650GS Oil Leak, £££££££££, Help

ray_rev · Sep 15, 2007

Hi, I've posted this on ADVRider as well, as I know many GSers also frequent that site. My first post to this forum is a 'problem' post, so I hope you'll forgive me if I'm a bit down in the mouth!..

Anyway, I've just laid out £400 on my '03 GS for the 18k service, inspection, and various bits and bobs. But what has really rocked me is an oil leak that the dealer says is either: clutch cover gasket seal, cyclinder base gasket seal, output shaft seal, or head gasket.

The cost of labour to strip the engine to find out is £800. I just can't find that kinda money for a bike I paid £2700 for in May of this year. Williams BMW (Manchester) say they've never seen the head gasket go on a 650GS, though with my luck I suspect I may be the first.

I am pretty PO'ed about this whole thing, because I bought the GS thinking I could have 5 years of relatively trouble free commuting in all-weathers. It was, allegedly, a 'bomb proof' design beloved by overlanders. Ho hum.

So, my question is this:

1. How do I manage the leak?
2. Any idea of Most Likely cause?
2. Does anyone know of a UK spanner-man who does not charge BMW rates to diagnose the problem?

Many thanks in advance.

Ray

Micky · Sep 15, 2007

I quite simply can't understand the dealer saying the oil leak might be from the clutch cover, base gasket, output shaft or head gasket... fer fecks sake they're a dealer and should be able to tell ya

Change ya dealer, get a second opinion

Wipe everything clean, absolutely clean, and then run the bike up to see where it's coming from... that's your first course of action.

You don't strip the engine to find the oil leak.... you find the oil leak and repair!

Head gasket problems on the 650 GS are pretty rare. Could be nothing more complicated than the oil pressure switch at the back of the cylinder, on top of the crankcases leaking... known this a few times. Oil gets everywhere, looks bad but aint. Could be the water pump seal let go... small dribble hole underneath lets water or oil out depending on which seal has gone!

Girlfriends 650 GS had an oil leak... cured instantly by tightening the cover screws up... check!

The 650's are pretty well 'bomb proof' :clap

www.adventure.gs

hovis · Sep 15, 2007

oil leak

Like Micky say,s get it clean. The best stuff is brake cleaner it dissolves the oil then evaporates away . Then then run the bike to see where the oil is coming from.
Cheers Hovis

gopher · Sep 16, 2007

I've had in the past oil leaks that I thought were serious and likely costly but they turned out to be easily fixed. One time on a trip I pulled up to take a picture, dropped the bike onto the side stand and oil poured out onto the road. Turned out to a leaking oil pressure switch. Another time the head cover gasket went - again, easily fixed.

+1 on finding a dealer who can narrow a leak down a little more than that!

Find the source and then worry (if it's something serious).

ray_rev · Sep 16, 2007

Thank you all for those replies. At least it gives me something to go on. I'll be getting the bike out after the MotoGP to put your tips into action. Nice one.
:beerjug:

Ray

hindsight · Sep 20, 2007

Micky said:
Change ya dealer, get a second opinion

Quite.

Also check the oil pressure sensor. Mine went a while back, and it looked like a serious oil leak until I was pointed in the right direction. Apparently quite a common problem, but was my first failure in 32000 miles.. see faq.f650.com for more details about where to find the pressure sensor..

Micky · Sep 20, 2007

hindsight said:
Quite.

Also check the oil pressure sensor. Mine went a while back, and it looked like a serious oil leak until I was pointed in the right direction. Apparently quite a common problem, but was my first failure in 32000 miles.. see faq.f650.com for more details about where to find the pressure sensor..

I'd already said that....

:beerjug:

www.adventure.gs

gopher · Sep 27, 2007

So ray_rev, what was the outcome?

D6 · Sep 30, 2007

ray_rev said:
Hi, I've posted this on ADVRider as well, as I know many GSers also frequent that site. My first post to this forum is a 'problem' post, so I hope you'll forgive me if I'm a bit down in the mouth!..

Anyway, I've just laid out £400 on my '03 GS for the 18k service, inspection, and various bits and bobs. But what has really rocked me is an oil leak that the dealer says is either: clutch cover gasket seal, cyclinder base gasket seal, output shaft seal, or head gasket.

The cost of labour to strip the engine to find out is £800. I just can't find that kinda money for a bike I paid £2700 for in May of this year. Williams BMW (Manchester) say they've never seen the head gasket go on a 650GS, though with my luck I suspect I may be the first.

I am pretty PO'ed about this whole thing, because I bought the GS thinking I could have 5 years of relatively trouble free commuting in all-weathers. It was, allegedly, a 'bomb proof' design beloved by overlanders. Ho hum.

So, my question is this:

1. How do I manage the leak?
2. Any idea of Most Likely cause?
2. Does anyone know of a UK spanner-man who does not charge BMW rates to diagnose the problem?

Many thanks in advance.

Ray

clean the engine, spray talcum powder all over it, the leaks show up a lot better

650GS Oil Leak, £££££££££, Help

ray_rev

Guest

Micky

Never knowingly understood

hovis

Registered user

gopher

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ray_rev

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hindsight

Guest

Micky

Never knowingly understood

gopher

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D6

Registered user

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