Small Oil Leak

[Phaedrus]

I have developed a small oil leak. My warranty ran out like 2 weeks ago, of course. I am just curious if anyone has any idea what it might be or where it is coming from?

I am a n00b and I am unfamiliar with where it is even leaking from.  It does not seem to be a huge leak, I am thinking a gasket or something perhaps? No changes in how it is running, and the bike has a little under 7k. But before I go taking it in somewhere and having it looked at and paying a good $65 an hour, I'd kinda like to know what I might be up against.

If anyone wants to enlighten me, please feel free  

[coll0412]

Dude you have goats syndrome and coll0412 syndrome, your motor will explode if it reaches above 1567 rpm so be carefull....ahhhh


J/K

If you answer yes to the following questions then dont worry.

1. Do you regualry use chain wax or chain oil?

2. Does this "oil" leak right above the kick stand and right below the front sprocket

IF you answered yes to these questions then dont worry it is just the chain wax or oil flinging off inside where the front sprocket is housed and slowly working its way down and dripping onto the bolts that attach the kick stand.

[Phaedrus]

Well....YES to both questions   HOWEVER...

When I checked my oil after noticing a small spot under the bike, it was a little bit low. Like 1/2 quart! Last time it was checked/changed was about 2,000 miles ago so it is ready for it again.

It DID get me into the habit of checking my oil more, which is a good thing. I need to be better about that.

I also bought a different kind of chain lube tonight, so I am going to start using that to see if there is less splatter.

Any other ideas or do you think I am just being a paranoid n00b?  :mrgreen:

[Remy_Marathe]

I can't tell from the picture if that's your problem, but that flung chain oil scared me as well.  It even followed a seam along the engine, such that I was sure a gasket was leaking.  Teach ME to use motor oil instead of some less flingy wax.
    A zoomed-out pic would help us know what we're looking at,
-D

[coll0412]

Yeah the GS is known to consume oil, just ask any of the mods.

Hell, If i remeber right I think some was at one point putting in 80W-90  gear oil to reduce consumption

[mp183]

Just clean it off and monitor it.  Air cooled engines use oil.  The hotter it is and the more you rev the more oil it will use.
If it's by the kickstand safety switch it could be the stator gasket.
Mine went at bout 9,000 miles and now at 21,000+.
Just see how much it leaks.  If it gets nasty like mine change the gasket otherwise don't worry about it.

[Phaedrus]

Thanks guys, atleast I can stop freaking out about it.  I've noticed the puddle twice; but I've ridden it and let it sit more than twice that so it seems almost intermittant. I'll just clean it off the best I can and monitor it closely and see if it develops into anything. I don't mind adding a lil oil every now and again, if thats normal, just don't want it to be a major issue that I am just "throwing oil" at instead of fixing  

[Rema1000]

Sounds just like mine.  A few weeks ago, mine started leaving about 2-3 drips of oil when parked.  I put the en of the airbox drain hose in a baggie... wasn't it.  I took off the sprocket cover, and removed lots of goo, but still get the same drip.

The highest, furthest-forward place I find it, is on the stator cover, just ahead of the sprocket cover.  There's also often a drip hanging from the fins on the oilpan, near the back.

I also thought I noticed my oil level drop faster than usual.

I figured I'd leave it be, until it was leaking enough to be easy to find.

[Phaedrus]

The problem came back..mysteriously after I lubed my chain again  :lol: . So just to confirm, thats what it was. Whew!  

I think maybe I am over lubing it  

[Remy_Marathe]

FWIW, I switched from using motor-oil to using O-ring safe chain wax a few weeks ago.  After a good kerosene cleaning, It was mostly wax on there rather than oil, and has reduced the mess made by my bike to a blackish sludge that almost never drips.  Probably just leftovers from past lubes.  

So if keeping spots off your driveway (or your landlord's) is important to you, cleaning it well and switching to wax worked for me.

Oh, and there's no such thing as overlubing anything.  If your bike had it it's way, it'd live in an oil bath, splashing around happy and free from friction.  I'd oblige mine with a weekly dousing, but you don't want oil soaking into your skin  

[groff22]

Holy Crap glad I found this thread. I hopped on the GS this morning when I said WTF where's this dark goo coming from. I was all worried the problem was way worse, thanks... uh...  for the info!!!

JG

[GSJames]

I have same problem, and until now thought I was leaking oil!  Always a few drips right below the kickstand after I ride.


Glad I read this thread!