Motorcycle Repair: leaking oil, exhaust heads, float valve

Question
i just bought a 1985 suzuki gs550L, it starts and idles fine for about 10 minutes, when the rpms rise and oil starts to leak from one of the exhaust heads. Do you have any advice on if/how a novice mechanic can tackle this problem? thank you.

Answer
Brian,

-if it is leaking oil from the exhaust port, you
probably need to check the compression,
could be an engine problem, damaged rings/piston.

-If it is leaking oil from one of the engine
covers or studs, you may be able to replace
a seal or gasket to fix it.

-If the leak is gas/oil mixed, you may have
a leaky float valve in the carb on that cylinder.
The valve and needle would need replacement.
That might be why the engine speeds up,
the carb starts flooding the engine with gas.

-A compression test may tell if the cylinders
are similar in condition. Good compression
is over 150 psi.