G'Day guys.

As most of you may know I have only had my bike on the road in the last two odd weeks after nearly twelve months in the garage since purchasing so I am really only finding out what her state is now.

She has been running fine. I did an oil change some time back and had to helicoyle the long bolt thread on the oil filter cover.

I have done about 500 klms (280 miles) in the last two odd weeks and after gunning her a little up a steep highway I noticed on arrival home she had a very small leak coming from the front/top of the oil filter cover. The next couple of rides, no leak.

Today I took her out and basically was just a slow ride at low speeds with a couple of hill climbs but nothing labourious, however when I got home I noticed the same small leak out of the top of the oil filter cover.

I came out to the garage about 2 hrs later to check and noticed about an inch dia slight oil stain on the floor. I could tell this was not from the oil leak at the top as it had not ran more than half inch across the cover before stopping. I then got out a fluro light and looked under the bike and as best I can tell it could be a leak from the bottom of the crank case cover around near the bolts.

Has anyone ever experienced a leak from this area and if so could it just be an indication that the crank case gasket needs replacing or could it be a sign of stripped threads to this cover or even something more sinister. I have just been searching the net and found a guy with a similar experience who said his crankcase had to be rebuilt for $3000.00!!! The small leak out of the oil filter cover I can deal with but I'm concerned that this other one may get worse but I don't have a crystal ball.

Any help appreciated guys, I have absolutely loved getting her out there but cannot afford at this time any huge repair bills. If the leaks do not worsen would it be considered negligent to ride with these leaks even if I monitor my oil level so as not to put the motor at risk.

I should add here that she is an old 98 model with over 70000 miles, I could not afford a new bike or one with lesser miles so I did expect the odd problem. Just hope I can fix or manage this without having to go back into mothballs.

Thanks in advance for any advice given.

Hello Aussielad,
I think it is time to just monitor how much oil that Matilda "uses" per kilometer (I almost typed the word "mile"). A 1 inch diameter dollup on the floor doesn't sound very serious to me. Of course no leak is better, but she has seen a fair amount of "mileage" and would expect it from a "middle aged" bike. Parked next to HD's, nobody will even notice. :D

Hello Aussielad,
I think it is time to just monitor how much oil that Matilda "uses" per kilometer (I almost typed the word "mile"). A 1 inch diameter dollup on the floor doesn't sound very serious to me. Of course no leak is better, but she has seen a fair amount of "mileage" and would expect it from a "middle aged" bike. Parked next to HD's, nobody will even notice. :D

Thanks Wart, she has not dropped any since and it's great to get your advice. I have been invited on my first group ride in just over a week, about a 4 hour trip wih a break in between, varying road speeds but nothing ridiculous, I will make sure the oil level is right and I'm am going with guys of 20 to 45 years riding experience so I will keep an eye on it, thanks again mate.

Sounds like a good ride and you have some good experienced blokes going along with you. So, at say 110 kph, you should put on over 400km. Bring a qt of oil with you on the ride just in case but it would be best if you can determine exactly how much is lost when the ride is done. It is true that crankcase gaskets will dry up when a bike sits unused for a long period of time. It would be wonderful if they become rejuvinated after some regular riding.

And just to be sure our "elder" comunity understands the thread topic, Aussielad is looking for help from guys that might be familiar with a bike that leaks oil.

There, that should help to prevent Springer and the like from offering first hand knowledge and advice on being incontinet. :D
http://incontinentiemateriaal.com/images/bladder-urgency.jpg

Sounds like a good ride and you have some good experienced blokes going along with you. So, at say 110 kph, you should put on over 400km. Bring a qt of oil with you on the ride just in case but it would be best if you can determine exactly how much is lost when the ride is done. It is true that crankcase gaskets will dry up when a bike sits unused for a long period of time. It would be wonderful if they become rejuvinated after some regular riding.

Mate that is what I meant to ask you last night. I am not sure how to measure oil loss. When I intially did the oil/oil filter change I put in 3.2 litres as per the manual. Checking the window in the well last night it is still full, how would I measure the loss so I can monitor it, I have absolutely no idea how to do this apart from checking the window?

Also I have about a quart of the oil left, I was thinking about getting a small secure container and taking that with me on the ride.

Thanks again for your advice.

To get it fairly accurate, you can drain all the oil before the ride and measure what you collected, keep it clean and put it all back in. Then repeat it after the ride. For this, I would not change or drain the oil filter, just to keep it simple. The volume in the oil filter should remain a constant anyway. This may be more trouble than what it's worth but at least you will know how much and how often you need to add some oil.

To get it fairly accurate, you can drain all the oil before the ride and measure what you collected, keep it clean and put it all back in. Then repeat it after the ride. For this, I would not change or drain the oil filter, just to keep it simple. The volume in the oil filter should remain a constant anyway. This may be more trouble than what it's worth but at least you will know how much and how often you need to add some oil.

Thanks mate, could I throw this to you for consideration also. I have just been checking the inspection window again and found an old thread from some of the guys here. When I look at the inspection window with the bike level, the window is filled to the top which suggested I may have put in a little too much oil (I have only a quart left in the oil container but there was some spillage, first timer, so I cannot use the container to be dead accurate) but could over filling the oil force leakage. From what I have read the oil should not be up to the top of the glass. Sorry for being a pain in the butt again.

No problem, not a pain at all.

Over filling with oil tends to push oil up and out the crankcase breather when the engine is running. From there it is deposited into the air cleaner box (usually) via a rubber hose.

A simple and rough estimate can be had just by seeeing how much oil you need to add to bring the level to some reference mark in the oil level sight glass. But what you see in the sight glass is very dependant on how level the bike is when checking it. Oil temperature and "froth" also affect the oil level in the sight glass too.

No problem, not a pain at all.

Over filling with oil tends to push oil up and out the crankcase breather when the engine is running. From there it is deposited into the air cleaner box (usually) via a rubber hose.

Thanks mate.

I have just been checking back in the manual. It states:

For a full oil change I put in 3.2 litres.

For a periodic oil change, 2.6 litres.

Wilth oil filter replacement, 2.8 litres.

I am still not 100% sure what they mean, I assume a periodic oil change is purely just the oil, but then they state with oil filter replacement, 2.8 litres, what would be the difference between that and a full oil change of 3.2 litres:confused:

Rule of thumb down here by everyone is do a full oil change every 2000klms or six months and that includes the oil filter, so I am not sure why they mentioned periodic oil changes. Just trying to learn as much as I can but I wish the manual was little more thourough in it's explanations.

I'm also miffed by those oil amounts. I have no idea what the difference is between a full oil change vs. An oil change with filter change.

Rule of thumb down here by everyone is do a full oil change every 2000klms or six months and that includes the oil filter, so I am not sure why they mentioned periodic oil changes. Just trying to learn as much as I can but I wish the manual was little more thourough in it's explanations.

A filter change at every oil change is pretty much what everyone does here too. I believe the Yamaha Owners Manual (I have no idea what model of bike you have) for the 1100 states to change the filter at every other oil change interval. The thought behind this two-fold.

1. These are relatively clean running engines as far as lots of debris clogging the filter. So there is actually plenty of life left in it at the first change interval.

2.) An oil filter actually filters better as it begins to gather particulates and filters using newer technology filtering media can easily handle the extended oil change intervals of the better synthetic oils. Essentially, they filter best when they are a little dirty and can easily handle 2 oil change intervals.

With that said, I still change the filter every time...but that is the thought process of the manufacturer of V Star 1100. There is no evidence to support the fact that anything detrimental would happen, but there is evidence to show that there can be positive results for the "every other" method.

Hope that helps explain the matter a little better.

[QUOTE=stratowart;38116

A 1 inch diameter dollup on the floor doesn't sound very serious to me. Of course no leak is better, but she has seen a fair amount of "mileage" and would expect it from a "middle aged" bike. Parked next to HD's, nobody will even notice. :D[/QUOTE]

Just me here, but oil is a lot like blood, a little looks like a whole lot:eek: As Wart is sayin, would not worry a whole lot: 1" is but a few drops. (Yo,Wart, love the HD comment, SO true:cool:)

A filter change at every oil change is pretty much what everyone does here too. I believe the Yamaha Owners Manual (I have no idea what model of bike you have) for the 1100 states to change the filter at every other oil change interval. The thought behind this two-fold.

1. These are relatively clean running engines as far as lots of debris clogging the filter. So there is actually plenty of life left in it at the first change interval.

2.) An oil filter actually filters better as it begins to gather particulates and filters using newer technology filtering media can easily handle the extended oil change intervals of the better synthetic oils. Essentially, they filter best when they are a little dirty and can easily handle 2 oil change intervals.

With that said, I still change the filter every time...but that is the thought process of the manufacturer of V Star 1100. There is no evidence to support the fact that anything detrimental would happen, but there is evidence to show that there can be positive results for the "every other" method.

Hope that helps explain the matter a little better.

Thanks Mick, makes sense what you said about the oil filters, I have a 98 650 classic with high mileage and nursing her along. That bike of yours is very nice buy the way too.

Just me here, but oil is a lot like blood, a little looks like a whole lot:eek: As Wart is sayin, would not worry a whole lot: 1" is but a few drops. (Yo,Wart, love the HD comment, SO true:cool:)

Thanks Sugar, I think as I have just gotten her on the road again I'm watching everything like a hawk. I did what Wort suggested tonight, drained the oil, measured it, found I still basically had the same measure as I put in originally, the oil is a little dark though but it has been in 4 odd months. If I do go on this four hour group ride next weekend I will take a spare quart, check her halfway through the ride through the glass and drain her when I get home to measure any loss. Cheers mate.

Wart.

Today, I took her out for a good run gave her some stick up through the mountains, pulled over, waited a while, not a leak.

Back space to yesterday and I should have explained at that time, It was only a gentle ride to a carpark BUT all I did was practice my slow manouvering doing cone weave's, slow u turns etc using the clutch in the 'friction zone', throttle and back brake and ended up with the two leaks in that short amount of time.

Fast forward again to Today, after the big hard ride with no leak, I returned to the carpark to practice the aforementioned and guess what, I get a tiny leak out of the top of the oil filter cover as mentioned before (but no crankshaft leak).

I then rode home (only about a ten minute trip) and post inspection found the two spings leading from the foot brake (one for the brake light sensor, the other 'main' spring that holds the tension in the brake system were both hanging loose. I re adjusted, re connected them but they obviously gave way during my slow manouvering through the continual pressure.

So it would appear that riding the bike in the normal fashion, no leaks no problems, but practice my low speed manouvering, which I am picking up again quickly and enjoy, forces the engine to leak and stretched the guts out of the foot brake springs to the point of them letting go.

Got to stress here, I'm not complaining, suppose it's just another learning exercise, at least I'm getting to know her a bit more.

Hope any info her helps anyone else out in a similar situation.

That is excellent information Aussielad. So do you figure with all the low speed manuvering that the oil temperature and/or oil pressure gets too high?

That is excellent information Aussielad. So do you figure with all the low speed manuvering that the oil temperature and/or oil pressure gets too high?

Yes mate but I'm not sure why, I do the manouvering for about half an hour to 40 mins at a time, really going no further than walking pace. I have to prove my ability in a couple of months hence all the practice. Again it is only about 3 drops.

Re the brake pedal springs you could see the hook going around the peddle had stretched/straighted a little to the point where it gave way, but luckily the other end held on and I didn't loose them. I assumed this happened due to the riding of the brake a little during the manouvering over the last month.

Yes mate but I'm not sure why, I do the manouvering for about half an hour to 40 mins at a time, really going no further than walking pace.


Glen, you may have missed a key, small print footnote on the RLAP DVD, and that is you need to let the clutch cool after 5 minutes of friction zone maneuvering. So do your slow cone weave, slow race, etc. but give the clutch a chance to cool by running fully engaged every 5 minutes or so.

Under normal operation, you won't be slipping the clutch for more than a few seconds during slow speed turns, start-ups, etc. While these clutches are designed to be slipped (friction zone) they're not designed to be continually slipped.

rj

Glen, you may have missed a key, small print footnote on the RLAP DVD, and that is you need to let the clutch cool after 5 minutes of friction zone maneuvering. So do your slow cone weave, slow race, etc. but give the clutch a chance to cool by running fully engaged every 5 minutes or so.

Under normal operation, you won't be slipping the clutch for more than a few seconds during slow speed turns, start-ups, etc. While these clutches are designed to be slipped (friction zone) they're not designed to be continually slipped.

rj

AaaaaaaaaaaaaHaaaaaaaaaaaaa,well that explains it, many thanks mate, I did miss the footnote and my neglect through many many years absence from riding is showing. Not doubt the spring giving way on the brake was also from the continuous manouvres, what a silly goose I have been.

Cheers,

what a silly goose I have been.

Cheers,

Nah. Now this is a silly goose...

http://i364.photobucket.com/albums/oo88/fripuppy/10888127.jpg

Parked next to HD's, nobody will even notice. :D

Yep. I was looking down at our bike parking area at work the other day, and most of us usually park in the same general locations. My first thought was "you can tell where Dean parks". Guess what he rides..:D