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Help Me Fix ItA great place to post any problems you maybe having while working on your motorcycle. Most of us are do-it-yourselfers so this is a great way to share any information pertaining to fixing something or adding something on.
Hello, First of all I have a need to explain myself clearly, so excuse me if it turn out too long. I have a Suzuki GSX-R 600 1999, but they changed the engine to a 750. But as I understood, the engine is a 750cc but the head is from a 600cc engine. I understood that it gives more power to the engine. ( Don't know) Apperenlty the 750 engine is 1997 or 1998 ( Not sure either)
Anyway, when I went to change the oil, I noticed it was milky kinda green oil. They told me that there's a water leakage into the motor oil. I went to a mechanic or technician, however they are called....he told me that it could be either the waterpump or water jackets. I asked him if that the cylinder head gasket could have burned ( Like in cars)...he said no, that head gaskets of motorcycles do not burn.....He check the waterpomp, he changed the seals ( but he didn't put new seals.) He also checked to head and the block, he said that everything is ok. He told me to test it, and if it keeps leaking water into to oil, to bring it back. I test it, but the problem wasn' fixed. I went to another mechanic and he told me that it can be waterpump, or head gasket. I told him, that I've been told that head gaskets do not burn. HE said that they lied. They do burn. I left my motorcycle there, they changed to waterpump seals for a new one, and now they are telling me that my head gasket is burned. Apparently they found water in one of the cylinders. ( That sounds weird to me, because if there was water there, the engine should fail. And I didn't noticed that) So I went to a third mechanic, and he said that it could be either waterpump or water jackets. He also told me that head gaskets in motorcycles do not burn, because they are made of stainless steel, so they do not burn. Now I'm a little bit confused.....I don't know who is telling the truth and who is lying. Can anybody help me ?
Btw, thanks for reading
Head gaskets are made of steel now so they don't "burn", but they do fail. There can still be a hole. Sounds like that happened to you.
And yes, the engine can run on three cylinders. It won't run as well and it should be obvious to any mechanic that it doesn't sound right. You can see if all cylinders are firing by spraying the exhaust pipes with water. If one of the pipes isn't hot, then that cylinder is dead.
An engine can run on two cylinders, too, but it isn't pretty.
The first mechanic doesn't sound honest, why would he replace seals but not use new ones?
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I have my doubts that it could be a head gasket failure. Because if it was, then the engine would fail a cycinder, and that does not happen. The engine runs well. I'm pretty sure of that.
But the second mechanic, didn't even open the head. He just told me that the head gasket is burned. If it was a head gasket failure...wouldn't the engine also fail due to water in the cylinders ?
You could have a cracked head or cylinder block. The easiest way to check for that is to pressurize the water system and see if the water starts to leak into the engine. If you pull the plugs you may notice that one of the cylinders fills up with water. If it does not then I would suspect the water pump seals as it sometimes shares the shaft with the oil pump
I have my doubts that it could be a head gasket failure. Because if it was, then the engine would fail a cycinder, and that does not happen. The engine runs well. I'm pretty sure of that.
But the second mechanic, didn't even open the head. He just told me that the head gasket is burned. If it was a head gasket failure...wouldn't the engine also fail due to water in the cylinders ?
To get water into the oil you only need the gasket to fail between an oil gallery and a coolant gallery it doesn't neacasrily mean it will effect how the bike runs at all till it gets really low on coolant and or the water affected oil stops lubricating . Seriously with this hopefully all it is a head gasket otherwise you have a block head problem. It may be leaking into the cylinder but so slowly the heat of combustion gets rid of any moisture not affecting the motor and its only when the bike is parked up coolant enters the oil.
The secound mechanic may have done a leak down and compression test which gives you a fair idea of whats going on inside the cylinder without opening it or simply run the bike with the radiatior cap off/cooling system depreasureised and noted bubbles comming up through the system which is another fair sign of head gasket troubles.
any good engine shop will be able to perform this, or some form of checking the parts for cracks.
like what was already mentioned though, a failed oil seal on the water pump would be something I'd inspect first. for one it's inexpensive to fix and 2 it's probably the most probable cause.
Last edited by serpentracer : 09-13-2008 at 03:14 PM.
The oil seal on the waterpump would be the first thing I check. Like serpent said- it's cheap and easy to do. If that is not it, then:
Someone I know had a similar problem on his GSXR of that engine style, and it was a leaking freeze plug.
Basically, it's a plug on the head that is supposed to pop out if the coolant freezes, preventing anything from breaking. If they leak, it can cause water to get into the engine oil.
Might want to check that. Then have someone do a leakdown test. That will tell you if the head gasket it bad. If that checks out, magnaflux it.
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Serpentracer and Kevinwilly have given you the best advice. I'd start with their suggestions...for a 10+ year old bike...a tear down/rebuild is what I would do
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actually I gave bad info, turns out aluminum cannot be magnafluxed because it's not magnetic. but what ever method a shop uses, they should be able to find it.
Last edited by serpentracer : 09-13-2008 at 09:59 PM.
Magnafluxing as was said only works with ferrous metals. If a crack is present in the metal, the iron fillings in the magnaflux solution orient on the magnetized crack north and south axies. For aluminum a dye penetrant check is prefered. You can make your own kit with red food dye and talcum powder. Apply red dye over the suspected crack. Wipe off dye. Spread talcum powder over the suspected area. It there is a crack the dye will penetrated the crack and will become visible through the talcum powder.
water leakage into motor oil
. Seriously with this hopefully all it is a head gasket otherwise you have a block head problem. It may be leaking into the cylinder but so slowly the heat of combustion gets rid of any moisture not affecting the motor and its only when the bike is parked up coolant enters the oil.
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