contact cover, there is a little slit there from drainage. maybe a camshaft seal has gone ( easy fix)

burinng oil with a leaky exhaust blowing back onto the head

leaky head gasket getting oil blown up into the fins

[YPVS TONE]

Another check is where the tacho cable goes into the cam cover .From memory I think the tacho cable is held in with a cross head screw .Undo this and the cable should pull out and there is a small oil seal inside the cam cover .Tony.

[Airhead]

and check the seals on the tappet inspection covers are intact.

[ligatron]

Thanks for the replies everybody. It's been a few weeks, but I have replaced the head gasket and the other seals that were suggested. The service manual instructed me to use liquid gasket on the valve cover when reinstalling it. I ended up using Permatex Black

After I assembled everything back together, I had leaks from the valve cover. Any advice on how to use this stuff? Should I be using something different?

[drewpy]

I just put IMG tags from your jpeg so it works

I use wellseal and use a small flat paint brush to apply it very thinly on each side. if its applied too thick the camshaft will have too much float and lower the oil pressure as it runs directly in the head.

I have omitted the gasket goo once and still got a tight seal, but use 20w 50 oil, so tend to use the above.

can you make sure that the numbers on the cam cover and head have the same serial numbers and don't forget to torque the cam cover down in the specific order that the manual says or you will distort it.

[ligatron]

I just put IMG tags from your jpeg so it works

I use wellseal and use a small flat paint brush to apply it very thinly on each side. if its applied too thick the camshaft will have too much float and lower the oil pressure as it runs directly in the head.

I have omitted the gasket goo once and still got a tight seal, but use 20w 50 oil, so tend to use the above.

can you make sure that the numbers on the cam cover and head have the same serial numbers and don't forget to torque the cam cover down in the specific order that the manual says or you will distort it.

Thanks for the suggestions again drewpy. I'll be picking up some Yamabond 4 from a local dealership here soon. I'm hoping none of that silicon permatex dried up and made it down into the head.

[ligatron]

Well, one more picture of oil leaking through. Has anyone seen this before? I'd like to avoid taking the valve cover back off again.

Notice the oil building up under that rubber stopper (not sure if that is the correct part description) in the center of the picture. What is that thing? What would be causing oil to leak through there? There does not appear to be leaks from any other place around the valve cover.

[drewpy]

Well, one more picture of oil leaking through. Has anyone seen this before? I'd like to avoid taking the valve cover back off again.

Notice the oil building up under that rubber stopper (not sure if that is the correct part description) in the center of the picture. What is that thing? What would be causing oil to leak through there? There does not appear to be leaks from any other place around the valve cover.

that "stopper" seals the oil within the rocker arm shaft, it seals when the points cover is put on properly