Oil Leak

[Bohsfc]

Changed the oil about 2 weeks ago and have only used the bike twice since.

Just back from a 200 km ride and have noticed a fair amount of oil coming down from the top of the engine.
It appears to be coming from what I think (looking at the manual) is the Oil pressure Valve. ( top of the engine directly below the air box)

When changing the oil, after draining it fully (or did I) I put in the manual recommended amount of 3.75L.

What I am thinking now is that there must have been some oil left in the cylinder head and therefore the bike now has more than the required amount of oil and is now releasing it through the pressure valve.

Am I correct in my assumption and does this mean the valve now needs replacing or is it just doing what it is designed to do??

 

[(RIP) DitchWater]

Did you change the oil filter as well?

If not you added an extra 250ml of oil.

 

[Bohsfc]

Did you change the oil filter as well?

If not you added an extra 250ml of oil.

I did yes

 

[(RIP) DitchWater]

Okay,

Firstly, what bike have you got?

Does it have a center stand and when on that, can you see any space at the top of the oil glass? If not drain a bit off and see if the problem goes away.

Did you move the bike on to both stands to drain the old oil? It probably doesn't matter but I do this to get rid of as much old oils as possible.

Is there any oil in the air box? I believe this is where to overfill blows out to because there is a drain plug at the bottom of my airbox.

 

[Bohsfc]

02 1150. Only used the side stand when draining as far as i can remember.
I Will have a look in the air box and see if there is any oil.

Will have to let the engine cool before i can tell if it is over full in the sight glass but draining some oil out is something i intended to do.

Cheers

 

[B4ndit]

I have just changed the oil on my, new to me, 1150 and because I wasn't aware of the convoluted way of checking oil managed to overfill it.

Anyway all seems well now. Though it was a shock when some oil came out of the area behind the air box. Looks like its one of those things you have to get used to with a 1150.

 

[(RIP) DitchWater]

02 1150. Only used the side stand when draining as far as i can remember.
I Will have a look in the air box and see if there is any oil.

Will have to let the engine cool before i can tell if it is over full in the sight glass but draining some oil out is something i intended to do.

Cheers

You only have to let to oil settle in the sump to check its' level and it should be right in about 15 minutes.
If you didn't use the center stand then you will have left oil resting in the left hand side of the sump and this is why you have probably overfilled it: Did you get your hands wet when removing the old oil filter? There should be a dribble but if it poured over your hand then there's the clue.

Let us know if you have any further problems.

I have just changed the oil on my, new to me, 1150 and because I wasn't aware of the convoluted way of checking oil managed to overfill it.

It's not that convoluted. I just like to get as much of the old stuff out as possible because those last dribbles also contain particulates; I can see them in my drain pan. It's not metallic but a fine grit of sorts.

 

[Steptoe]

Changed the oil about 2 weeks ago and have only used the bike twice since.

Just back from a 200 km ride and have noticed a fair amount of oil coming down from the top of the engine.
It appears to be coming from what I think (looking at the manual) is the Oil pressure Valve. ( top of the engine directly below the air box)

When changing the oil, after draining it fully (or did I) I put in the manual recommended amount of 3.75L.

What I am thinking now is that there must have been some oil left in the cylinder head and therefore the bike now has more than the required amount of oil and is now releasing it through the pressure valve.

Am I correct in my assumption and does this mean the valve now needs replacing or is it just doing what it is designed to do??

Don't worry you haven't over filled the engine with oil, if you've measured and put in the correct amount it does fill the sight glass, and even if you did overfill it wouldn't make the pressure valve leak. It's just coincidence.
It's fairly common for the pressure valve or the oil temp guage (both next to each other at the top of the engine on the R/H side). The ali washer can corrode and leak oil.

Try just tightening the temp sensor and the oil feed line next to it up a touch first which sometimes works.

 

[Bohsfc]

Don't worry you haven't over filled the engine with oil, if you've measured and put in the correct amount it does fill the sight glass, and even if you did overfill it wouldn't make the pressure valve leak. It's just coincidence.
It's fairly common for the pressure valve or the oil temp guage (both next to each other at the top of the engine on the R/H side). The ali washer can corrode and leak oil.

Try just tightening the temp sensor and the oil feed line next to it up a touch first which sometimes works.

Will give that a go Neil, Thanks. Very difficult to get at. Do I need to remove the air box to get to it or would a long spanner reach it?
Cheers

 

[MattW]

Will give that a go Neil, Thanks. Very difficult to get at. Do I need to remove the air box to get to it or would a long spanner reach it?
Cheers

I think you're talking about the airbox drain plug, not the temp sender / return line that Neil is referring to.

If you overfill, oil gets shunted into the airbox. Look under the airbox at the left hand side and you should see a plastic plug - turn it 90 degrees and it should pull out downwards (possibly with a bit of oil ).

The two items that Neil refers to are on the side of the engine near the sight glass.

 

[Bohsfc]

Ok So I have had a look at this oil pipe or pressure valve and there is no way I can get to it easily without stripping the bike. I started to remove the battery tray but that meant the ABS unit would have to come out and then I tried the airbox but I don't have a garage so trying to do it all on my driveway while the clouds are getting darker is not a good idea and TBH I think its all beyond my capabilities.

Anyway the best I could do was to shine a torch in and when I touched the part where the oil is leaking from with a spanner, the thing is completely loose.

This is the part. Photo is not the best cause it is hard to get it to focus on it. It is where the torch is shining looking in from the right hand side of the bike.
Can anyone tell me exactly what part it is and how much trouble am I in with oil coming from it?

 

[Steptoe]

Can anyone tell me exactly what part it is and how much trouble am I in with oil coming from it?

That's the oil breather hose. It is possible to move it/twist it around, that's normal. Are you sure the leak is from there ? as the two parts i mentioned earlier are just ahead of that hose and they leak back and usually across the engine and oil runs down the L/H side of the engine which confuses a lot of people as to where the leak is -until they realise that putting the bike on the side stand cause the oil to follow this path.

The part(s) i referred to are further towards the front of the engine block. Easily accessible by removing the petrol tank.

 

[Bohsfc]

That's the oil breather hose. It is possible to move it/twist it around, that's normal. Are you sure the leak is from there ? as the two parts i mentioned earlier are just ahead of that hose and they leak back and usually across the engine and oil runs down the L/H side of the engine which confuses a lot of people as to where the leak is -until they realise that putting the bike on the side stand cause the oil to follow this path.

The part(s) i referred to are further towards the front of the engine block. Easily accessible by removing the petrol tank.

Fairly sure that that's where its coming from as it is well soaked all round it. But I will strip the tank off again tomorrow and try locate the 2 other places you mentioned.

Would an overfill cause the oil to come from this breather pipe?

 

[Steptoe]

Fairly sure that that's where its coming from as it is well soaked all round it. But I will strip the tank off again tomorrow and try locate the 2 other places you mentioned.

Would an overfill cause the oil to come from this breather pipe?

The overfill would have to be chronic, unless the hose really is loose. And you haven't overfilled it if you've poured in the amount of oil specified.

I've had more than one bike arrive with the engines literally full up with oil, after the owners couldn't see any oil in the sight glass (because it was already full) and so they poured in 4 litres. Bike smoked a lot and the oil breather reservour under the airbox was full but no oil leaks from anywhere.

 

[Bohsfc]

Just got a chance (between showers) to check the pressure valve and the oil temp guage and both are bone dry (see photo).
So the oil defo seems to be coming from the breather pipe.
So if it was an overfill will this stop once it is down to the correct level? (Oil sight glass is now showing the oil level to be about 1mm off the top of it) or is the problem going to persist.
All help welcome please as I had plans to do alot of the Irish photo rally this week.

 

[Steptoe]

Put a cable tie around the breather pipe just below or above where the clamp is.

 

[Bohsfc]

Put a cable tie around the breather pipe just below or above where the clamp is.

Don't know how I will get a cable tie in there but will give it a go

 

[Steptoe]

Don't know how I will get a cable tie in there but will give it a go

Put it on the pipe where it's conveniant, slide it along to where you want it then tighten it.

 

[Bohsfc]

I have discovered by way of a Parts Fiche website that my oil leak which is still there is actually coming from the Gearbox Breather and not the Engine oil breather as previously thought.
I have been onto Steptoe and he has never experienced this before so just wondering if anyone else has had this problem and do you know the cause and what was the solution??

 

[MattW]

I have discovered by way of a Parts Fiche website that my oil leak which is still there is actually coming from the Gearbox Breather and not the Engine oil breather as previously thought.
I have been onto Steptoe and he has never experienced this before so just wondering if anyone else has had this problem and do you know the cause and what was the solution??

I've never even heard of a gearbox breather leaking - in fact I'm struggling to think how it could (unless the gearbox is massively overfilled with oil).