Oily Boot

[jeeperz0]

Minor problem on the 1991 R100GS. Every time I use it I come back with an oily bit on the gear change patch on my left boot !! Its obviously coming off the gear lever but I can't see how its getting onto the lever.
Pretty sure its oil, it seems thick and not petrol smelling. Sure it's obvious to the experienced here but it's not to me !!

 

[harry]

I've had oil blowing back from the joint/gasket at barrel/crankcase when giving it some stick. Soaks the old boot!

 

[John Roberts]

Have a look at the sealing rubbers at the base of the pushrod tubes, sometimes you can reseat them at the crankcase end with a suitably shaped piece of pipe and judicious tapping with a hammer. Also, the pushrod tubes themselves can sometimes corrode and leak oil. The oilseal on the gearchange lever where it enters the side of the gearbox can wear, resulting in a leak. It isn't much of a problem to change it, tilt the bike away from you before you start, then undo the allen bolt at the centre of the lever and take the lever out. Leaning the bike away from you effectively lowers the level of the oil so that it doesn't run out. Hoik the oil seal out taking note of which way the lip of the seal is pointing and fit the new one the same way. Put the lever back in- don't worry about correct alignment, it will only go back one way. Job's a carrot.

Thinking out of the box, as it were, another approach just occurred to me regarding stopping your boot getting messy; have you considered wearing a flip flop on that foot instead? No need to wear one on the other foot of course, that would be silly.

I trust that helps.

 

[Rob Farmer]

It's a badge of honour. Wear it with pride


It's probably dripping from the mixture screw on the left carb.

 

[jeeperz0]

thanks very much Guys, that's given me some places to look over the weekend !!

 

[Sean Kelly]

Oil mist from the breather into the airbox? Check the junction between carb and rubber elbow around the jubilee clip. Oil can collect and find its way out if not sealed 100%. I seem to remember mine was worse with certain types of oil, maybe some types "mist" more than others. I had an oily left boot for many a mile.

 

[markjackson]

On an oil head GS a few years ago used to get my boot covered in oil mist. It turned out to be a super-fine hairline crack on the rocker cover, only really visible on the inside.