Top Oil leak suspect locations?

[Pasta Burner]

So I’ve got a drip that has been getting worse.  I just don’t know where it’s coming from.  The highest wet spot is by the spark plug but seems more wet down below.  Main point of drip is the front of the floorboard mount.  I don’t think it’s originating from the valve cover gaskets.  Got those in order...again.

[Marcarl]

Off chance thought.  Is your oil level more than 1/2 the sight glass when bike is straight up? If the answer is yes, you may have oil leaking down from the breather. Another though would be that there might be a cover bolt that's not seated properly. These bolts are shoulder bolts and do not tighten onto the valve cover, they snug down on the shoulder which gives exact clearance needed for the valve cover gasket. If you added a washer or so to the bolt, it's done wrong and will leak.

[Pasta Burner]

40 minutes ago, Marcarl said:

Off chance thought.  Is your oil level more than 1/2 the sight glass when bike is straight up? If the answer is yes, you may have oil leaking down from the breather. Another though would be that there might be a cover bolt that's not seated properly. These bolts are shoulder bolts and do not tighten onto the valve cover, they snug down on the shoulder which gives exact clearance needed for the valve cover gasket. If you added a washer or so to the bolt, it's done wrong and will leak.

Just drained the old oil but if memory serves correct it was over 1/2 full last year.  The PO only had it a week before selling because the CLASS was broke and he didn’t want to deal with it.  He said he added some sea foam to the crank so overfilled makes sense.

[Squidley]

Looking at the pics of the valve cover gasket, it looks pretty worn and cracked. Did you start using synthetic oil in it? I started having leaks on an 86 I had once I started using synthetic in it after I bought it. The synthetic oil will clean sludge deposits and sometimes with older gaskets and then the sludge getting cleaned out of age cracks, they can start to seep.

[Squidley]

2 minutes ago, Pasta Burner said:

He said he added some sea foam to the crank so overfilled makes sense.

That could be your culprit right there. Seafoam will clean sludge out of an engine as well.

[Pasta Burner]

13 hours ago, Squidley said:

That could be your culprit right there. Seafoam will clean sludge out of an engine as well.

Amazing the double edged sword.  I’m getting new OEM gaskets.  Covid had two orders of them cancelled on me over the past year because of warehouse and business shutdowns.  

Not sure what oil is in there, this is the first change of my ownership.

After digging in there yesterday I think a good degreasing will go a long way first to then start seeing where the problem recurs.

Edited April 11, 2021 by Pasta Burner

[Bob K.]

Cleanup is a great idea so that you can see where the fresh stuff is coming from.

From the photo it looks like you have seepage in 3 places:  Somewhere up on top near the valve cover bolt and a couple places seeping down from the valve cover gasket.

If the bolt rubber grommets have shrunk with age, search the interwebs for "wintergreen oil alcohol recondition rubber".  Worked marvelously on my '93.

 

 

Edited April 13, 2021 by Bob K.

[Pasta Burner]

16 hours ago, Bob K. said:

Cleanup is a great idea so that you can see where the fresh stuff is coming from.

From the photo it looks like you have seepage in 3 places:  Somewhere up on top near the valve cover bolt and a couple places seeping down from the valve cover gasket.

If the bolt rubber grommets have shrunk with age, search the interwebs for "wintergreen oil alcohol recondition rubber".  Worked marvelously on my '93.

 

 

Thanks. I’ll look for that Reconditioner.  
Two things I’ve discovered with this leak is one I put new oil in on Sunday let her warm up a bit and then positioned her in the garage on the center stand in prep for the new fork springs (that I just keep not getting to!!! Arrggg).  Monday morning there was only one little drip, by this afternoon only a tinsy bit more. So being upright vs the side stand my be a variable.  
Two as you mention the spot on top on the cover, I noticed Sunday evening the Front left carb boot is wet and that carb is not seated correctly in the lower boot, this could also explain the suction sound I’ve been hearing but chalked it up as normal as I’ve never heard another of these bikes to compare to.  I’m thinking fuel leaking from that carb running down the engine collecting grease and grime along the way making it appear as an oil leak.  Also when I went to clean my garage floor from where it had been dripping all winter it was gummy.

 

 

[Bob K.]

On 4/13/2021 at 7:22 PM, Pasta Burner said:

Thanks. I’ll look for that Reconditioner.

 

 

Maybe you can buy it, but the search will lead you to making your own by combining wintergreen oil with rubbing alcohol.  I believe I used 3 parts alcohol to 1 part wintergreen oil.  I soaked the items overnight in a mason jar.  If the rubber overexpanded, I'd let the piece sit for a day or so and it would decrease in size.  I used it on a couple dozen items when I did the big refurb a couple years ago.  Stored in a mason jar, I imagine it'll last for just about forever.

[Pasta Burner]

Interesting.  I like home made remedies.  Oddly it’s not leaking anymore.  Been in the center stand and I’m working on getting that carb seated.  Time will tell, and time for another beer to get this thing figured out.

[Pasta Burner]

So today while working on a throttle cable issue I discovered oil coming out of these hoses, it’s hard to tell if it’s all or one as they got dirty laying next to each other but I suspect there is one leaking oil that is attached to the breather vent port at the center of the carb bank where the air box connects to from above.  Is this a Normal place to have oil come from?  Is there a PCV valve or something there?

 

[Marcarl]

The hose coming from the center of the breather is acting as a PCV. The one off of the left front corner is a drain for the breather. Oil in either one would indicate an overfill situation of the crankcase, or maybe excessive blowby in the engine for the center one. Oil in the sight glass should be no more than halfways up the glass when the bike is straight up.

[Pasta Burner]

1 hour ago, Marcarl said:

The hose coming from the center of the breather is acting as a PCV. The one off of the left front corner is a drain for the breather. Oil in either one would indicate an overfill situation of the crankcase, or maybe excessive blowby in the engine for the center one. Oil in the sight glass should be no more than halfways up the glass when the bike is straight up.

Thanks for that info.  Can the sight glass be accurately measured if on the center stand?  I have this problem being the only one in my family confident enough to sit on a bike and hold it upright so I am never the one who gets to judge what the glass actually reads. 
 

Novel idea just popped into my head, maybe I’ll have them FaceTime me the real time visual 🙀

[Marcarl]

2 hours ago, Pasta Burner said:

Thanks for that info.  Can the sight glass be accurately measured if on the center stand?  I have this problem being the only one in my family confident enough to sit on a bike and hold it upright so I am never the one who gets to judge what the glass actually reads. 
 

Novel idea just popped into my head, maybe I’ll have them FaceTime me the real time visual 🙀

Center stand is quite alright, thinking that's how it's mostly done.

[Squidley]

12 hours ago, Pasta Burner said:

Thanks for that info.  Can the sight glass be accurately measured if on the center stand?  I have this problem being the only one in my family confident enough to sit on a bike and hold it upright  

On my 2nd gen I sit on the bike, keeping it strait up and take an extendable inspection mirror and check it like that.

[Pasta Burner]

It is overfilled.  Got some other maintenance items to pick up, I’ll swing by the dollar store and grab Turkey Baster to suck some out.  I did an oil change in the spring so this mistake is on me.  Could the overfill also be causing the poor top end performance?

[Marcarl]

6 hours ago, Pasta Burner said:

It is overfilled.  Got some other maintenance items to pick up, I’ll swing by the dollar store and grab Turkey Baster to suck some out.  I did an oil change in the spring so this mistake is on me.  Could the overfill also be causing the poor top end performance?

If you managed to suck enough oil into the cylinders it might. Check your plugs to find out, and make sure the high tension wires are seated back snugly,. I like to feel them 'clip' on the plug, if not, I carefully squeeze them a bit til they do.

[Pasta Burner]

51 minutes ago, Marcarl said:

If you managed to suck enough oil into the cylinders it might. Check your plugs to find out, and make sure the high tension wires are seated back snugly,. I like to feel them 'clip' on the plug, if not, I carefully squeeze them a bit til they do.

I checked the plugs the other day and three of four were nominal.  One had slight carbon buildup.  I sanded, cleaned and gap checked all just cause I had them in hand.  Pulled the diaphragms this afternoon and they look good. 
do you check oil hot or cold?  As there is a significant difference in the sight glass.

[cimmer]

I check my oil cold since I usually do it before I ride. I also check it while the bike is on the center stand as that keeps it up right. Also another way to drain off some of the oil is to remove the oil filter housing on the front of the engine. It will drain some of the oil and if it drains too much you can just add some back in. I am not sure how much you will get out with a turkey baster as the oil fill is by the clutch and transmission and then run down to the sump.

Good luck.

Rick F.

[Pasta Burner]

3 hours ago, cimmer said:

I check my oil cold since I usually do it before I ride. I also check it while the bike is on the center stand as that keeps it up right. Also another way to drain off some of the oil is to remove the oil filter housing on the front of the engine. It will drain some of the oil and if it drains too much you can just add some back in. I am not sure how much you will get out with a turkey baster as the oil fill is by the clutch and transmission and then run down to the sump.

Good luck.

Rick F.

Thanks Rick. Wish I had read this first :).  I did not have good results trying to suck out from the fill port using a syringe and hose attached.  So I slowly backed off the drain plug with an empty oil quart ready to catch the drippings and wouldn’t you know by the time the oil started flowing it was at the last thread and PLUNK the plug fell in the bottle 😾. Oil flowing everywhere, plugged it with my finger and finally got the bolt back in.  Probably half a quart came out all over the floor but the sight glass now looks about half way.  Will check it in the morning.  I just got the bike last year so the springtime oil change was my first on her, also added the spin on filter adapter so that could have messed with the expected measurements.

[Marcarl]

6 hours ago, Pasta Burner said:

Thanks Rick. Wish I had read this first :).  I did not have good results trying to suck out from the fill port using a syringe and hose attached.  So I slowly backed off the drain plug with an empty oil quart ready to catch the drippings and wouldn’t you know by the time the oil started flowing it was at the last thread and PLUNK the plug fell in the bottle 😾. Oil flowing everywhere, plugged it with my finger and finally got the bolt back in.  Probably half a quart came out all over the floor but the sight glass now looks about half way.  Will check it in the morning.  I just got the bike last year so the springtime oil change was my first on her, also added the spin on filter adapter so that could have messed with the expected measurements.

I think we all have been there at one time or another,,, now the trick is to remember that for the next time it comes to mind to try that. And if it does work for you, then let us know how you did it.

[saddlebum]

11 hours ago, cimmer said:

I check my oil cold since I usually do it before I ride. I also check it while the bike is on the center stand as that keeps it up right. Also another way to drain off some of the oil is to remove the oil filter housing on the front of the engine. It will drain some of the oil and if it drains too much you can just add some back in. I am not sure how much you will get out with a turkey baster as the oil fill is by the clutch and transmission and then run down to the sump.

Good luck.

Rick F.

Or you can remove the lower screw on the middle gear cover. Its the one with the copper washer.

[Pasta Burner]

35 minutes ago, saddlebum said:

Or you can remove the lower screw on the middle gear cover. Its the one with the copper washer.

I thought about that, but having not pulled that screw previously I didn’t want to introduce another variable.  I will be draining from there as well on future oil changes.

after sitting overnight, the sightglass is half full so now to just clean up the kitty litter.  Gonna head to cycle gear to look for a phone mount and maybe a jacket for the wifey.

ps I told her this morning about my oil spillage woes and she just shook her head and said “You know better than that🤦‍♀️“.

[saddlebum]

3 hours ago, Pasta Burner said:

I thought about that, but having not pulled that screw previously I didn’t want to introduce another variable.  I will be draining from there as well on future oil changes.

after sitting overnight, the sightglass is half full so now to just clean up the kitty litter.  Gonna head to cycle gear to look for a phone mount and maybe a jacket for the wifey.

ps I told her this morning about my oil spillage woes and she just shook her head and said “You know better than that🤦‍♀️“.

Make sure you take the kitty out of the litter before you use it especially if it's a white kitty

[Pasta Burner]

2 hours ago, saddlebum said:

Make sure you take the kitty out of the litter before you use it especially if it's a white kitty

Wifey always knows when he’s been hanging out in the garage with me.  Can’t get him to consistently wipe those paws.