This Does Not Sound Good ....

[cliffords]

Originally Posted by conrod

Next question! I blocked the ports in the head, and laid clean cloths in the valley before I started removing the old silicone sealant and gaskets. I'm pretty sure nothing has dropped into the valley. It's the silicone I'm concerned about - stray pieces are very good at blocking oilways, and I've seen the damage that can cause!

I'm therefore going to change the oil and filter - it was due for a change anyway. The question is, should I drain it cold (before I fire up the engine), or should I let the engine warm up then drain the oil. I'm thinking of the latter at present.

Could you put the hose of the vacuum cleaner down the ports and any other holes before you re assemble, to pick up any stray bits ?

[conrod]

Originally Posted by cliffords

Could you put the hose of the vacuum cleaner down the ports and any other holes before you re assemble, to pick up any stray bits ?

David,

The main concern is if any silicone sealant dropped down the dizzy/oil pump hole - which would be a bit too sticky for a vacuum cleaner.

Mind you, this reminded me of a horror story from a biking mate of mine. His son had been working on the carb on his moped, and had used paper towel and petrol to clean everything. Successfully as it happens - the moped started. Much to both the son's and the proud father's delight - "that's my boy!"

Subsequently the son picked up most of the paper towel strewn over the garage floor, then decided to use the vacuum cleaner to pick up the rest.

Boom!!!!!!!

A valuable lesson was learned there - vacuum cleaners and garages don't mix!

[cliffords]

When I was trying to get oil pressure on my engine before start up I decided I had dropped a small screw down the dizzy hole. I got a bit of brake vacuum hose and made to hose on the vacuum cleaner a smaller bore and therefore higher pressure in order to take out the small screw from the oily hole. I did this for ages and then gave up as I could not determine if I had got it or not.

I then found the small screw on the end of the screwdriver I had been using held by the magnetism they get after a while.

Still think my super power small bore vacuum cleaner was a great invention.

[conrod]

Originally Posted by cliffords

When I was trying to get oil pressure on my engine before start up I decided I had dropped a small screw down the dizzy hole. I got a bit of brake vacuum hose and made to hose on the vacuum cleaner a smaller bore and therefore higher pressure in order to take out the small screw from the oily hole. I did this for ages and then gave up as I could not determine if I had got it or not.

I then found the small screw on the end of the screwdriver I had been using held by the magnetism they get after a while.

Still think my super power small bore vacuum cleaner was a great invention.

David,

That's spooky! You've reminded me of another motorbike story! Soon after acquiring a Kawasaki GPz900R, I removed the rocker cover to check the valve clearances. When I went to put it back, the workshop manual said to be sure to check that the four locating dowels next to the spark plug access holes in the cover were still in place. Well, they weren't, and I couldn't find them anywhere.

Then I realised that I had removed the spark plugs before removing the rocker cover - and immediately concluded that the damn dowels must have dropped down the plug holes as I removed the cover.

I invented the very same device as your good self - a series of reducing pipes on the end of my vacuum cleaner, culiminating in a 1/4" tube which I could insert in the spark plug holes! Needless to say, after half an hour's fishing, I didn't find any. So in the end I started the bike, ready to switch it off immediately if it rattled - but it was fine.

I later found out from my local Kawasaki dealer that the dowels served absolutely no practical purpose, and were such a PITA that standard practice was to ditch them at the first service - d'oh!!!!!

[slogger]

Alan,
Glad you found the leak. One small point though. If you are concerned about bits of silicone getting into you oil system etc. then why decided to run it to get the oil hot so you can drain it??

Surely that defeats the object here......or have I missed something??

[conrod]

Originally Posted by slogger

Alan,
Glad you found the leak. One small point though. If you are concerned about bits of silicone getting into you oil system etc. then why decided to run it to get the oil hot so you can drain it??

Surely that defeats the object here......or have I missed something??

Just wondered whether if there were any bits dropped down the dizzy shaft hole they'd just stick there if I drain the oil cold. Whereas if I just let it tick over for a while the oil would thin and flush them into the sump - but maybe find their way into an oilway in the process .........

Thinking about it, it's probably better just pour some fresh oil down there to move any debris into the sump, and then drain and change it before starting the engine.

I'm 99% certain nothing dropped down though!