Argh, it looks like I'm reluctantly joining the ranks of the oil-leaking.  I just noticed my GS leaves quarter sized spots of oil when I park.  It appears to be coming from the oil filter cover, so I'm guessing that replacing the filter and O-ring will fix it.  Funny thing is, I didn't notice any this morning...any ideas?

I know my bike is due for an oil change, but do you guys think I'll be able to ride it until this weekend?  I will, of course, make sure the bike has a suitable amount of oil at all times, but I'd rather not ride if it's deadly serious.

I had the same thing man. It will leak when your engines been running and the oil is more viscous due to higher heat and mostly not much at all when cold. It shouldnt be any problem driving it for a weekend as long as you can tolerate a few oil spots. Keep a quart with you to be safe and check it a few times. Get a new filter from autozone it comes with the gasket, which my dealership charged me 3 bucks for and that should do it. Good luck!
-ash
Whoa   I just made a helpful and relevant post. weird, huh. :dunno:

Did you see specifically where its coming from?

If it IS from the oil filter cover, try tightening the 3 nuts on it. One or more of them could have come loose...

hehe...very weird.  Quick question:  what is the part number for the filter you're using?  Is it a FRAM filter?

edit: I'll take a look at it today, and see whether it's been leaking overnight, and if any of the oil filter cover nuts are loose.

CH6000 Fram... available at fine walmarts everywhere... Well of the 8 walmarts within driving distance only 1 had it... so I guess not all of them have it. But all auto parts stores pretty much have them. They are like $3.47 or some like that.
Cool.
Srinath.

:guns: Walmart sucks ass

I read once that Fram makes the worst quality filters.  You get what you pay for...

:dunno:

yeah, ideally i'd like an AMSOIL filter, but that depends on whether there's a shop around Santa Cruz that carries 'em.

also...what oil do you all use?  synthetic or dino-oil, weight, brand, etc?

But...but...but...but...but...but
Bike shops around here suck worse...
Fram may be bad quality, but every one else uses fram renamed and re packaged... unless you happen to have a bike that has a cross over common car filter and you buy that car equivalent made by STP or other.
BTW Fram had the quality issues with one particular type of filter...
In 98-99 The Fram spin on's made in canada had some quality issues and sorta sent people sliding down the race track. Only fram spin on's made in canada. The race organisations instantly said no fram spin on's... but that's the extent of their ban. I have put in and taken out over a dozen frams in cars and bikes since. never had one that was bad. But I use STP in the only bike that has a spin on. STP in the truck and fram in the element filters.
Cool.
Srinath.

Also OIl leaks in non pressure fittings are not that critical... liek alternator gasket, drain plug etc... In a pressure fitting.. its more critical.. and this is in the line of pressure...
Cool.
Srinath.

Some of the fram filters are made by Wix(I don't remember which ones at this point).  I've used fram, wix, stp, and penzoil filters, and have had the best luck in cars with the wix.  I'll be buying wix filters for my GS450LD at every change(I really don't know what the previous owner used.  I didn't look at the filter).

Don
:mrgreen:

hey Shad,

Do you weight 55 tons and carry a bunch of puny weapons?

:mrgreen:

Not last time I looked, but I could be wrong.?
:lol:  :guns:      :dunno:

are all the bolts tight or are you missing an O ring

Well, my guess is that the O-ring is in pretty lousy shape.  The guy I bought the bike from swore up and down that he did all the required maintenance, but one look at the chain told me otherwise (scratch will know what I'm talking about...)  My guess is that he did change the oil, but left the filter alone, which explains why the oil has been nice and clean but the oil filter cover looks like it's been in a swamp.

For now, it's not really leaking.  I think it only leaks when the bike's warm and the oil is nice and viscous.  I'm trying to get everything together so that I can do a *proper* oil change as soon as it stops raining.  For those of you who have done this:

Does the FRAM filter come with a new O-ring for the filter cover?
Can you use a generic gasket/washer for the drain bolt?

If anyone can help with this, I'd appreciate it.  If I order suzuki parts for this, it will take a lot longer.

degrease the hell out of the engine and go from there.

i went to autozone and asked the guy to look up a oil filter for a gs500. they carried a STP filter i believe and it did come w/ a gasket. Its not really an o ring more of a gasket that can be kinda bitchy to get in the groove. You'll see what i mean. I gave it a lil coat of oil to help it stick in better. Be sure you dont over tighten the 3 bolts for the cover, lots of people break them by accident. Its really easy doesnt take me more then 10-15 min to change my oil nd filter.

-ash

Quote from: AR5ENALDoes the FRAM filter come with a new O-ring for the filter cover?
Can you use a generic gasket/washer for the drain bolt?

The FRAM filter DOES come with a new O-ring / gasket, just like the STP.

If you don't have a leak around the drain bolt, I wouldn't bother trying to replace the washer thingie.  I think the repair manuals all say to replace it every time, but I have YET to replace mine - after many oil changes.

All of the STP and Fram oil filters I've bought in the past 2 years have been identical, from the same Korean supplier and the same supplier part number stamped on the filter inside.  Only the boxes they come in are different and both come with o-ring seals.

I grab a little cup/bearing type grease on my fingertips and liberally apply to the o-ring seal before putting it in the groove.  Keeps it nicely in place.

I have NEVER replaced the seal on the drain plug in the 300k+ miles I have ridden.  This includes 98k on a CM400A, 80k on a CB750K, and the 78k I've put on the 97 GS500E so far.  By the way, I've never replaced a rear sprocket either in all those miles, only the front as needed.

Oh god... 78K on a GS without changing the rear sproket... I ought to try that.
Now you replace the chain and front?? or just the front. I have actually managed to squeeze 20K from the current set. The poor bike is eternally expecting a rebuild...
At 15K its Intake manifold went, 25K cam chain tensioner... which was re wound and put back in, 35K crank trigger, and 43K starter clutch... its turning into a regular money pit... Then chains and sprokets and tires and oil and filters.
Cool.
Srinath.

Quote from: seshadri_srinathThen chains and sprokets and tires and oil and filters.

, Oh My!

...chains and sprokets and tires and oil and filters, Oh My!

...chains and sprokets and tires and oil and filters, Oh My!