XS400 Rebuild with Blue Smoke

[Khunangkaro]

Alright, been lagging behind on what I thought I'd get done.

Here are some images I've taken of something I've found.

Imageshack link to photos.

What I found the most interesting was the amount of oil that made it's way between the cylinder head and the head gasket. So much so that it got up to the metal part of the gasket. Does this mean that the cylinders are sucking in oil through the gasket? That would be pretty shitty right? Warped head?

Any advice based on the images?

That head gasket looks very wet. My simple (unexperienced) question is: Is the head flat, and did you use a new head gasket?

I know from car engines that after lifting the head it usualy has to be machined flat and anyway must use new gasket.

Good luck.

[bswinn]

I'm not sure if it ran like this before. Like I said earlier the guy I bought it off never got it running. The guy he bought it off said that it ran but was unable to get it started when the trade was made. I examined the cylinder head and it's mating surface for flatness and it's flat to with a .001"

I just finished building the engine back up with the old gaskets I rebuilt it with (yeah I know you shouldn't do that but hear me out)just to do a leak down test. Was able to make a tester. They're so easy to make I don't know why anyone would bother spending $60 on one. Anyways...I found only 10% leakdown. Everywhere I've read says that this is right in the good range. I listened VERY closely to any place where air could escape. The only thing I found was an EXTREMELY small amount of air coming out of an exhaust port.

I swear I bought the magic bike and it's performing a magic trick on me with this oil leak.

[Speedshop]

well there's your dodgy seal. I expect you reused the old 'o' rings too. PMSL