Leaking valve cover gasket

[Bernoulli]

Just picked up my 2012 from the 12,000 mile service last week, riding home smelled hot fluid on the exhaust pipe. Saw fluid of some kind on the right side engine/clutch case. Thought it might be coolant, which had been replaced. Took it back to the dealer today, they found oil leaking from valve cover just by the exhaust outlet. They used some foot powder spray to find it, showed me where it was visible. They kept the bike to replace the gasket.

I've not heard of a similar problem before, certainly not at this low mileage. No work has ever been done on valves or anything. Spark plugs not even replaced this service since that had been done last year. I did just have the 2014 clutch basket update installed, but that seems unrelated.

Is it just an unlikely coincidence? Any other theories?

I'm not questioning the dealer's integrity, in case it might sound that way. Just wondering how common or uncommon this is, and whether it might have an underlying cause that should be addressed.

 

[trainman]

big co incidence that it happens after a service - I wonder if they saw a stain and 'nipped up' some bolts and made it worse?

 

[Koinz]

To answer your question, I don't think it's common to leak unless it was installed improperly from the get go.

 

[2daMax]

Was the air box removed for maintenance work? It happened to one Singapore S10, with improper reinstallation of a hose that connects the engine to the air box (I guess for crankcase ventilation), the hose somehow got pinched and kinked, which caused the pressure in the crankcase to build up, leading to a valve cover gasket giving way.

 

[Don in Lodi]

Did they pull the valve cover for your service? The spark plug well seals are a bugger to keep in place when installing the cover. And as mentioned, that vent hose to the cover. No coincidence. Right back to the shop. ::010::
I had such a bad experience with the independent I went to that I replaced the mis-installed gasket and two coils on my own dime. The rubber seals on the coils don't react well in an oil rich environment.

 

[Bernoulli]

Thanks for the information, especially about the possibility of airbox hose. I'll mention that and see if it might be the issue.

 

[Checkswrecks]

In the aft left of the airbag bottom surface is a short oil trap. You might see if it is leaking or was left off.