I detailed my recent Savage purchase
here, along with my initial ride impressions.
On Saturday, I took it for a longer journey to Pennsylvania, about 230 miles for the day, which included much freeway jousting at 70+.
This is probably the first time the bike has been run hard in a while. The guy I bought it from told me that he had changed the oil and filter prior to selling it. I don't recall him mentioning anything about the right side cover gasket.
After riding about 100 miles or so, I took a break and noticed some oil seepage from the right side cover, near where the oil level sight glass is located. It was a small amount, just enough to spray some droplets onto the exhaust pipe, and making a bit of a mess which I wiped off as best I could.
I kept a close eye on it the rest of the way, and it seemed to stop, as I did not see any more spray onto the pipe.
After arriving at my destination, I put the bike away. When I went back later that evening to have a look, there were a few drops of oil on the floor underneath. I cleaned that, plus the bike (as I had found a thunderstorm or two along the way). The next day there was no further dripping.
My working assumption is that, from sitting for a year or so, that right-sided gasket got dried out, and leaked a bit when the bike was run hard. If so, shouldn't be a worry until I change oil again, when I should replace the gasket to be sure.
Alternatively, I suppose that someone changing the oil may have misdone the gasket in some fashion.
Or, is this a truly bad sign that needs immediate attention? I estimate the total amount lost at less than a half teaspoon, and it seems to have stopped on its own, although I haven't run it since then.
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