Head gasket replacement

[tr500]

It seems I need to investigate the head gasket due to engine smoking which has occurred since changing oil, which must be a bit of a coincidence. On checking what is needed to do this job, it appears that there is not enough room to take off the rocker box cover without fouling the brackets on the frame. Is there anyway this can be done without dropping the engine ?. The model is a SKORPION Sport.
Once again your help will be appreciated.

[droy]

nope - not without cutting the horizontal frame tube

http://hajokootstra.blogspot.com/#!/201 ... rgery.html

Are you sure its the head gasket? I've never hear of that issue on a stock engine. have you tried to tighten the head bolts?

[tr500]

To tighten the head bolts the rocker box needs to come off and it looks as if that will foul the upper frame which is my concern, because if the Rocker box can clear the frame I think I can then tighten the head bolts ?.

[Puffs]

Hi tr500,

of course I am not certain your bike has a leaking head gasket. It's a possibility, which could explain what you said. But to be sure you need to investigate it more. For instance: what kind of smoke is it; what does the plug look like; when you parked it & you try starting the bike without spark plug is there anything coming out of the plug hole; any pressure on the cooling system after running (with the engine still cold); do you loose cooling fluid, ...

I have had it once, in a car, resulting in high pressure in the cooling system - a minuscule leak between one of the combustion chambers & the cooling system. I noticed it because the engine started to overheat & loosing cooling fluid, but it started very gradually. But after a while the problems became very serious & quickly after starting I had a lot of pressure on the cooling system.

Easy stuff first: first make sure the engine is not seriously overfilled w/ oil, make sure engine venting is OK, then re-torque the head bolts, to the specified torque. If none of that works, looks like the head has to come off (for either gasket, rings, or guide seals).

Good luck!

[droy]

Yes rocker cover removal needed for the left side head bolts. The right side bolts are exposed.

You might be able to remove the front rad and complete front engine support and the lower rear bolt and tilt the engine forward enough to get the rocker cover off and get to the bolts. That's easier than removing the swingarm/engine bolt which requires a lot of work.

[tr500]

Firstly I would like to thank those of you that suggested what my problem with engine smoking, as a result I stripped the head and barrel, then rebuilt it with new gaskets, valve seals and lapped in the seats..
All is now fine, but I couldn't see what actually caused the problem. My gut feeling was the valve seals even though I couldn't see any wear.
Since rebuild I have done a few hundred miles without any issues.

[DAVID THOMPSON]

of late i have a lot of fellows on both cars and bikes complain ....when checking
engine oil amounts be careful and do not over fill
our 660 motor can be overfilled if not done correct

and my VW beetle TDI can get expensive if over filled

the 500 rotax is dry sump and care should be taken that the collection tank
has not drained into the sump if it has been setting for a while
DAVE

[Puffs]

Good you have it fixed!

The guide seals are the most common cause for smoke, they can become hard (with age & high temperature), and that may cause oil to leak past them. Maybe it got slightly thinner oil on the oil change, causing it to become more apparent than before.