wouldn't start, took it apart, not looking so good inside

[joetroop30]

I rode all day on 8-2 without any issues.  Went out to ride on the morning of 8-9 and tried to start it up.  Normally my bike, a 2002 S, starts in the first 3 kicks.  I kicked it for 15 minutes on and off and it wouldn't start.  I knew something was up so I pulled the carb out.  Carb looked good no issues there.  Petcock wasn't leaking.  Checked the spark and it wasn't giving blue spark.  Spark looked weak.  I pulled off my valve cover to check my valve clearances since I was going through everything and this is what I found when I took off my valve cover.  It looks like and has the consistency of bacon grease.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I just replaced my head gasket a couple of years ago.  I haven't been having any issues with the bike like I did when I had to replace the head gasket-no coolant loss, overheating, air bubbles going into the overflow tank.  When I replaced the head gasket a few years back I also replaced the welch plugs that in the head, thinking that since it's a 10+ year old bike it would be a smart thing to do.  I'm thinking that I got a very small leak in one of the plugs since I'm not having any issues like I did when I previously blew the head gasket.  I drained the oil since I was gonna check the valves and didn't see any coolant in the oil I drained out.  Just this milky looking mess on the inside of my valve cover.  There was some milky crap down where the welch plugs are too. 

 

 

 

Then I took off the left side cover, pulled the stator out, and found this mess-

 

 

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

In case you can't see it good in the pics, it looks like a lot of the insulation on the stator wires melted and into the copper wire.  It kind of looked like someone put it in a deep fryer. 

 

 

 

 

I was wondering if there is an expoxy that I can put over the welch plugs to seal them up, just in case that is what is causing the milky mess in my head. 

 

[BillDirt1]

Water pump leak may also be possible ?     Don't know much about electrical, good luck with the stator.

Edited August 11, 2014 by billdirt1

[joetroop30]

Replacing the stator will be easy and I'm pretty sure it will solve the problem of the bike not starting.  I'm more worried about that leak that is making look like someone cooked bacon inside of my valve cover and what is causing that.   

[joetroop30]

Maybe I should have posted about which oil I should use if I actually wanted responses. Or perhaps I should have posted about what my jetting should be, or which aftermarket pipe I should buy, or "look at my cool graphics."  Been on this forum since 2007, when I do post, which isn't often, its because I'm actually looking for help. 

 

I was looking for any help/thoughts on what could be the cause of the mess in my valve cover.  Anybody else ever have the same problem?  I don't think it is a head gasket because I've had that issue before and the bike hasn't been having those problems. 

 

I was thinking of putting epoxy or JB weld over the welch or freeze plugs in my head because I think perhaps they are the problem.  Anyone done this before?  Results?  Would it be ok to use JB Weld ? 

[therealdaveyjones]

i have a stator if interested.

 

otherwise cant help ya - i dont know jack about bikes - i just ride them

[joetroop30]

Thanks, but already ordered a new stator from TT store yesterday.  Hoping it gets here in time for me to put it in this weekend and get some riding in. 

[32x20]

The valve cover stuff looks a lot like what I used to get on the oil fill cap in a truck I used to have. It seemed like it was just from cooking off any condensation in the oil and never cause any problems. Was any of the oil 'in circulation' milky?

[eviltwinskippy]

The stator appears toasted - looks like a replacement is in order. When you drained the engine oil was there any signs of coolant in it? As for the plugs - I, personally, would pull the head for a definitive inspection to ensure the actual problem is identified and corrected. BTW - what type of oil were you using in it?

[everlast]

I'd drain oil and coolant and if you find no milkshake mixes in either, attribute it to condensation in the oil. Clean everything with brake cleaner the best you can, put some cheap oil in it, do a flush of the coolant system with clean hose water for a little while, and run drain the cheap oil out, replace with good oil and 50/50 coolant mix, and ride!

[ohgood]

Maybe I should have posted about which oil I should use if I actually wanted responses. Or perhaps I should have posted about what my jetting should be, or which aftermarket pipe I should buy, or "look at my cool graphics."  Been on this forum since 2007, when I do post, which isn't often, its because I'm actually looking for help. 

 

I was looking for any help/thoughts on what could be the cause of the mess in my valve cover.  Anybody else ever have the same problem?  I don't think it is a head gasket because I've had that issue before and the bike hasn't been having those problems. 

 

I was thinking of putting epoxy or JB weld over the welch or freeze plugs in my head because I think perhaps they are the problem.  Anyone done this before?  Results?  Would it be ok to use JB Weld ? 

 

 

jbweld over freeze plugs sounds like a bad idea. bandaid on a artery spurt kind of thing. 

 

if you suspect the freeze plugs, i'd assume it's seen extreme pressures from coolant loss or having pushed one out during cold weather, and then boiling and building pressure inside the system the next time you ran it. not always seen if you're riding down the road. 

 

my fix would be new head/base gaskets, freeze plugs (about $2 each at napa) and some cleaning. don't let the engine sit with that mix of whatever in it either, flush the case with diesel, then refill with oil. don't want water killing hte bearings while it waits to be fixed. :-)

 

then i would ride it once to full temperature, and dump the oil looking for a milkshake. 

Edited August 13, 2014 by ohgood

[joetroop30]

The valve cover stuff looks a lot like what I used to get on the oil fill cap in a truck I used to have. It seemed like it was just from cooking off any condensation in the oil and never cause any problems. Was any of the oil 'in circulation' milky?

None of the oil in circulation was milky.  It didn't look contaminated by anything at all. 

 

The stator appears toasted - looks like a replacement is in order. When you drained the engine oil was there any signs of coolant in it? As for the plugs - I, personally, would pull the head for a definitive inspection to ensure the actual problem is identified and corrected. BTW - what type of oil were you using in it?

No signs of coolant in the oil whatsoever.  The only reason I drained oil even was because I was going to check the valves.  Never suspected I had a problem.  Oil was Silkolene 15W-50, been using this for the past couple of years.  That's what really sucks about using it,  I had just changed the oil a few hundred miles ago-$30 something bucks worth of oil down the drain. 

 

I'd drain oil and coolant and if you find no milkshake mixes in either, attribute it to condensation in the oil. Clean everything with brake cleaner the best you can, put some cheap oil in it, do a flush of the coolant system with clean hose water for a little while, and run drain the cheap oil out, replace with good oil and 50/50 coolant mix, and ride!

That was pretty much going to be my plan.  Just need the stator to show up so I can start the bike. 

 

jbweld over freeze plugs sounds like a bad idea. bandaid on a artery spurt kind of thing. 

 

if you suspect the freeze plugs, i'd assume it's seen extreme pressures from coolant loss or having pushed one out during cold weather, and then boiling and building pressure inside the system the next time you ran it. not always seen if you're riding down the road. 

 

my fix would be new head/base gaskets, freeze plugs (about $2 each at napa) and some cleaning. don't let the engine sit with that mix of whatever in it either, flush the case with diesel, then refill with oil. don't want water killing hte bearings while it waits to be fixed. :-)

 

then i would ride it once to full temperature, and dump the oil looking for a milkshake. 

If you look at the FAQ's regarding the welch plug replacement/repair, it actually lists this as an option if your leak isn't obvious, which mine isn't.  The welch plugs look brand new, no obvious rust/corrosion/holes in them.  I just read the FAQ again and it said use a marine grade epoxy, so I'm gonna try that.  I've had zero coolant loss in my bike.  I just bent my filler neck on my radiator a few weeks back, but it's not leaking and is operating normally.  Good idea about filling bike with diesel and flushing, It has been sitting since Saturday afternoon with no oil in it.  I cleaned everything up that I could reach, but I'm sure that milky crap is everywhere in my motor. 

Edited August 13, 2014 by joetroop30

[ohgood]

understood - ?

 

if an engine is going to sit for an extended period of time before work is done, it's a really good idea to fill it completely with oil, so that none of the bearings/bushings/gears/etc can rust from water/air exposure. rust is a real killer. 

 

post up when you complete the epoxy job, let us know how it works and your impressions. ?

[joetroop30]

I flushed the motor out with kerosene. Installed the new stator yesterday, put just a thin coat of jb weld over the welch plugs. Gave it 24 hours so jb weld could cure fully. Started right up today! Gonna change oil in about a week and pull off valve cover again. Hopefully no more issues.