Toutsuite Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 Noticed this a couple of weeks ago, a small spot of oil under the bike where it's parked. Recently had the oil changed so I wondered if the drain plug had not been screwed back on properly, but having checked I don't think that's the case. The sump under the bike is a bit oily to the touch so I'm thinking some seal / gasket? The bike is due its MOT this month so it's going for a service anyway, but oil leaks ring alarm bells. It's service history shows it's had the sump seal changed once a year from 2005 to 2008. Time for another one I guess? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
berniebee Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 Ah for the good old days, when a spot of oil meant a well purring engine! The oil filter could be leaking (It's loose or the gasket is defective.) or one of the two oil plugs could be leaking. When you say you checked, did you unscrew the plugs a couple of turns? After a quarter turn, the plug should unthread easily, by hand. Go ahead and spin the plug two turns, it wouln't fall out and you will lose only a few drops of oil. if you need a socket to loosen the plug past a quarter turn, some monkey has cross threaded it. (I've seen it!) Also does this model have plug gaskets? They need to be replaced occasionally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterC Posted February 8, 2012 Share Posted February 8, 2012 Chances are it could be from the oil drain plug if they didn't replace the alloy gasket. It compresses flat to take up any variation in the mating surfaces and if it has been reused it may not be doing its job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toutsuite Posted February 8, 2012 Author Share Posted February 8, 2012 Thanks for the responses guys. I meant I checked the drain plug and there was no oilyness on or around it, the oilyness is a bit further back on the underside of the bike, bottom of the sump I think. Plus I remember there was some minor oily spattering on the side of the engine, (the front of the bottom chromy bit where the shaft comes out of). I wiped it off and did a bit of riding last week, but haven't checked to see if it's still clean. If I get a chance I'll check again sometime later in the week as she's sitting round the back of the block of flats where I live under her covers until this cold spell blows over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toutsuite Posted February 24, 2012 Author Share Posted February 24, 2012 Well according to the mechanic, the leak is due to the the pressure seal going between the gear housing and engine (I think). Would require an engine strip to fix. He say's he'll try and patch it up with some sealant under the bike instead. The bike is also being serviced and MOT'd. Should know by tomorrow morning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toutsuite Posted April 16, 2012 Author Share Posted April 16, 2012 The guy I took it in for a service couldn't fix it. He thinks it will need stripping the engine to change the gasket (if that's what's wrong with it) and he expects the bill to be about £700!!! Can't be right. I'm going to see what Sondel Yamaha in Sidcup think when I get a break in the weather... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Airhead Posted April 16, 2012 Moderator Share Posted April 16, 2012 ouch...whats a bit of oil anyway!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toutsuite Posted April 17, 2012 Author Share Posted April 17, 2012 Well for one thing, the odd drip on the move means it goes on to my rear tyre, which could lead to an off. For another, dammit, jap bikes are not supposed to leak! If I wanted a leaky motor, I'd buy an old Harley! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neversaydie Posted April 17, 2012 Share Posted April 17, 2012 I know that this is stating the bledding obvious, but did the leak start immediately after the oil change?, was the filter changed at the same time? I managed to nick one of the o rings when re-fitting the filter on mine, and the oil dripped and ran elswhere on the engine, causing me to look in the wrong place first off. I reckon clean the engine, then trace the drip back to point of origin. I reckon at an oil change, the only items disturbed are filler plug, drain plug, and filter housing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ttaskmaster Posted April 17, 2012 Share Posted April 17, 2012 Always, always change the crush washer every time you take the sump drain plug out. Always, always tighten it back up to the required torque. Always, always be very careful when changing the oil filter, not to bugger up the gasket seal. Always, always torque the other bolts up properly, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toutsuite Posted April 17, 2012 Author Share Posted April 17, 2012 Thanks for the advice guys. Neversaydie, the leak did indeed begin soon after an oil change, and the first thing I checked was for any oilyness around and on the drain plug, there is none. The filter was also changed (this was all done by the mechanic at maverick motorcycles in croydon) and so it's possible something went wrong there (I watched him do it and didn't see anything amiss). If the o ring is damaged, wouldn't there be any oilyness around and under the filter? The sump underneath is oily but on the other side of the engine (the stand side). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morpheuz Posted April 19, 2012 Share Posted April 19, 2012 Bikes use positive displacement pumps, if your oil is too thick it may not drain through the pressure relielf valve enough, with a new gasket, minimum oil pressure should be 10psi per 1000 rpm. My reccomendation would be: and ester oil as its a natural seal conditioner 5w-40, so as not to blow seals on cold start up, and not too thick at operating temp. Many reccomend thicker oil when leaks appear but chances are, if the psi increases, so will the leaks. Either way if your gaskets gone, it needs replacing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neversaydie Posted April 19, 2012 Share Posted April 19, 2012 Thanks for the advice guys. Neversaydie, the leak did indeed begin soon after an oil change, and the first thing I checked was for any oilyness around and on the drain plug, there is none. The filter was also changed (this was all done by the mechanic at maverick motorcycles in croydon) and so it's possible something went wrong there (I watched him do it and didn't see anything amiss). If the o ring is damaged, wouldn't there be any oilyness around and under the filter? The sump underneath is oily but on the other side of the engine (the stand side). That makes some sense, as the bike slopes down towards the stand side when parked up, so any oil would run over to the stand side. What spec oil did the maverick mechanic (?)use, did he use new rings? I thought you moved away from the standard spec oil late last year? I said earlier that I managed to nick one of my o rings when I i did mine earlier this year, and Im extra careful 40 years time served engineering tradesman. It sometimes happens. At the minute, the evidence is pointing to re-doing the oil change with all new o rings/seals etc, all torqued up snug as per spec, spec oil, and then monitor for improvement. Its a relatively cheap exercise, and far less than £700. Good luck with it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Campaman Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 After my last oil & filter change I noticed a couple of drops after I had been for a ride, dripping just below where the stand was, after a few more rides it had stopped, oil level still OK, I put it down to a bit of spillage or something from when the oil & filter were done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toutsuite Posted April 20, 2012 Author Share Posted April 20, 2012 Again, thanks for all the responses guys. I'm beggining to think the fully synth v-twin silkolene oil I changed to, at 10W-50, might in fact be a bit too thick for the english climate. I might change it to the Pro4 Plus 5W-40, which is for racing and sports bikes, but probably works just fine in a low-revving v-twin. As soon as the weather improves I'll take her down to Sondel Yamaha in Sidcup and let them have a look at her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ttaskmaster Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 I just use 10-W-40... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toutsuite Posted April 30, 2012 Author Share Posted April 30, 2012 Right, during today's break in the weather (finally!), I took the bike down to Sondel Yamaha in sidcup for them to have a look. It took the mechanic there all of two minutes to locate the leak on the tappet inspection cover of the rear cylinder. Should be a simple matter of replacing the o-ring seal and curing the problem. Fingers crossed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ttaskmaster Posted May 1, 2012 Share Posted May 1, 2012 Ha... lucky you. Over the weekend I somehow managed to blow out a seal or something somewhere on the right side of the oil sump, around the filter. Bike was fine when I rode off, but during the 90 minute blaze down the motorway, my entire oil capacity pissed right out. The first thing I knew about it was a slight tappetty noise that developed. I slowed to hear better and suddenly the bike starts clattering like a machine gun, with some *serious* rattley vibration between my feet. Slow down even further and the bike actually cuts out. Stop on hard shoulder, phone AA recovery and get it delivered to my mechanic straight away. Bike is fooked. Running without oil, chances are I need a new engine. At the least I'll need new shells and so on. Fuck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morpheuz Posted May 1, 2012 Share Posted May 1, 2012 Yeah, could keep it, but there are tonnes of parts that will need replacing, probs easier to get a new engine like said. I wouldnt put new oil in and carry on like my mate did lol Few mins after setting off, BANG, comes walking back round corner with what appears to be half an engine hanging out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toutsuite Posted May 1, 2012 Author Share Posted May 1, 2012 Shit Ttasky, that's a right bummer, sorry to hear that man :-( With the oil drip issue I've had over the past 3 months, I'm always on the lookout/paranoid about funny engine sounds. Charging down the motorway is the worst time for that to happen too... How much mileage was on that engine? Mine's approaching 35K. Hope you find a good deal on a new engine if you have to go that way. Keep us posted matey! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts