First of all, my ride is a 97 ST1100 with approx 85,000 miles. I purchased the bike about 6 months ago. Approx 2 months ago, I took the bike into a shop to have my carbs synched and the valves adjusted. I paid for the new valve cover gaskets. About 1 week later, the shop called to pick the bike up, it ran great on the trip home. A few weeks later, I got the dreaded coolant leak under the carbs. I ordered and replaced both water joints along with the gaskets. I decided to change the oil after putting the bike back together, before I took it out for a test ride. Got the oil changed, started it up for a leak check and all was good. I then took it for a test ride in the neighborhood. After driving 1 mile, I heard a whoosh and felt warmness on my right foot. I stopped the bike and saw that it was oil. I nursed the bike home, took off the right covers, and noticed that the rear outter most half moon on the right valve cover gasket had blown. Removed the cover and gasket, and saw that the gasket near the moon was torn, so ordered a new gasket. Cleaned the cover of all the rtv, installed the new gasket. Took it for a test ride the next day. After a few miles, I pull onto the street in my neighborhood and I hear that darn whoosh noise again. This time it was the left valve cover gasket that blew. I remove the cover with gasket, and don't see anything inside that shouldn't be there. I inspect the gasket and sure enough it's torn. So order another one from Bike Bandit, along with an OEM filter. I checked the breather hose and it's not obstructed, nor is the sub air filter. When I changed the oil, I tried a Bosch filter along with Valvoline 10-40 oil. After the first gasket blew, I then changed to a Fram 6017A oil filter and just topped the oil off. So, figured I'd try a Honda filter along with synthetic oil the next time I get it running.
Something I noticed on both valve covers, was that there appeared to be a gold colored hard type glue (maybe Honda goldbond), along with a white colored rtv around the half moons. The shop told me that they didn't have to make any valve adjustments and that the carbs were properly synched. (Get's me wondering if they actually even took my valve covers off).
My question to all you experts out there is, can you advise me of other things to check before I take it for another test ride after I get that second gasket installed. I was thinking of getting a oil pressure gauge along with the necessary attachment and install that to check my oil pressure before actually riding it again. I'm not a compete noob when it comes to motorcycles, just haven't had to do any serious work on one before. I would most appreciate any ideas you guys and gals might have on what the problem could be. I so miss riding her.......Thanks
Something I noticed on both valve covers, was that there appeared to be a gold colored hard type glue (maybe Honda goldbond), along with a white colored rtv around the half moons. The shop told me that they didn't have to make any valve adjustments and that the carbs were properly synched. (Get's me wondering if they actually even took my valve covers off).
My question to all you experts out there is, can you advise me of other things to check before I take it for another test ride after I get that second gasket installed. I was thinking of getting a oil pressure gauge along with the necessary attachment and install that to check my oil pressure before actually riding it again. I'm not a compete noob when it comes to motorcycles, just haven't had to do any serious work on one before. I would most appreciate any ideas you guys and gals might have on what the problem could be. I so miss riding her.......Thanks
