I noticed some oil on the left side and realized I had the valve cover leak. I purchased the upgraded bolts (09) and new gaskets and had them replaced when I did my valve clearance check. I use my finger and a flashlight once in a while and this thing is dry.
My plugs were a tad oily but I attributed that to Brock's rich map!
I'm going to take all the plastic off: there are a few parts I need to replace (cracked brakets and well nuts) and will check for leaks. I will also post pics of my plugs!

* had to edit out r rated language.

* Last updated by: dragking on 12/29/2012 @ 1:07 AM *

Hell...yer baby's most likely just fine.

"overly loud pedal bike".....the ones with the cards attached to the spokes...?.

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 11/27/2012 @ 9:34 AM *

Yeah Erik, I just re read my comment again and it didn't make sense (erased it). Even if it was plausible I wouldn't be left with a 1.5 quart deficit. I wonder where that much oil would go though. Here are pics of the plugs after 21k miles:

Looks fine to me, I don't see any oil, just dry brown fluff, running about right IMHO.

yeah, it's hard to see on the pics but mine were a tad wet, definitely glossy. I checked around but couldn't see any trace of leaks. One thing I have noticed is that the oil filler cap appears to have a crack at the end of the thread. It's fine and cut at an angle and I can't tell if it's supposed to be like that or not. Also, when I tighten it up, it's like it doesn't seal properly. I remember, I used to struggle a little more to remove it but last time, it came out pretty easily. Any chance a damaged cap would let oil out (evaporate)?. There was no residue of oil on the oil filler so I doubt it!

* Last updated by: dragking on 11/27/2012 @ 1:54 PM *

" Also, when I tighten it up, it's like it doesn't seal properly"..you have the O'Ring seal on it,right?Shouldn't have any cracks in the thread.

Erik's plugs look good,loss of electrode some...but in 30K...you'd expect that.Yours...oil fouling looks like?Put any additives in your fuel regularly?

Erik is using which oil brand?You're using......?

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 11/27/2012 @ 4:14 PM *

I'll never go to synthetic at 6K miles again. that first course of synthetic coincided exactly with my first instances of needing to add oil. Has not stopped yet at 40K. Got worse, got slowed down...still leaking a little.

Here's one of my plugs about 3 years ago. Guess it was about 14k miles. Still on same plugs (Better change those).

Drag, how was your bike running before you pulled the plugs? Stable idle speed, good off idle throttle response?

Drag, looking at those again, they do have a lot more burned residue than Erik's plugs. How many miles on those plugs? Who did your fuel map?

You say they were wet with oil?

Drag, what was the gap on them critters, looks like I could park my truck in there...lol!

"I burn only 91 octane premium and try to find non-oxygenated (no ethanol) when ever possible".

I wonder if running a lower octane fuel could have an adverse affect on plugs and 'firing' for these motors.I ran exclusively 91 premium as well in all three of my 14's.My plugs looked very close to Erik's at around 20K.HOWEVER...the electrode tips were indeed 'bending' at the very tip.Like they were about done.You guys plug's electrodes look pretty good.

The thing about plugs though...a guy can over time get used to them diminishing...until they just start fouling or not firing correctly.It takes a while before performance starts failing...and it's very subtle.Personally...I never run 87 in my motors....(14's).ONLY if I HAVE to stop and add some.Then it's mixed with that 91.I know some guys say it runs better on 87....mine never did...you could tell there was a difference.

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 11/27/2012 @ 7:52 PM *

My CBR uses iridium plugs and the manual says change 'em at 32,000. I wonder why Kawi specs such a short plug replacemnt interval?

You guys got me wondering now, I have the highest oil consumption of any 14, wonder where it's going?

Did any of you guys have trouble with the coil sticks being tight?

We check for ring blowby on our aircraft engines by connecting an airspeed indicator to the crankcase breather vent tube, as long as the number is below a certain value, your compression rings are good to go.

I started with Kawasaki 10-40 until 8300 miles. It's been on Shell Rotella T6 Synthetic 5W-40, ever since.

I switched over to Rotella synthetic 5W40 at 2000 miles but switched back to Rotella 15W40 because of all the racket from the automatic cam chain tensioner on my 14.

No difference in oil consumption noted.

"Did any of you guys have trouble with the coil sticks being tight?"....yup....nice and tight....good to go!

Yeah the #2 and #3 coil sticks were hard to get out. I had to twist them back and forth for a long time and my fingers were sore. For the plugs I used the OEM plug wrench and a gear wrench with a ratcheting end. Best tools for the job!

I changed those plugs about 2 weeks ago at 21k miles. All the gas here contains 10% ethanol so I use star-tron about every other time I fill up the tank. I use 89 , never used 87 and purchase mainly from Shell and Exxon. My 1st and 2nd oil change were done at the dealer. All I know is that they used non-synthetic. I then switched to Amsoil to find out I had the valve cover leak. The last two oil changes, I have used Motul 300V. I'm using Brock's CT-dual map made for my bike. Idle was ok and throttle response was great, however I noticed a difference when I switched the plugs. Also, my idle speed dropped 200-300 rpms after I installed the new plugs so I had to raise it back a bit. On cold start up, it goes to about 1000 rpms, climb to 1500 rpms and comes back down to 1200 rpms at mid temp. The old plugs looked wet but I couldn't tell if it was oil or gas residue. I touch 10k rpm pretty often and thought the wet plugs were just the result of a rich map. There is no gasket or ring on my filler cap and there is definitely a crack in the thread.

As the oil got old and low, I noticed the cam chain noise. Especially after riding it hard for 5 minutes and stopping. I haven't heard the cam chain noise since my last oil change but it will probably resurface!

* Last updated by: dragking on 11/27/2012 @ 8:50 PM *

That oil catch tank, how often do you have to drain that? If that thing gets full, the breather oil is going to get sucked right into the airbox. Come to think of it, I did notice some oil mist in the airbox last time I changed airfilters. I'll be honest, I really hate to mess with mine it is running so well but you guys have me wondering now for sure.

My cam chain tensioner only rattles a couple of seconds on a cold start, doesn't do it on a hot restart. After about 1500 miles on the oil it starts to rattle longer, oil viscosity dropping I'd guess.

* Last updated by: Kruz on 11/27/2012 @ 10:01 PM *

" I touch 10k rpm pretty often"...while that isn't unusual for this engine to rev at....you 'may' get some blowby because of the pressures.Over time...this could be what is going on with your plugs...looks like oil fouling to me.Burnt oil.Brocks mentioned this airbox oil a few times in his website...course...they were Dragging....but still the milder version could probably be happening at 10K...over several riding times of that.IDK...maybe?I would think...if you're getting 'overflow' bad enough to enter that catch bottle...you 'may' have something going on in the engine...maybe a blocked/partially blocked oil port or something?Internal pressure building at certain times?...IDK

That catch bottle is pretty much just for water that may get into the airbox during a storm or something.If it's 'filling'(or getting 'some') with oil....consistently...I'd have someone check yer lubing system.There's a diagram of it in the manual...oil flow.

"My stick coils were difficult to remove and my fat fingers didn't help any"...I have a thick flattip screwdriver...long shank on it(which I rest on the subframe right there).I know the book says don't 'pry' it up to get it off.TRUE...But...I disconnect the coil leads...then get that flat part under that connector...(I know I know)and VERY LIGHTLY as I'm turning back and forth,apply pressure under that(barely any really).ONLY till it breaks the seal at the spark plug.That's enough to get it to come all the way up.I DO NOT FORCE the stick coil in any way...it's all very very gentle and minimal pressure under that plug-in.I'm also pulling up with the turning hand....primarily.

My hands just don't fit very well under there either...it's VERY hard for me to pop that off of there just using my fingers and trying to turn that coil at the same time.The screwdriver works very nicely to get it moving upwards.

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 11/27/2012 @ 10:45 PM *

I have had a slight film of oil in my air box too. Flies had oil on them when removed. I have not noticed any air box oil film to speak of since fly removal. I think it might happen if the oil level is kept too high??? It is not a big deal if its just a slight film. Keep your oil at proper level and don't worry about it.

Well, I can't find a trace of oil anywhere, catch bottle is dry. I'm going to replace the cracked oil filler cap and do some WOT with the belly fairing off. Maybe I will see something then.

* Last updated by: dragking on 11/28/2012 @ 4:33 PM *

Drag from the look of your plugs you need to do a compression test in my opinion looks like oil residue but could also be from an overly rich fuel map but with your oil level dropping id be on the safe side!

Kruz I wish I lived closer to you id fix your leaky cover in 20-30 min for like 40 cents!!!

A static compression test will only tell you if you have leakage at the valve seats. If there is a piston ring issue and oil is getting by, compression reading might still be good. Better to do a leakdown test to see how long each cylinder holds pressure. The presence of oil will fool a static compression test, but a leakdown test will tell for sure if something's getting by the rings, a much more suspect area for oil loss than the valves.

* Last updated by: Danno on 11/28/2012 @ 6:33 PM *

Drag from the look of your plugs you need to do a compression test in my opinion looks like oil residue but could also be from an overly rich fuel map but with your oil level dropping id be on the safe side!

Kruz I wish I lived closer to you id fix your leaky cover in 20-30 min for like 40 cents!!!

Lol... I know it's a quick fix but I'm too busy riding to tear it apart, we still have really good riding weather down here, maybe I'll get around to it when it's too cold to ride anymore. It's really a minor annoyance, I just hate the smell, reminds of the odor of a beater car parked in front of Hi-Lo Auto Parts, you know like a 1970 Ford Pinto with bald tires and the guy pulls in to get a quart when the oil light comes on...lol!

* Last updated by: Kruz on 11/28/2012 @ 7:10 PM *