IBA 270 Posted February 18, 2011 Share Posted February 18, 2011 I was riding my new to me '02 Le Mans to work today and arrived with boots coated with oil and headers smoking from a leak. It looked kinda cool (if you're a sicko) but probably isn't supposed to do that. I would have waited to ask the question when I got home tonight...but it's substantial enough to ask on the board today in hoping for a little direction. It's got both sides of the engine case covered and it appears to be coming from the top of the motor... Any ideas? Anyone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stormsedge Posted February 18, 2011 Share Posted February 18, 2011 IBA, 1) the hollow bolt that holds the "V" shaped stainless oil line(s) that feed the rockers may be loose or cracked---dead center top of block, aft of the timing cover; 2) there is a similar larger hollow bolt on the frame under the tank that allows the frame to act as a breather/catch tank, mine leaked there, but you describe a great deal more oil than I dealt with, hence back to 1; 3) if the leak were on the left side only, I'd suspect the magnetic ignition pickup as the point of oil exit. May be some other spots, but these immediately come to mind. Believe you can reach point 1 with a wrench from your kit and that may get you home. k Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IBA 270 Posted February 18, 2011 Author Share Posted February 18, 2011 IBA, 1) the hollow bolt that holds the "V" shaped stainless oil line(s) that feed the rockers may be loose or cracked---dead center top of block, aft of the timing cover; 2) there is a similar larger hollow bolt on the frame under the tank that allows the frame to act as a breather/catch tank, mine leaked there, but you describe a great deal more oil than I dealt with, hence back to 1; 3) if the leak were on the left side only, I'd suspect the magnetic ignition pickup as the point of oil exit. May be some other spots, but these immediately come to mind. Believe you can reach point 1 with a wrench from your kit and that may get you home. k Thanks for the quick response! It's much more on the left side, but it's coating both sides. Your description of an origination point seems pretty close to where it appears to be originating...and while it LOOKS substatial, as we all know, a little oil looks like a lot when it's blowing around and coating stuff. I might shag the afternoon, pull the tank and have a look. I can't get it to run right anyway, so I suppose I need to just tear into on all fronts! Thanks again very much! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Todd davis Posted February 18, 2011 Share Posted February 18, 2011 IBA, 1) the hollow bolt that holds the "V" shaped stainless oil line(s) that feed the rockers may be loose or cracked---dead center top of block, aft of the timing cover; 2) there is a similar larger hollow bolt on the frame under the tank that allows the frame to act as a breather/catch tank, mine leaked there, but you describe a great deal more oil than I dealt with, hence back to 1; 3) if the leak were on the left side only, I'd suspect the magnetic ignition pickup as the point of oil exit. May be some other spots, but these immediately come to mind. Believe you can reach point 1 with a wrench from your kit and that may get you home. k Thanks for the quick response! It's much more on the left side, but it's coating both sides. Your description of an origination point seems pretty close to where it appears to be originating...and while it LOOKS substatial, as we all know, a little oil looks like a lot when it's blowing around and coating stuff. I might shag the afternoon, pull the tank and have a look. I can't get it to run right anyway, so I suppose I need to just tear into on all fronts! Thanks again very much! Mine was seeping oil from the magnetic ignition pickup and the oil was spreading to both side of the bike, but primarily from the top left. As I recall the fix was pretty straight forward. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guzzi323 Posted February 18, 2011 Share Posted February 18, 2011 Once while riding my Scura, I looked down at a stoplight and saw oil everywhere and huge clouds of smoke from the oil on my headers. The timing case cover hadn't been torqued down properly at the factory and the gasket blew out a small section. Maybe this is what happened to you? johnk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baldini Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 As johnk mentions, leak from timing cover gasket was very common. Most commonly on upper, left side just below engine mount. Sometimes you can just torque it up, sometimes gasket needs replacing or bodging. Also check oil breather pipes. KB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IBA 270 Posted February 19, 2011 Author Share Posted February 19, 2011 As johnk mentions, leak from timing cover gasket was very common. Most commonly on upper, left side just below engine mount. Sometimes you can just torque it up, sometimes gasket needs replacing or bodging. Also check oil breather pipes. KB It appears like it may be a front cover issue. I removed the tank, retorqued the pick up and the oil lines, restarted, and within minutes had oil pouring from the top cover again. On the ride home, it was enough to coat the shoulder of the rear tire ! Ah well, thanks again for the responses. It shouldn't be that big of a deal to fix... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docc Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 As johnk mentions, leak from timing cover gasket was very common. Most commonly on upper, left side just below engine mount. Sometimes you can just torque it up, sometimes gasket needs replacing or bodging. Also check oil breather pipes. KB It appears like it may be a front cover issue. I removed the tank, retorqued the pick up and the oil lines, restarted, and within minutes had oil pouring from the top cover again. On the ride home, it was enough to coat the shoulder of the rear tire ! Ah well, thanks again for the responses. It shouldn't be that big of a deal to fix... After chasing an elusive oil leak that I thought was timing chest, or even a crack, I found the O-ring in the timing sensor had played up. Easy fix and no more wetness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gstallons Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 Docc, I think the o-ring on ALL of the crank sensors go bad. Mine did too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stefano Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 Docc, I think the o-ring on ALL of the crank sensors go bad. Mine did too. so it's an O ring, i guessed it was. thx for the tip. i purchased my '02 le mans last september, i've managed to put 1000 mi on it thru our rainy winter. had 2 leaks, the steering damper, must be out of oil by now, as it quit leakin, bike works fine without it. won't fix that. but the sensor weeps a little, not a leak, but wet all around it. i still have an O ring kit from my days as a caterpillar mechanic. just put one on the rear brake lever stop, (you know, the snubber/stop) guess the sensor's next. cheers, stef Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stormsedge Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 My ignition sensor was also leaking recently...IBA, noted as I poked around this AM, that I failed to mention oil pressure switch as a possible culprit, but sounds like you have it located. k Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IBA 270 Posted April 21, 2011 Author Share Posted April 21, 2011 Hey Guys... Old thread and I forgot to post that I found the leak...oil temp (temp?) switch. I got it removed and noticed a nice gouge in the mating surface on the block itself. Probably been there forever. I used so Prematex black gasket maker and coated the threads and washer with it. Torqued it back up...and problem solved. Dang, that was a PIA. Good news though...K&N pods, cleaned injectors, synched T/B's...she runs really nicely. No flat spots and pulls like a freight train through the rev band. No lean popping...just a very nice running bike now. Suspension? Yea, it pretty much sucks. Need to get to work on that... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete roper Posted April 22, 2011 Share Posted April 22, 2011 Hey Guys... Old thread and I forgot to post that I found the leak...oil temp (temp?) switch. I got it removed and noticed a nice gouge in the mating surface on the block itself. Probably been there forever. I used so Prematex black gasket maker and coated the threads and washer with it. Torqued it back up...and problem solved. Dang, that was a PIA. Good news though...K&N pods, cleaned injectors, synched T/B's...she runs really nicely. No flat spots and pulls like a freight train through the rev band. No lean popping...just a very nice running bike now. Suspension? Yea, it pretty much sucks. Need to get to work on that... Temperature sensor is in the back of the right hand cylinder head and doesn't go into an oil gallery??? Are you sureit wasn't the pressure sensor? front left hand side of the valley, just behind the timing chest?? Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IBA 270 Posted April 22, 2011 Author Share Posted April 22, 2011 It's the pressure switch. I had a pretty bad brain fart at work today... Hey Guys... Old thread and I forgot to post that I found the leak...oil temp (temp?) switch. I got it removed and noticed a nice gouge in the mating surface on the block itself. Probably been there forever. I used so Prematex black gasket maker and coated the threads and washer with it. Torqued it back up...and problem solved. Dang, that was a PIA. Good news though...K&N pods, cleaned injectors, synched T/B's...she runs really nicely. No flat spots and pulls like a freight train through the rev band. No lean popping...just a very nice running bike now. Suspension? Yea, it pretty much sucks. Need to get to work on that... Temperature sensor is in the back of the right hand cylinder head and doesn't go into an oil gallery??? Are you sureit wasn't the pressure sensor? front left hand side of the valley, just behind the timing chest?? Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete roper Posted April 22, 2011 Share Posted April 22, 2011 Just wanting to clarify. If it was leaking from the temp sensor it would indicate a cracked head!!!! Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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