'84 200x losing power

[Sly'85]

Hey everyone, I picked up an '84 200x and she ran like a champ when I first picked her up. I went out and rode her a few times and she's been feeling like she's losing a little bit of power each time I take her out. I tore apart the carb, cleaned it up and verified that it's jetted properly. After getting her back together I was looking around the motor and noticed that the valve cover gasket is leaking. It had a very tiny leak when I first got her but it's getting bigger for sure.

My question is could a leaky valve cover gasket cause a loss of power? My old Honda Accord has leaky valve cover gaskets but it doesn't seem to have any major loss of power. Thanks in advance.

[harryredtrike]

probably a head gasket leak

[rdlsz24]

Valve cover doesn't use a gasket, just RTV or equivalent. Is that what is leaking?

Rob

[fabiodriven]

The leak wouldn't cause the power loss, unless it's the head gasket and not the valve cover leaking. You could check to see if your valves need adjusting. That would cause a power loss.

[Sly'85]

Ya, it's the valve cover that's leaking. I haven't seen any oil leaking around the head gasket. I'm gonna go ahead and seal up the valve cover and try to do a compression test, need to find a damn adapter for my compression tester.

[Sly'85]

Oh, and I just adjusted the valves yesterday to .003, that was my second guess after I cleaned up the carb.

[Dirtcrasher]

If it blows off your thumb, it's got decent compression. Thats the hillbilly check :)

[Sly'85]

Well, the hillbilly check tells me either rings or new valves and re-seat...damn.