Poll: how many people have oil leaks and how many?

[mes_423]

i have two very small oil leaks in my bike and i was just curious how many others have the same problem?

[Blueknyt]

mine was the Exxon Valdeze when the chain first jumped the rear sprocket and bunched up in the sidecover, busting out some of the lower engine casing. i have cleaned the area up, and sealed the shifter shaft port, now it just drips about the size of a quarter per day.

[pantablo]

the bottom of my engine block on the left side has a fine film of oil on it I occasionally wipe off. 2001 model with 6600 miles.

[paui]

i have a small one somewhere above the header pipes...when i warm up the bike a few drops get on the headers and it smells like burning oil...u can see the smoke come out of one spot on the headers

[Ratzo]

I've had my '96 since March. Not a drop. Good thing too, as it lives in the house.

[ashman]

93' 13k no leaks. a few when the oil flilter gasket went out, my drive way looked like a dalmation.
-ash

[Adam R]

I've had my 1991 GS for 9months, and I've had two head gasket leaks.  The first one I fixed by replacing the head gasket but now I have another one! Unbelievable.  I do have over 25K though.


Adam

Problem with the head gasket leak is that its runned two pairs of jean!.  :x

[Mat]

Problem with the head gasket leak is that its runned two pairs of jean!.  :x

if you can wear them they are not ruined

[vtlion]

just one annoying little leak at the Tach-drive.  It seems to come and go, and its only a few drops.  When idling, the oil just drops onto the rear of the front fender, but when I'm moving, the drops run the entire length of the engine block  :x

currently, its behaving itself though.  One good thing about small top-end leaks... they don't leak unless the bike is running  

peace

[RC]

I was having some oil leaking and having problems finding the source.

It wasn't a lot of oil, just enough to make a mess.

So I just drained most of the oil so now I only run it with a 1 1/2 cups of oil. I'm sure the engine doesn't mind. No more oil leak.

I've got low rates if you want me to fix your oil problem.




If you believed any of that than I've also got some land I can sell you....

[Diderich]

I had a small leak on my '01 from the valve cover gasket at 4500 miles, but I replaced it when i did the valves at 5000.  No more leak.

If lowering your oil level fixed the leak, wouldn't you be worried where else the oil isn't now able to get to, besides the leak...like, say, all of the important bits that need oil?

[RC]

"If lowering your oil level fixed the leak, wouldn't you be worried where else the oil isn't now able to get to, besides the leak...like, say, all of the important bits that need oil?"

Diderich I was just joking. Actually, I'm in the same postion you were. My valve cover gasket is leaking slightly so this weekend it is getting replaced at the same time the valve clearance is getting looked at. Kinda interesting b/c my mileage is the same as well...4500 miles. I'm a little surprised the gasket went so early but no big deal. The leak at the moment is very minor.

As far as oil level goes, I'm a little anal about that and I check the oil level at least twice a week. The lowest I've let the oil drop is "two diamonds" from the top. I'm guessing your dipstick is like mine and has cross hatch pattern that looks like small diamonds. I've been told the GS will run on hardly any oil, but I don't plan to test that statement.

R

[The Buddha]

Mine had a big one... 1 cup... one day at work I saw a patch the size of a 70's american car... it was a smooth surface so the thin suspension oil spread. Anyway it was suspension fluid from the rear shock... and made my ride home very very strange... all spring and no fluid.
Cool.
Srinath.

[mes_423]

is the tach cable to the engine pressurized? i think ive narrowed the leak to the cable. but im not sure :dunno:

[tmckay]

I have an engine cover gasket leak.  Been leaking for over a year, haven't had time to take it apart and fix it.  Likewise, haven't had time to do a valve adjustment either  I expect the two to go together...  9200 miles, 2000.

Trev

[sblandin68]

Left side valve cover gasket is pinched, so my bike is just weeping some oil. Going to replace it one of these days

[octane]

is the tach cable to the engine pressurized? i think ive narrowed the leak to the cable. but im not sure :dunno:

No. This is a common leak area for the GS. When mine vibrated out I reinstalled it with teflon plumbers tape, which seems to have worked pretty well.


Mine also has leaked at the right side cover (easy fix, but the old gasket is a b!tch to remove) and the oil pan bolt. I replace the oil pan bolt gasket every time I change the oil now and it doesn't leak anymore. YOu can get a whole pack of those little gaskets at the auto store for like $1.99.

[scratch]

Various leaks here and there, from time to time, have one recurring either from the clutch shaft seal or the drive seal (haven't fed any fish to that one, yet), maybe one or two drops and no affect to the oil level. Currently need to replace the crankcase breather cover gasket, y'know, the one on top of the valve cover. '94 CA model with 14k.

[alerbaugh]

mes_423
The tach will not leak to much oil.  I know this because someone at my school undid my tach and I rode home without noticing it.  I think its just a grease thing.

[JamesG]

mes_423
The tach will not leak to much oil.  I know this because someone at my school undid my tach and I rode home without noticing it.  I think its just a grease thing.

Regular engine vibration can cause the cable end to come loose on its own (its happened to me twice).  It doesn't leak much, but over time enough will get out to make a mess.

It is one of the things I check regularly on 'Lita's GS...