427 replies to this topic

[FJRBluesman]

Sorry Don. My questions and your answers via pix, have confirmed to me your head gasket launched. A classic blown HG is water in the oil makeing it bubbily/foamy looking, and a murkey light chocolate color like yours. Water has started entering your crank case and it's getting higher.

Also that one plug looks mighty slimey, confirming the no power lugging along on coolant.

Hopefully it's only the head gasket and not a water jacket issue that's cracked or something where the motor is no bueno.

Sorry bud.

A quick story on my methodology.
We were going out water skiing using a neighbors boat, he was driving. The boat had no power and just dogging it. We opened ‘er up and still was not doing well, thinking it was just lugged form the winter storage (where we were they must winterize the boat). We came to a stop and killed it. We tried restarting it and it wouldn’t go. We pulled the air cleaner and it was covered in that light chocolaty goo. We thought WTF! We then pulled the dip stick it was covered in the same goo and the dip stick was total covered all the way to the top with the goo. Upon closer inspection we could see the water beading up on the oil. The breathers etc all filled with goo. It ingested so much water it blew it out every orifice. At that point we knew it was done for. The local mechanic confirmed a cracked block, due to poor winterizing.

BTW - Is this the first blown head gasket on the forum?

[dcarver]

Look at it this way: if you're gonna get coolant in the oil, a fault at the head gasket is the best way to have it happen. . . .

Wfoo - you also think it's a head gasket? How else could you get water in oil? Blown case?

[FJRBluesman]

Look at it this way: if you're gonna get coolant in the oil, a fault at the head gasket is the best way to have it happen. . . .

Wfoo - you also think it's a head gasket? How else could you get water in oil? Blown case?

Yes. See my boat story above. A head gasket is easier, a cracked water jacket is a new to you motor. Either way you must pull the head first, that will tell you what's up next, a new head gasket or more exploratory surgery.

Sorry my brother.

[dsmack]

Sadly, I agree that the oil showing in your sight glass is classic for coolant contamination.
The quicker you can get that mix out of the engine/gearbox, the better...
Sorry for your troubles, my friend!
Don

[SkooterG]

Bummer extraordinaire!

[escapefjrtist]

Too bad Don...as previously mentioned, if the head isn't damaged it's fixable.

Good luck!

--G

[Toecutter]

You sure have a great attitude for a guy with a Gen II lemon.

I'll stay tuned for the next chapter of the ongoing saga....

[C&C]

Hopefully it is a bad head gasket; the alternative is a cracked block. Best of luck for a successful solution.

[yamafitter]

Correct me if I'm wrong but was not the head recently worked on just before your ride out to NERDS? I know the bike was working fine during that trip but with a new head gasket I don't see how the gasket failed over this short of a time frame. A defective gasket or an error in re-assembly would have shown up earlier I would think.
When the head does get removed carefully check both the block deck and the head for warp-age. A cracked block however would make this all academic.
Sorry that you are having these issues Don.

[ShinyPartsUp]

I'll add my sorrow for your troubles, and best wishes for a reasonable ix Don.

I hope you learned your lesson -- never let Bust pee in your tank or molest your exhaust.

[road runner]

It is sounding like a HG. If oil is getting higher it must be a pretty good leak, and should see coolant level dropping. Also if the coolant is filling cylinders overnight then it should crank over hard in the morning, AKA hydro-locking.

Aside from the oil being milky I've seen stuck injectors do the same thing. Flooding the cyl and raising oil level.

Usually coolant leaking into a cyl will actually steam clean the plug, and they will come out looking new. Perhaps the leak is so bad the cyl can't fire at all, therefore not cleaning it. don't know.

good luck.

[kaitsdad]

Correct me if I'm wrong but was not the head recently worked on just before your ride out to NERDS? I know the bike was working fine during that trip but with a new head gasket I don't see how the gasket failed over this short of a time frame. A defective gasket or an error in re-assembly would have shown up earlier I would think.
When the head does get removed carefully check both the block deck and the head for warp-age. A cracked block however would make this all academic.
Sorry that you are having these issues Don.

yamafitter, that's true, head was off; in 2007. Prolly about 100K+ ago. Fun and Games with Carbon Buildup. If my facts are wrong, Don please correct me.

[Joe2Lmaker]

Sorry to hear about this Don.

[beemerdons]

Dude you are SO assfuked next time I see You..

So what else is new, Bust!

Don, it's the head gasket!!!

[Bustanut joker]

I do believe it is a first here Simon. Man that really sucks Don.

[SkooterG]

You sure have a great attitude for a guy with a Gen II lemon.

I'll stay tuned for the next chapter of the ongoing saga....

Holy Cow! Good to see you out and about posting. You have been awfully quiet for a long time.

[BikerGeek99]

Dang, Don. Sorry to hear this.

[doug5551]

You didn't by chance decide to run a car tire recently, did you??

Just trying to think of all possible causes....

Sorry, and hope it is just the head gasket.

[Fred W]

Correct me if I'm wrong but was not the head recently worked on just before your ride out to NERDS? I know the bike was working fine during that trip but with a new head gasket I don't see how the gasket failed over this short of a time frame. A defective gasket or an error in re-assembly would have shown up earlier I would think.
When the head does get removed carefully check both the block deck and the head for warp-age. A cracked block however would make this all academic.
Sorry that you are having these issues Don.

Bill,

I'm sure Don will be along to report on this, but my recollection is that they determined that his "knocking" noise just before NERDS was from carbon buildup on the pistons. I think the "fix" was just running a bunch of Ring Free through it and the knocking went away. After that, he did run the bike a whole bunch of miles out to Vermont and back via the PNW, so it doesn't seem that it would be directly related, but I wonder if the apparent headgasket failure is related to all of that piston knocking on carbon that happened back then.

PS - Sorry to hear about the head gasket, Don. Hopefully that is all it is. I guess the good news is that since you'll have that head off you can really see how much carbon buildup remains. I forget now, did you (or whoever was working on the bike) ever scope the combustion chambers through the plug holes back then?

[Toecutter]

Holy Cow! Good to see you out and about posting. You have been awfully quiet for a long time.

Thank you! Been too busy with other things, mostly bicycle 3 short hours a day when I'm not at work. Takes away from internet time. Getting ready to do my second annual Climb to Kaiser. Finished last year, but not strong. Looking to knock at least an hour off my time this year. The ultimate goal is to be the first guy my age or older to finish, but for now, I'd love to just finish ahead of the girls...

Hey Don,
If the head is removed, at least on a Gen I, you're supposed to use new bolts to put it back on. Did that happen? The head might have gotten loose. You already had a head gasket problem? I see why you like Harleys...