gaskey leak and smoke

[the boy blunder]

Hey all and happy spring,

I just took my 81 custom out for the first big day of the spring. I live in New York city so there was a lot of traffic so it was a lot of accelerating but not a lot of coasting or air.
I noticed some smoke coming from the engine.

When I got home i saw that there was some oil coming from the I think the top of the engine out of the head gasket (i think). This was hitting the hot engine and smoking.

I think that this might have been caused by me changing my oil on a hill like an idiot and over filling.
Is that possible? If so, is this as easy as removing oil and getting the oil pressure back to its normal state?
or am i possible going to have to replace the seal? or is it worse than that?

thanks for reading and for all of the help,

Jordan

[TOOLS1]

First check your oil level. Then wash the engine, and watch for where the oil is coming from. After you find where it is coming from, fix it.
TOOLS

[sgtslag]

To make it easier to locate the actual leak, try spraying white foot powder on the suspect areas when you are certain the engine is completely clean and dry.  When you start it up, look for wet oil spots to form in the dry white powder -- this is where your oil leak is coming from.  Cheers!

[the boy blunder]

Great, thanks. I went back and peaked after it had cooled down. it is coming out of a the head gasket for sure. It was coming out pretty evenly throughout the entire thing.

Does that tell me that the seal is totally ruined for sure or is it possible that the gasket could hold the standard amount of pressure after I level out my oil?

thanks again, i really appreciate it.

Jordan

[TOOLS1]

The oil level does not have anything to do with pressure unless you are out of oil, and then you will not have any pressure. Now if you have over filled your engine to the point that the oil level is up to the head gasket, then I doubt the engine could crank, and run. It would have a hydraulic lock. When you say head gasket, are you meaning the "head gasket", or the valve/tappet cover gasket?
TOOLS

[LukeM]

This is the third time I've heard of this trick to find an oil leak.  To get even deeper, you can use the spray foot powder stuff to get inbetween the fins.  Genius.

I'm hoping it's nothing serious. Some pictures would certainly help.  Let's hope it's not the head gasket.
Luke M

[the boy blunder]

Guys,

Thanks for the suggestions. Before I waste anyone's time let me identify the exact location (and name) of the leak. I will also get a picture or two.

the Bike is still starting up just fine and running, so it must not be the H.G.

thanks again. I will hopefully have some time to take a look at it on Monday or Tuesday.

pic to come,

Jordan

[the boy blunder]

Hey all,

So I removed about a half of a quart and the level is now better.

After i removed the half quart i cleaned up any of the oil that was on the engine and the pipes. This was causing most of the smoke. I ran the engine for a good ten minutes and no new oil leaked anywhere at all but there still was smoke coming from the pipes. Specifically, the left pipe which had a lot of oil on it originally was still smoking from the outside. I assumed that this was still the remaining oil residue on the pipes. Would that make sense that that would be really hard to remove and that it would smoke that much?

What did make me a little more worried was that the left pipe was smoking from the inside as well. I ran the engine and there was noticeable smoke coming from the left exhaust. Even when i cut the engine the smoke trickled out. Any ideas as to why there would be smoke coming from inside the pipes? Would it be possible that there is somehow just oil inside them or is this possibly the effect of a larger problem?

attached are photos of where the oil was leaking from.

any help would be great. thanks!

[TOOLS1]

When an engine is burning oil, it usually comes out the end of the exhaust pipe. If it is just coming off the exhaust pipe, it is oil on the exhaust pipe.
TOOLS

[the boy blunder]

Shoot. OK.

That could be caused by a lot of different things huh? Is it most likely that i blew a seal if it was caused by overfilling the oil?

How bad of a problem would that be? it still feels and sounds good. Is it possible that it will go away now that the pressure is normal or is it probably going to need replacement?

thanks again!

Jordan

[TOOLS1]

Just take it to a car wash, and give it a real good hosing. Maybe even use some engine cleaner on it. Be sure to get all the oil/grunge off, and you should be good to go.
TOOLS

[the boy blunder]

Hey guys,

thanks again for all of the help.

One last question (hopefully).

So i cleaned it all up and I took it for a spin. The leaking is almost completely gone and there is no more smoking coming from the top of the engine or the outside of the pipes.

There IS smoke coming out of only the left pipe still. Should i be very concerned about this or is it probably also left over oil from the leak?

thanks again,

Jordan