SuzukiSavage.com - Oil leak - dripping at the kickstand

beck

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Oil leak - dripping at the kickstand
12/15/08 at 19:56:11

I have an oil leak. I haven't read about a problem here before. Help! I just cleaned the engine up, did the head cover plug repair, cam chain tensioner repair, etc. I put everything back together and refilled the oil. I have not started the motor yet. (I get the rechromed head pipe back tomorrow.) It's dripping at the kick stand. It did have this leak before disassembly. I was hoping it was just running down the jug from the head cover plug leak. Wrong. Now I have another project.
Any suggestions?

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Max_Morley Serious Thumper Offline LT650 Luxury Touring & sidecar rig Posts: 1490 Moses Lake. WA Gender:	Re: Oil leak - dripping at the kickstand Reply #1 - 12/15/08 at 21:15:46 If it is parked on the sidestand thats were some of the oil from the plug leaks ends up after a run. Also mine seem to take a awhile after fixing the plug to heat up and let the residual oil run down. Maybe some degreaser and hot water will speed up the process. Max
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T Mack 1 - FSO

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Re: Oil leak - dripping at the kickstand
Reply #2 - 12/16/08 at 02:46:29

Three standard spots for oil leaks.

1) The hardest to fix is the head plug. Do you know if they sealed it (high temp silicon sealer) when they put it back in??.

2) The Speedo cable at the tranny. The seal can get lost easily. If lost, it can be replaced with a o-ring.

3) The oil drain plug. Make sure it's tight. The seal is a metal crush washer seal and can be "interesting" to get sealed. If it's tight, and still the culprit, then you can buy a replecment metric oil drain bolt/plug at most chain auto stores. I have one from Auto-Zone that has a rubber washer and it seals good.

NOTE: just re-read your post, if you haven't restarted the bike, then the leak has to be low, check the drain plug......

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verslagen1 YaBB Moderator ModSquad Online Where there's a will, I want to be in it. Posts: 28886 L.A. California Gender:	Re: Oil leak - dripping at the kickstand Reply #3 - 12/16/08 at 08:49:02 Check the torque on the engine mounting bolts, the ones that also mount the footpegs. Sometimes the oil leaks through the lug these bolts go thru.
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rockman

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Re: Oil leak - dripping at the kickstand
Reply #4 - 12/16/08 at 11:00:10

2) The Speedo cable at the tranny. The seal can get lost easily. If lost, it can be replaced with a o-ring.

3) The oil drain plug. Make sure it's tight. The seal is a metal crush washer seal and can be "interesting" to get sealed. If it's tight, and still the culprit, then you can buy a replecment metric oil drain bolt/plug at most chain auto stores. I have one from Auto-Zone that has a rubber washer and it seals good.

On number 2, is that the little hose hanging down with a metal cap in the end?
I had a flat tire and rolled it up on a truck and I guess I knocked it loose, cause there's a small leak there.

I'm still new guys, sorry, and thatnks for the help. Grin

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beck

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Re: Oil leak - dripping at the kickstand
Reply #5 - 12/16/08 at 11:26:50

T Mack 1 - FSO wrote on 12/16/08 at 02:46:29:

Three standard spots for oil leaks.

1) The hardest to fix is the head plug. Do you know if they sealed it (high temp silicon sealer) when they put it back in??.

I did this repair. I did use the high temp sealer.
Quote:

2) The Speedo cable at the tranny. The seal can get lost easily. If lost, it can be replaced with a o-ring.

I had the speedo cable off. I didn't look to see if there was a seal there. I will have to check that. BUT this isn't where the current leak is. I have not restarted the motor. I have a small puddle, about 3" dia, on the floor. The oil level doesn't reach this high on the case to leak without running.
Quote:

3) The oil drain plug. Make sure it's tight. The seal is a metal crush washer seal and can be "interesting" to get sealed. If it's tight, and still the culprit, then you can buy a replecment metric oil drain bolt/plug at most chain auto stores. I have one from Auto-Zone that has a rubber washer and it seals good.

NOTE: just re-read your post, if you haven't restarted the bike, then the leak has to be low, check the drain plug......

If it is one of these three it has to be #3. I did take the plug out to drain the oil before removing the side cover. I used a wrench to reinstall it so it's tight. It could be a bad seal there.

I was thinking it had to be coming from the left side case cover, shifter seal or something of that sort.

verslagen1,
Is there a seal for these footpeg bolts. I wouldn't think that bolt would go through an oil passage, or does it hold the cases together to seal them?

Thanks guys.

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verslagen1

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Re: Oil leak - dripping at the kickstand
Reply #6 - 12/16/08 at 13:02:58

beck wrote on 12/16/08 at 11:26:50:

verslagen1,
Is there a seal for these footpeg bolts. I wouldn't think that bolt would go through an oil passage, or does it hold the cases together to seal them?

The bolts don't go thru an oil passage, so no seal.
But, it's a split case and sometimes the case seal leaks a little in this area. Maybe only enough for the oil to collect here after a long time.

And guess again about the bolt going thru an oil passage. One of the head bolts does exactly that, and it is sealed on the top end.

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T Mack 1 - FSO

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Re: Oil leak - dripping at the kickstand
Reply #7 - 12/16/08 at 13:51:24

yes, the Speedo cable "should" only leak when the engine is running.

But.... if running and the bike is on the sidestand, the oil can go down into the "balck-hole" under the starter. And that black-hole has an outlet (worm-hole??? .. sorry had to do it) that helps drain any fluids (rain water mostly) and it comes out behind the belt pulley.....

Ain't it a wonderful world that gives you all these interesting projects to exercise our minds...... not!

My advise.... get a roill of papertowels. Wipe off every surface you can reach. Then lightly dust with baking powder or corn startch and watch for the powder to show you the leak....

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Engineers design things, Technicians make them work.
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30% of being mechanical is confidence/30% is knowing to go slow when needed/30% is looking repeatedly at what you have/10% is dumb luck Wink

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Digger Serious Thumper 2005 No Login Offline Ya gotta be tough to ride singles! Posts: 1604 Colorado Springs, CO Gender:	Re: Oil leak - dripping at the kickstand Reply #8 - 12/16/08 at 18:25:11 T Mack 1 - FSO wrote on 12/16/08 at 13:51:24: ....My advise.... get a roill of papertowels. Wipe off every surface you can reach. Then lightly dust with baking powder or corn startch and watch for the powder to show you the leak.... +1 Desenex foot spray also works good for this. Happy hunting!
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beck

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Re: Oil leak - dripping at the kickstand
Reply #9 - 12/17/08 at 14:30:35

verslagen1 wrote on 12/16/08 at 13:02:58:

beck wrote on 12/16/08 at 11:26:50:

verslagen1,
Is there a seal for these footpeg bolts. I wouldn't think that bolt would go through an oil passage, or does it hold the cases together to seal them?

The bolts don't go thru an oil passage, so no seal.
But, it's a split case and sometimes the case seal leaks a little in this area. Maybe only enough for the oil to collect here after a long time.

Now I have it figured out. The lower foot peg bolts are causing the problem. I took these loose to remove the right side exhaust cover. I had the head pipe off being rechromed. I did not tighten them back up after removal. Last night I was putting the head pipe back on the bike and discovered the loose bolts. SO the leak mistery is hopefully solved.
Thanks everyone!

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