Weeping from all cam cover bolts

[Forrest]

Gentlemen,

I have a 2015 Roadster and it seems my cam cover gasket has crapped the bed. Every bolt is weeping a bit however, no weeping from the gasket around the sides at any point. Only at the bolts.

Assuming the bolt seals and gasket need replacement I would be curious about the torque sequence for each bolt and torque values. Other than that...just make sure the coil wires are in place before reinstalling the cover.

What do y'all think?

 

[Kevin frazier]

I would change the washers (bolt seals 9) and torque very evenly in a very slow sequence process since seal is good and is not leaking.

 

[Forrest]

Doctor Kevin,

In this diagram it shows a "twin lip" as well as the needed washers. Would you say snag 8 of each as I believe there are a total of 8 bolts. I wasn't able to peek on the rear side of the cam cover. I don't believe there are any bolts back there and it does not look like there are any according to this diagram.

 

[Kevin frazier]

Assuming theyre bad. There 9, yeah id grab the ones for your black top that it calls for.

 

[Kevin frazier]

Forrest heres the sequence and torque. You may try changing 1 at a time getting close to 12nm then once all 9 are charged, torque to speck in sequence. The bolt seals have a washer on 1 side built into it, it goes up towards bottom of bolt head, lubricate new bolt seals prior to install.

 

[Gregger]

You can't really over torque the bolts since they are shouldered and will eventually bottom out. My cam cover has been off numerous times and I am still using the original 9 seals without ever changing them. I have a set of replacement seals for that day but.... still waiting.

If I were you, I'd retorque the bolts first before replacing the seals to see if they are only loose. There shouldn't be any pressure behind those seals so I can't see why they would leak unless loose or your crankcase breather is plugged. Last time I checked, they were $11 bucks each.

PS, all my cam cover bolts were loose and had to be retighted after about 1 year of use... no surprise. At least your cam cover gasket appears to be still in place and in good shape... I wouldn't replace it but purchase a spare.

 

[Gregger]

What exhaust header are you running... It isn't stock from the pic?

 

[Forrest]

I see this is not an uncommon deal with our bikes. Some of them leak at the cam cover, some at the bolts. The job itself seems like it will be easy thanks to the repair manual. Also the parts are cheap. I believe the seals are all original so I suppose 8 years of hauling ass for a 40 dollar repair job isn't a terrible tradeoff. I will purchase the new seals, washers, and a gasket as a back up.

I checked the torque values on the bolts and they are all tight as can be. Went on a ride yesterday and the weeping only continued.

Gregger, where is the crankcase breather? I would like to check that when I get home from work today. As for the exhaust, it's a carpenter straight pipe.

 

[Gregger]

If you still have the original intake and restrictive plumbing, the crankcase breather hose hooks up from the rear of the engine to the bottom of the filter box. #12 and 13 below.

If you have a RamAir or Pods, most guys use the included mini filter and attach it to a short hose on the crankcase breather fitting at the rear of the engine. I'm assuming because you have the Carpenter upgrades, the restrictive intake and plumbing has been removed forcing you to use some kind of external breather which can plug.


On my ride, I added a good length of pipe to keep the breather/filter up high allowing any oil vapors to drain back into the engine rather than leak out of the breather plugging things up. After a couple of years of use, mine was filthy. Just cleaned it up with carb cleaner and reoiled it.

 

[Kevin frazier]

Forrest did you fix leak? The chrome tops seal much better and easier, the black tops are smooth machined surfaced, the chrome are channelled like surface, how i did this one, from starting with all clean parts it took 2 hours, on a bike that pulled into garage, its a long job, to get disassembled, cleaned, prepped and ready then back together, i only use three bond on archs like manual says and i lubricate seal and towers for spark plug wires, archs got threebond, grease along all other edges this time after cleaning with brake clean for a must stick, I normally put three bond on head archs directly, but trying new things, greased gasket upto threebond edges. Bolt washers got grease, threads got oil.