Popping and oil leaking from headgasket.

[Rylan]

You have two separate issues:

1) the bike runs poorly because something is wrong with it due to it’s long storage period. Most likely low fuel pressure and an intake leak. That is the popping.

2) Then you have a separate issue – the oil leak. Your repair action will depend on the severity of the leak. If it’s minor I would suggest leaving it alone. If the leak is major, the engine will need a partial rebuild. This is a HUGE project that should only be attempted by the best of mechanics.

[Dan]

Just to be clear the popping and smoke both were coming out of the head gasket area, not the exhaust and it happens simultaneously. The bike does have a K&N filter and the stage 1 Drag pipes. Could this be a tuning issue as well? The intake boot was in good condition when I installed it and the throttle body. The oil leak isn’t awful just seeping.

• This reply was modified 1 year, 5 months ago by  Dan.
• This reply was modified 1 year, 5 months ago by  Dan.

[Rylan]

The oil leak is not a tuning issue.

[Dan]

I’m aware the oil leak isn’t a tuning issue I was referring to the smoke coming out of the head gasket due you saying it’s running poorly.

[Dan]

And wondering if the filter and exhaust can cause an issue if the bike isn’t tuned. I’m new to victorys with no near by dealer and just trying to get as much accurate info as I can.

[Rylan]

I have no idea what your question is anymore.

[Joel]

Usually you can only do one. Air or exhaust. Otherwise you would need some kind fuel management as I have been told. You can go cheap or expensive.

[Dan]

My question is, do you think it has bad head gaskets because when you Rev the bike, or under hard load it blows smoke out of the head gasket area. Like it pops and blows smoke out and the same time.

[Rylan]

I want to preface this with: I have never seen smoke come out from the head gasket in my 20 year Victory career. Two things are equally possible. 1) This is the first one of my career, congrats! or 2) you’re mistaken, and the smoke is coming from somewhere else (like the intake tract and appearing like it’s coming from the gasket, this is very common).

So, sure, if smoke is coming out of the head gasket then that is VERY BAD and will have to be remedied. The remedy is rebuilding that cylinder. $$$$$$

Or, the bike has a small head gasket weep (totally normal and no cause for concern) but the bike is running so out of tune that when you whack the throttle it’s spitting combustion back up the intake and coming out of the intake area. You have misdiagnosed the location of the smoke and now are prepared to rebuild the cylinder unnecessarily. You’ll go through the whole rebuild only to discover the bike STILL does it! What a terrible feeling that will be!

[Dan]

Fair enough lol. Yeah I have looked at it literally coming out of the head gasket. And it didn’t do that when I first got the bike running a few weeks prior. So I do have a 100ci motor as well maybe that will end up in the bike instead 🤔. Now I’m very curious and want to tear it down and figure it I out. I mean if you’ve never seen it I’d be happy to send a video of it so you can see it lol.

[Rylan]

Yes, I would like to see the video of the smoke coming out of the gasket area.

The ECM’s are the same, there is no reason to swap them out.

[Dan]

Is there a difference in ecm between the 100ci engines and the 92ci? I’m guessing so just curious. I have another ECM that I believe went with the 100ci engine but I’m not entirely sure.

[Dan]

I can do that for ya.

[Dan]

The video even though it is trimmed is too large to upload I guess, I did speak with the previous owner, his “mechanic” friend had pulled that head apparently to inspect the valves on the engine at one point. He didn’t however to the head to the proper sequence. I pulled the valve cover yesterday and tourqed the head properly and followed the sequence in the manual. Once I started the bike it fired up normally and was not puffing smoke out of the head anymore so maybe I lucked out there.

[Tony]

if you have a gmail account…. you can upload any video there. You can even it to private. only people with the link can see it.

[Rylan]

“I did speak with the previous owner, his “mechanic” friend had pulled that head apparently to inspect the valves on the engine at one point.”

HEY! Now we’re on to something! It all goes back to my mantra about fixing your bike: What is the history?

I don’t need a video anymore. I believe you. It would have been nice for you if you’d known this right off the bat. “Hey, some idiot has tried to rebuild this engine and now it’s leaking and blowing smoke” makes so much more sense than “We can only assume this bike is stock and unmolested and it’s blowing smoke from the head gasket.”

[Rylan]

AjO75bN.mp4 109 KB MP4 — Click to view

• Copy Download Link

[Dan]

Right I’m just happy it’s fixed and I can enjoy the bike now lol. It’s been a good amount of work putting this thing together and getting it road worthy.