Help-Oil Around Left Side Carbs

[jryan]

While cleaning my recently purchased 2006 RSV (after driving it home 1000 miles), I noticed that on the left side around the carbs & under the tank, everything is covered in a layer of oil/dirt. The right side is clean. I also noticed a drip of oil under the bike & found oil dripping from 1 of the 4 tubes that vent out the bottom left side beneath the passenger floorboard. I'm guessing they're related!

 

How big of a problem do I have & what can be done about it?

 

Could it be just that there was too much oil in the case & if I lower the level I'll be ok? Or is it more serious?

 

Thanks for the help...JR

[Sleeperhawk]

Most likely to much oil. Check your site glass and should only be half way.

 

Also, I thought I had read a post somewhere, that there may be an issue head bolts not properly tighten on the 06 or 07 model.

[BradT]

Also, I thought I had read a post somewhere, that there may be an issue head bolts not properly tighten on the 06 or 07 model.

 

THought this was on some 07's only,

 

Brad

[hkd51]

I had the same problem... was advised to remove some of the oil to half way up site glass... seems to be working for me.

Harry

[jryan]

You guys are making me feel somewhat better...thanks!

 

Any idea why all the oil covering everything under the tank on the left side, but not the right? Is something not tight & allowing it to blow out?

[gibvel]

You guys are making me feel somewhat better...thanks!

 

Any idea why all the oil covering everything under the tank on the left side, but not the right? Is something not tight & allowing it to blow out?

Don't know why it's just the left rear but it is. My 89 was the same way with too much oil. I suspect that, if you take off the left rear fins, you'll see the same kind of deposit on the inside of the left rear cylinder block as well. My 99 has the same thing because of over filling by the PO.

 

On a side note, I always had the dealer change the oil on my 89. Could have done it myself but the timing was right for the dealer to do it when I had some other things done on the bike. They would always over fill the oil and I could tell, on the ride home on the highway, that the oil was overfull. The bike has a strange feel, an "unusual" vibration that I felt. I'd get home, take oil out to the proper level and never felt that vibration at highway speeds when the oil was just right.

[Dano]

I would just put the 2nd gen against the wall and ride that Blue Beast ya got sittin' there!!!!!!!------- problem solved!!!!!!! :stirthepot:

[Yammer Dan]

i Would Just Put The 2nd Gen Against The Wall And Ride That Blue Beast Ya Got Sittin' There!!!!!!!------- Problem Solved!!!!!!! :stirthepot:

 

 

Yep Yep

[V7Goose]

While cleaning my recently purchased 2006 RSV (after driving it home 1000 miles), I noticed that on the left side around the carbs & under the tank, everything is covered in a layer of oil/dirt. The right side is clean. I also noticed a drip of oil under the bike & found oil dripping from 1 of the 4 tubes that vent out the bottom left side beneath the passenger floorboard. I'm guessing they're related!

 

How big of a problem do I have & what can be done about it?

 

Could it be just that there was too much oil in the case & if I lower the level I'll be ok? Or is it more serious?

 

Thanks for the help...JR

This is not really a problem, as others have said. In my experience, any RSV that has accumulated 15,000 miles and has seen any extended high-speed highway miles will exhibit this, no matter what the oil level is. Over filling will definitely make it worse. I just spray a bit of degreaser up under the tank on that side and blast it with my hose - problem all gone.

Goose

[Monsta]

You guys are making me feel somewhat better...thanks!

 

Any idea why all the oil covering everything under the tank on the left side, but not the right?

 

Oil is being pulled into the air intake plenum. When you get off your bike and put it on it's side stand it seeps down to the left side of the plenum and out.

[jryan]

Sounds good, thanks guys!

 

I changed the oil yesterday & refilled it 1/2 way up the glass, cleaned up the oil around the carbs, and am ready to roll again.

 

Thanks again...JR

[jryan]

After setting the oil level to 1/2 way up sight glass, I was still leaking oil out a hose beneath the engine. Yesterday I popped off the tank & air induction boxes. The left side was covered with oil. Thinking it was from when the oil level was too high by previous owner, I took it apart, cleaned it up, and blew it out good & about 5 tbsp of oil came out the overflow tube. Then put everything back together.

 

Today I took a 250mi ride & when I returned noticed a drip of oil underneath again. So I pulled everything apart again & the left side air induction box again has noticable oil. I blew out the overflow hose again & got some splattering of oil. The splitter where the breather tube enters the air box(es), it's covered with oil. So apparently oil is coming back thru the breather tube as designed.

 

But is what I'm seeing normal? Is there anything else that could be wrong? It just seems like a too much oil if it's dripping on the ground after 1 ride. So I'm keeping a piece of cardboard under the bike to soak up the drips...just like an old Harley. Is it to be expected that this is just how it is and I have to live with it?

 

My '89 never had this trouble, and I always had the oil 3/4 of the way up the sight glass on that one.

[GeorgeS]

Did you check, with bike sitting level, oil no higher then 1/2 between the two marks on the sight gauge. ?

 

Also, do you know what wgt. of oil the previous owner had in the crankcase?

Maby a heavier Wgt oil would help the situation.

 

I always have some blow by on my 89, but never considered it a problem.

[jryan]

Yep, while sitting level.

 

Previous owner used Castrol 20w50...I used Yamalube 20w40. Having some blow by doesn't in itself bother me but leaving a spot of oil everywhere I park kinda does...

 

 

Did you check, with bike sitting level, oil no higher then 1/2 between the two marks on the sight gauge. ?

 

Also, do you know what wgt. of oil the previous owner had in the crankcase?

Maby a heavier Wgt oil would help the situation.

 

I always have some blow by on my 89, but never considered it a problem.

[stardbog]

Only one more suggestion. Unscrew oil filler cap and smell it for gas. Could be one of coils are go bad and sucking gas into oil pan. Witch rise oil level to dip undernit of bike. Dont ask me how I'm figure out. :whistling:

 

Does Bike run normal under hard acceleration?

Is it Your gas milage drop down.?

Does bike go over 90 MpH with full trothle ?

[Guest yeoldwoodshop]

I have an 07 RSV and had the same problem after 600 miles during breakin! I took it back to the dealer where they had to dissasemble the heads, replace gaskets and retourqe. I was told that they had quite a few bikes that were not torqued correctly at the factory, check on this because it is covered by the factory and they will have the bike for a week once they get it. I have not had a problem since and have just gone over 6000 miles!

[jryan]

Only one more suggestion. Unscrew oil filler cap and smell it for gas. Could be one of coils are go bad and sucking gas into oil pan. Witch rise oil level to dip undernit of bike. Dont ask me how I'm figure out. :whistling:

 

Does Bike run normal under hard acceleration?

Is it Your gas milage drop down.?

Does bike go over 90 MpH with full trothle ?

 

No problem there, smells only like oil. Bike runs great under hard acceleration & gas milage seems pretty good. I can do over 90mph no prob...

 

I have an 07 RSV and had the same problem after 600 miles during breakin! I took it back to the dealer where they had to dissasemble the heads, replace gaskets and retourqe. I was told that they had quite a few bikes that were not torqued correctly at the factory, check on this because it is covered by the factory and they will have the bike for a week once they get it. I have not had a problem since and have just gone over 6000 miles!

How long did it take you to convince the dealer to go to this level of checking? I'd bet it would be a 6 month struggle with the dealers around here before they'd commit to digging that deep...esp since I didn't buy it around here (heck the dealers around here won't even sell a RSV).

[GeorgeS]

Do the Exhaust Heat test. Start Bike, Cold, and check if all 4 pipes heat up at the same rate. ( carefull not to burn your hand ) If one stays cool, probably a bad coil.

 

I'm not sure if a bad coil as he said would cause your problem, however Ignition Coils do Fail on these bikes. Not Uncommon.

 

Also, you can be running on 3 cylinders on these V-4's and they can seem to be running just fine.

[V7Goose]

Do the Exhaust Heat test. Start Bike, Cold, and check if all 4 pipes heat up at the same rate. ( carefull not to burn your hand ) If one stays cool, probably a bad coil.

This test is best done on a cold bike, and quickly. Within 10 - 30 seconds of starting it, use the tip of your finger to touch the actual exhaust pipe near the exhaust port and under the heat shield. If you wait longer than 30 seconds or so, you will burn your finger. Because they heat up so fast, the difference in one cylinder not firing should be quite obvious.

 

Feeling around the heat shield on an already warm bike tells you nothing, since the overall engine emanates similar heat from the circulating water and oil.

Goose

[jryan]

This test is best done on a cold bike, and quickly. Within 10 - 30 seconds of starting it, use the tip of your finger to touch the actual exhaust pipe near the exhaust port and under the heat shield. If you wait longer than 30 seconds or so, you will burn your finger. Because they heat up so fast, the difference in one cylinder not firing should be quite obvious.

 

Feeling around the heat shield on an already warm bike tells you nothing, since the overall engine emanates similar heat from the circulating water and oil.

Goose

 

Did the test today (twice) & felt heat on all the pipes after 10-15 seconds. The rear pipes warmed up a bit quicker but all seemed to be firing.

[V7Goose]

I just went back and re-read this thread - all the basic things have already been pointed out (I don't know how one cylinder not firing would have caused this, but my comments on the test were just to help people to understand how to do it, not that it was germane to this topic).

 

Although my first reply to you was that it sounded normal, I do agree that it seems strange that it is oily again so soon after you did a good cleaning as described. I know that once these engines get a bunch of oil in the vent, they seem to always stay that way even after the oil level is corrected, and the amount of oil you blew out of the vent hose seems to explain why. But since you DID blow it out and cleaned everything else well, I would have expected it to stay clean for a while.

 

So all that was a long way to say I don't have any other ideas right now. With a bike that new, I would suggest you just ride it until you can take it back to a dealer and leave it a while for them to sort out. Here is the best way to make your case with them: Take pictures of the oily mess with date stamps on the pictures, clean it all well again and take new pictures of clean (with dates) and include picture of odometer and oil sight window. Take it out for good ride, then take new pictures of mess and odometer again with dates. Now when you explain it all to the shop, the pictures will support how quickly it is blowing oil and help convince them something is wrong.

Goose

[jryan]

Does anyone think a guy could add some kind of baffle (like a fuel filter) in the breather tube before it gets to the airbox, thereby cutting down the suction that's pulling oil thru? Would/could something like that work? I'd guess if it was a plausible idea, someone would've chimed in by now. Just wondering...a friend mentioned that to me today & made me go hmm...

 

How about switching to a thinner or synthetic oil?

[Rawdawg]

I actually had to clean my left side carbs up this weekend. Coming home Friday, I started getting a stutter under throttle. Found out the left side carbs were oily/dirty. I have a 99 RSV with 81K. This is the 3rd time this has happened (both the other times were right at 25K and 50K). I figure this is normal, since after cleaning everything up it runs like normal. Believe the blowback evertually fills up the left side a ways (after sitting on kickstand) and eventually some leaks into the carbs.

[jryan]

Anyone have any thoughts about this?

 

Does anyone think a guy could add some kind of baffle (like a fuel filter) in the breather tube before it gets to the airbox, thereby cutting down the suction that's pulling oil thru? Would/could something like that work? I'd guess if it was a plausible idea, someone would've chimed in by now. Just wondering...a friend mentioned that to me today & made me go hmm...

 

How about switching to a thinner or synthetic oil?