Oil leaking up cylinder head bolts

[Dave.T.]

Hello all.
I have a 2007 750 breva that has been keeping me busy in the garage recently! The latest problem is a bit puzzling. Oil is leaking up the left cylinder head rear bolt. I have double checked and it is coming up the threads and filling up the hole in the top of the head allen bolt and then overflowing onto the engine. Any suggestions or previous experience with this problem would be greatly appreciated.
Regards, Dave.

[Muzz]

To date Dave all the oily stud problems (and there have not been many of those) have been oil coming from other places and only appearing to be coming from the stud.

One I think did have a porous head. If this problem was a recent event I would have to rule that scenario out. 

More astute minds might have an answer.

Is the stud at the correct torque? Leaking gasket filling the tunnel up and blowing oil out the top?

[Dave.T.]

It's definitely coming up the cylinder head bolt and filling up the hole in the top of the bolt where the allen key goes. I cleaned the inside of the allen bolt and started the engine, there was some fizzing around the head stud inside the bolt then the hole in the head bolt filled up within about a minute. Everywhere else is perfectly clean and dry! I just thought I'd ask-didn't know if this was a known problem. I'll see if I can borrow a torque wrench and check the bolts.

[sign216]

Dave,

This issue is described in the book Guzziology by Dave Richardson.  It's a problem for smallblocks.

I gave a short version of his longer account in my Flickr essay on torquing the head bolts (see the last page, and double-click on pics for the words).  https://www.flickr.com/photos/sign216/albums/72157627672086548

Joe

[rayray]

Dear Dave T . I am having exactly the same problem Mine is hrs front outermost bolt. The cap recess fills with oil and overflows. Gave also had it spitting oil when hot. How did you fix it?
Was it the o ring on the base gasket? That would be my guess.

[Calijackalbob]

Hello all.
I have a 2007 750 breva that has been keeping me busy in the garage recently! The latest problem is a bit puzzling. Oil is leaking up the left cylinder head rear bolt. I have double checked and it is coming up the threads and filling up the hole in the top of the head allen bolt and then overflowing onto the engine. Any suggestions or previous experience with this problem would be greatly appreciated.
Regards, Dave.

I had the same problem with mine. Tom Newell, Brisbane Guzzi guru told me to wait overnight, so the engine is stone cold, remove the allen nut, clean it and the head stud as best you can, coat the thread of the allen nut with a liberal dose of loctite and torque it up to specs. (This is the tricky part,  torquing the allen nut, you cant do it with an allen key. i had to buy a hex socket of the correct size to fit on my torque wrench.) You don't need to loosen any of the other nuts or bolts.

I did as he said and the leak stopped. Easy peasy! No more leaking 3000kms later.

[malik]

I have the vague memory that there was an o-ring on 1 (one) of the studs, but I may be mistaken, there does not appear to be such in the parts manuals.

[Bulldog9]

I lightly coat o-rings, etc. with Curil T. Also coat both sides of paper gaskets, and other items with any form of gasket or mating surfaces. Like brill cream, a <very> little will do you. When doing metal on Metal Curil K2 is also good.