marking the territory

[skiri251]

It is "character" when my BSA leaks oil on the garage floor.
But recently my GL1100A and XS750 started following that example.

I thought it was shifter shaft seal but upon closer inspection I am not sure.
The entire bottom side of the engine is covered with oil/dust cake.
I guess that means oil is coming from somewhere front, right?
I see aftermarket dip stick nut inplace of stock drain plug is covered with oil. I see bottom sides of both cylinder blocks covered with oil (drier than oil pan it looks, however).

Any other places for oil leak? How easy/difficult to fix them?

 

[dan filipi]

Mine isn't much better than a Harley or old Chevy, she leaks out the weep hole, some seep past the valve covers and somewhere at rear of the engine.
Only way I know to find the leak is clean real well and keep an eye on it.

 

[skiri251]

Thanks all!
I just changed oil so that dipstick leak fix must wait for a while. (I guess I can drain oil into clean container and re-use but..)
It's really tiresome to access the bottom of the engine w/o a bike lift.

So... for now I guess I have to use that cardboard "diaper" just like BSA. :hihihi:

 

[mcgovern61]

No leaks!!! These engines can stay clean as a whistle. I vote that your dipstick is leaking. Also, if the underside of the heads are really dirty, follow them forward and look between the timing belt cover and the head and see if it is real dirty there too. If so, more than likely the camshaft seals are leaking.

When I swapped out and installed my '83 engine, I replaced all of the outside seals and only use an OEM oil plug (my dipstick use to leak too!). Nearly 2 1/2 years later, not a drop of oil anywhere.

 

[Anonymous]

I had a similar oil leak turned out it was comming from the front forks

 

[skiri251]

I guess the "character" of japanese bikes should be oil-tightness.
Well, I will get rid of that dip stick. I don't have the sidecar attached any more so it's not that difficult to see the oil level window.
Thanks for the camshaft seal tip.

My front forks are still good. I installed new bushings and factory fork seals a few 1000 miles ago.