Oil leak , is this normal?

[Tyzer]

I have just noticed a very small amount of oil coming from a small hole on the left hand side of the engine in front of the cylinder head.Its lightly covered the bottom of the engine and spread to the side stand ? Is this a breather of some sort or do I have a problem

 

[Engineer]

I have just noticed a very small amount of oil coming from a small hole on the left hand side of the engine in front of the cylinder head.Its lightly covered the bottom of the engine and spread to the side stand ? Is this a breather of some sort or do I have a problem

What colour is it?

 

[MondoRich]

What colour is it?

I wonder if it's going to be blue?

 

[Tyzer]

Black,I'm sure it's engine oil

 

[stever1]

It'll be coolant leaking out of the weep hole. BMW have a lot of problems with this. Totally unacceptable, you shouldn't have ANY leakage.

 

[malcopopolo]

It'll be coolant leaking out of the weep hole. BMW have a lot of problems with this. Totally unacceptable, you shouldn't have ANY leakage.

Is that absolutely correct. My dealer advises that a little bit is normal. Why is the hole there?

 

[stever1]

Is that absolutely correct. My dealer advises that a little bit is normal. Why is the hole there?

According to the dealer in Italy to which the bike got taken to when it broke down with a leak, the hole is there as there are seals between the combined water /oil pump and its there to stop cross contamination.
After rejecting my last bike at 10 weeks old, and at least 3 water pumps I've now got another new GS - which leaks. Not good

 

[Tyzer]

I suppose the light covering of oil will help with preventing any corrosion ! It's due it's 6,000 mile service in 3 weeks I'll mention it.

 

[Engineer]

Search Google for for 'water pump weep hole' and you will find lots of interesting stuff to read - if you have a small weep don't fret just point it out to the dealer when you next visit.

 

[DING-DONG]

Mine weeped, new water pump fitted but it still weeped, BMW instructed dealer to remove engine cover and inspect and on inspection it was found to have a porous Casing and needed a new engine, I rejected the bike in the end .

 

[Tyzer]

Great ,hope this isn't the sign of things to come,GS has been brill up to now .First non Jap bike in 40 years of biking mostly been totally reliable hope I don't start to regret the move !

 

[stever1]

Great ,hope this isn't the sign of things to come,GS has been brill up to now .First non Jap bike in 40 years of biking mostly been totally reliable hope I don't start to regret the move !

Which dealer did you get it from ?

 

[batman1]

Don't worry about a bit of blue seepage it tends to look like the bike is losing much more coolant than is actually bleeding out, I noticed the blue stuff in France in April this year, so I checked the water lever in the little plastic header and it was fine.
I mentioned it to one dealer on my return to UK who said it will need a pump, I asked a second more experienced dealer who said not to worry it's normal. Since then I've ridden to Austria and blasted around the Alps and the water level in the bottle appears to be about same as it ever was, and I've never topped it up once...so don't worry, just take a peek at the header tank when you wash the bike.

 

[Tyzer]

Alan Jefferies

 

[zoltan]

My first 2013 GSLC leaked oil from new from the that hole... after 50 miles. Bike was rejected, it turned out to be a manufacturing fault. If yours just started to leak is more likely the pump. Hope you get sorted, let as know how you get on

 

[Tyzer]

Took the bike in today for its 6,000 miles service and mentioned the oil leak .I got a call an hour later telling me there was a problem with the water pump and it needs replacing and they will need to order the part so will have to leave it overnight.1 year old bIke with 6,000 miles NOT impressed !! Have a White XR loaner sat in my garage .

 

[stever1]

Welcome to the world of the LC GS. Got a new one at the end of April. Rejected after 3 or 4 new pumps about 10 weeks later

 

[Santa-2512]

Hmm,, how many of you drive cars?

Old cars, before modern FWD rubbish came in??

It was a given that when you went to buy a car, upon opening the bonnet,

you checked for the tell tale coolant leak from the pump.

On the front of the engine driving the cooling fan

fastest way to get some money off (needs a new water pump )

In some ways it was an early modern day self diagnostic telling you you have an impending failure of

the mechanical impeller seal.

Ignoring it would invariably lead to total failure the engine going tits up due to overheating, or

destroying the bearing / impeller seal etc

Dribble, gush whatever, the seal is failing and allowing water to pass from one side to the other.

Coolant expansion bottles are for that purpose, not water pumps.

mart.

 

[Deleted account 181015003]

Hmm,, how many of you drive cars?

Old cars, before modern FWD rubbish came in??

It was a given that when you went to buy a car, upon opening the bonnet,

you checked for the tell tale coolant leak from the pump.

On the front of the engine driving the cooling fan

fastest way to get some money off (needs a new water pump )

In some ways it was an early modern day self diagnostic telling you you have an impending failure of

the mechanical impeller seal.

Ignoring it would invariably lead to total failure the engine going tits up due to overheating, or

destroying the bearing / impeller seal etc

Dribble, gush whatever, the seal is failing and allowing water to pass from one side to the other.

Coolant expansion bottles are for that purpose, not water pumps.

mart.

Subaru boxer engines the water pump is driven off the back smooth side of the cam belt when the pump fails it takes the cam belt with it the result is a serious mess at least the GS wont eat its valves when the water pump fails