motorcycle blood...

[Gilfy650a]

so I checked my oil the other day, and it was out. So i went straight to a petrol station an filled it with oil, the next day 60 odd miles later and it was at a quarter of a dipstick.

it was then i realized that i had an oil retention problem, i looked behind the engine right below the carbs and it was all wet.

So it turns out my valve cover and head gaskets are covered in hurt. and by hurt i mean leaky. Needless to say my nissan 200sx has been getting exercise.

I'm debating on getting it fixed or attempting it myself, poblem is i havent done anyhing like this before, is it hard to do?

[TechTMW]

The valve cover is a simple fix and probably doesn't cost that much. Just make sure you follow the instructions (like the bolt removal and replacement order) and torque it properly, etc. Do that first and see if you still have leaking.

However ... It sounds like you are losing alot of the juice tho. If your head gasket really is pooched, It is possible to do yourself, but you really need to assess your abilities and study the manual to make sure you can do the job properly. (and you MUST use a torque wrench) I can't tell you how many "I thought I could do it" jobs I have gotten.

If you take the head off, make sure you examine for cracks and whatnot before refitting. It would suck to have it off and not fix the real problem.

I've also heard of people having success with cleaning the engine throughly and dusting it with spray-on talc, then running the engine to pinpoint the leak. Might want to try this to diagnose the problem...