GSA Front engine cover oil leak

[andeebee]

The continued weeping of oil from the front engine cover has been so bad lately that I needed to investigate further. It had started to collect in the sump guard and drip out when on the sidestand.
Upon removing the plastic pulley cover, it was surprisingly clean. I expected the pulley seal to be the problem.
Any other suggestions on where this oil is coming from? Could it be leaking from where the engine cover bolts to the engine? Checked surrounding bolts and they are all to torque, (missing bolts are from the removed stainless engine guard).
It doesnt seem to be coming from a high point, just around the lower pulley area and misting upwards as it flows out.

 

[Santa-2512]

Put the cover back on and wash /degrease & dry the front of the engine .



Two options;

Option 1

start and run the engine for a few minutes giving the throttle a flew blips to get it to a bit more than Just tickover.

Stop the engine and go and have a look

Option 2

If you can run the bike with the front cover removed start and run the engine for a few minutes giving the throttle a flew blips to get it to a bit more

than Just tickover.

Stop the engine and go and have a look

The risks with option 2, apart from the safety side, are if the leak is not near the alternator belt, you do run the risk of contaminating the belt if oil drips

onto it

You may be right that it's coming from the seal, but only when the engine is running and under load

First off i'd clean 7 shades out of it

 

[Steptoe]

So you want us all to guess where the oil is leaking from when the bike is in front of you and you’re looking at it and can’t see where it’s leaking from....., sounds like a good game, I’ll have a go, while laying on my sofa... canbus oil leaking from the alternator.

 

[andeebee]

Thanks Steptoe. No, I wanted you all to come around to mine and fix it for me.
Having taken the back end of the bike off a couple of years ago to fix the clutch , with the help from this forum, I am reasonably familiar with that end of the bike. I have no experience with the engine and was looking for a "when mine did that it was the xyz which is behind the abc".

 

[AArman]

Check your front shock. Might be just as simple as seal gave in

Sent from my LYA-L09 using Tapatalk

 

[Steptoe]

Thanks Steptoe. No, I wanted you all to come around to mine and fix it for me.
Having taken the back end of the bike off a couple of years ago to fix the clutch , with the help from this forum, I am reasonably familiar with that end of the bike. I have no experience with the engine and was looking for a "when mine did that it was the xyz which is behind the abc".

Is the oil on one side or spread evenly over both sides ? Do you leave the bike parked on the side stand ? Oil can leak from the oil line and oil temp sender on top of the engine on the R/H side, when parked on the side stand the oil runs across the top of the engine and down the left hand side, which can cause confusion about the source of the leak.... good luck

 

[andeebee]

Thanks for suggestions. Shock was serviced last year and no leaks from there and the bike lives on its main stand when not in use.
Oil seems to be spread evenly. I will give it a clean and a run and see if anything appears.

 

[andeebee]

I think i found the source of the oil leak. Loose bolts?
On removing the front engine cover I found corrosion around one of the lower bolt holes where a front engine cover protector had been fitted (the stock bolts are replaced by longer stainless ones). Some light corrosion had occurred around the bolt hole which is the area where the majority of the oil was weeping from.
I have cleaned up the area and added some sealant to the cover face where it meets the engine block.
Have managed to get the Alternator drive pulley on the end of the crank to its first torque setting of 40Nm by putting bike in gear and using back brake, but the final torque is 140Nm and the engine is turning.
Is there a method to lock the engine while torqueing up this large nut?

 

[Mistacat]

You can insert a rod on the right hand side of the bike at the back of the engine, it goes through a hole in the flywheel. use a high tensile rod from memory I think it is 6 or 8mm Google R1200GS TDC flywheel locking pin

 

[andeebee]

Thanks. Found this YT video that shows the TDC tool and location of the hole https://youtu.be/VdbFo0Qu8t4?t=505

 

[jogo]

I did put it in 6th gear and had a helper forcefully applying the rear brake. That way I was able to reach the prescribed torque. Not ideal but doable. For next time I bought a locking pin.