Is this my oil leak?

[Daisy]

After giving my gpx a good hit with the Karcher I noticed this oily spot. Most of the grime on the inside of the fairing was in the vicinity of this area, so I'm assuming that this is where it has been leaking for quite some time. What is this hole - circled - and should it be plugged?

[RG]

No, that hole should not be plugged.

Check your engine oil level.

[Daisy]

Oil level is ok, but I bought the bike like this and have only run it for a few minutes.

[balanse]

Not too sure about the GPX engines specifically but the hole is likely to be a drain for the spark plug wells. The spark plugs sit down in deep recesses and these holes are to allow any water that gets into the plug recesses to drain away.

Are you sure its oil, rather than just water? If yes, then you probably have a leaking tappet cover gasket that is allowing oil to seep into the spark plug recess. The high pressure wash has probably added enough extra liquid to start it draining.

Not too serious. Pull the plug caps off (if you are into DIY) and have a look at them. If it is the above then they will be dirty/oily on the outside.

[FrogZ]

What Balance said, plus the bike has prob never had anything but the outside cleaned. Could be just accumulated gunk over the years collecting there and the steam clean just washed SOME out.

IF that is the case then it could be time for a plug change anyway.
Do you get it serviced regularly ?
Even if you do, are you SURE they have ever checked the plugs (yeah I know they are SUPPOSED to)

Or you could just forget all about, go riding

[Lainie]

Not sure if I have sent youover the manual for the GPX if not PM me an email addy and I will send one over to you I find them very helpful

[Daisy]

Thanks people. There was an awful lot of gunk on the outside of the engine and a buildup nearly half an inch thick in the belly pan. I am going to strip it down anyway as its very, very noisy and certainly in need of a timing chain.
Frog this is the bike I got from Victoria two weeks ago. It has been unregistered for at least a year, so I have no idea how long its been sitting. It wouldn't have been serviced for an awful long time either. The plugs are crap, should have been tossed years ago.
Much as I like your last suggestion...

I did manage to change the forks, but I've had this flu for a week so I'm getting a bit behind.
Lanie, I got the manual - thanks.

[Rossi]

You really shouldn't use a pressure washer on your bike though as it will strip out the grease from the bearings, but seeing as you are stripping it , now would be a good time to repack all the bearings

[Neka79]

You really shouldn't use a pressure washer on your bike though as it will strip out the grease from the bearings, but seeing as you are stripping it , now would be a good time to repack all the bearings

correct, and looking at that lil pic, it would now be a bad time for trying to nookie on the bike...

[Daisy]

Now would be a really bad time. The head mechanic is out there in his greasy overalls. And my bike is nice and clean.

[Johnnie5]

agreed you prob have a leaky rocker cover gasket there is also seperate gaskets that are under the rocker cover around the spark plug hole and can bet they are rock hard after all these years

you can bet the valves havent been checked in a long long time

dont forget to use a torque wrench when doing the roker cover bolts , easy to strip them

the valves can be a little tricky to adjust but not too hard and you dont need the 'special' tool , if you need tips let me know since just went through a head gasket and valve adjust on a zzr and found the easy way to do things

[Johnnie5]

You really shouldn't use a pressure washer on your bike though as it will strip out the grease from the bearings, but seeing as you are stripping it , now would be a good time to repack all the bearings

the only bearings are wheel bearing and headstem bearings that are the real worry and also the chain , apart from that go for your life with the washer

since youa re starting with basically a dead bike and doing the major once over , fork oil and headstem repack of the bearings is well worth it as once its done then you are ready to ride without hassles

[Daisy]

I think I will be replacing the chain. The previous owner 'lost' a chain and replaced it with a secondhand one. I'm also planning to have the wheels powdercoated so I"ll be stripping those too. Is the headstem any harder to do than a bicycle one?

[Johnnie5]

no not all that different really

since you have the whole lot apart anyway

if you are going to powdercoat the wheels you will need to remove and replace the wheel bearings , take the bearings and seal to the local bearing man and pay sub $10 each

[mike-s]

agreed you prob have a leaky rocker cover gasket there is also seperate gaskets that are under the rocker cover around the spark plug hole and can bet they are rock hard after all these years

i have a unused pair of these sitting in my garage gathering dust, they are yours if you lemme know where to post em to.