IBA 270 Posted May 3, 2012 Share Posted May 3, 2012 Hey gang... Been a while since I posted...I bought my '02 Le Mans from a list member here who was chasing a timing cover leak. He thought he got it fixed, but after I aquired the bike, I found a few more locations where oil was finding it's way out. I thought I had them all covered...but alas, the right side leak has me baffled. I THINK I have it traced to a base gasket. This may sound odd as my local dealer had a very hard time believing oil was coming from there. He even stated that he had never changed a base gasket before. Hmmmm. So, I throwing this out to the collective; it would seem easier than it is to find an oil leak, but it proves tricky; those of us who've dealt with them on machinery can attest. Having said that; who here has seen a base gasket leak before? The good news is that it's an easy enough fix... Any insight is greatly appreciated. On another completely unrelated topic; I adjusted valves to Raceco specs. The change is very positive...close to dramatic actually. I still get a bit of detonation at part throttle, but from 4.5K and up, it's smooth, powerful and doesn't want to cough or die at stops. Stock exhaust, K&N pods, no PC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fotoguzzi Posted May 3, 2012 Share Posted May 3, 2012 mine weeps oil around the timing cover (I think) I retorqed the heads thinking it might be the base gasket but no joy.. it's just a little weep and the level never goes down so I just ride it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guzzimeister Posted May 3, 2012 Share Posted May 3, 2012 Hi oil leaks are funny things which rarely seems to show up at the point where the actual leak is. I have a Dowty washer weeping on the RH connector on the oil cooler yet looks like the timing chest is leaking. For the 40p a Dowty washer costs, worth changing both on the oil cooler as a matter of course. Cheers Guzz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grossohc Posted May 3, 2012 Share Posted May 3, 2012 Hi oil leaks are funny things which rarely seems to show up at the point where the actual leak is. I have a Dowty washer weeping on the RH connector on the oil cooler yet looks like the timing chest is leaking. For the 40p a Dowty washer costs, worth changing both on the oil cooler as a matter of course. Cheers Guzz I just changed mine 2 weeks ago. one of the seals was torn and leaking over the rocker cover Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Posted May 3, 2012 Share Posted May 3, 2012 Oil leaks on airplanes are a royal PITA to find because of the way cooling air blasts through the cowling. It might look like it's coming from the back, but it's in the front, etc. Here's an easy way to find an oil leak: Clean it up really well with Stoddard solvent (or equivalent) and an air gun. Blow everything dry. Get some aerosol powdered athlete's foot spray, and spray it everywhere you think it even *might* be leaking. Start it up and let it run a little while. You'll find that leak.. Baby powder works too, but I've never found that in an aerosol can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IBA 270 Posted May 3, 2012 Author Share Posted May 3, 2012 Thanks everyone for the replies! Not impossible that it's coming from the cooler...hmmm....I've been chasing this dang thing for almost a year! It's a pretty healthy leak. I thought it might be coming from the "Y" connector on the top of the block, but it's dry all around. For some reason, I've got it in my head that it's the "O" ring on the short stud on top (in the cylinder) or the base gasket. I'm going to try the powder trick again. I did before, but instead of idling it, I rode it. LOL...yea, that didn't work out so well. If I pull the cylinder with out putting the HiComp pistons it, I'll be pissed at myself, won't I? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trevini Posted May 3, 2012 Share Posted May 3, 2012 I had a leak on mine from what first appeared to be the head gasket. 300 miles and it would leave oil on my left boot and traces between the head and barrel. It turned out to be the o rings on the head studs gone hard, in particular on the cap that fits over the stud on the inner most short stud. That one vents straight to the great outdoors by the oil feed pipe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rex007can Posted May 3, 2012 Share Posted May 3, 2012 I've had a leak from a cylinder base, but that was on my old R60/7... I guess it doesn't count. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GraeV11 Posted May 3, 2012 Share Posted May 3, 2012 Thanks everyone for the replies! Not impossible that it's coming from the cooler...hmmm....I've been chasing this dang thing for almost a year! It's a pretty healthy leak. I thought it might be coming from the "Y" connector on the top of the block, but it's dry all around. For some reason, I've got it in my head that it's the "O" ring on the short stud on top (in the cylinder) or the base gasket. I'm going to try the powder trick again. I did before, but instead of idling it, I rode it. LOL...yea, that didn't work out so well. If I pull the cylinder with out putting the HiComp pistons it, I'll be pissed at myself, won't I? Check the oil return pipe between the cylinders for splits; quite common and makes more mess that you might expect. The oil tends to migrate to wierd places just to put you off the scent. Drove me mad for ages and cost me a number of gaskets before I found it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Posted May 4, 2012 Share Posted May 4, 2012 I had a leak on mine from what first appeared to be the head gasket. 300 miles and it would leave oil on my left boot and traces between the head and barrel. It turned out to be the o rings on the head studs gone hard, in particular on the cap that fits over the stud on the inner most short stud. That one vents straight to the great outdoors by the oil feed pipe. That's the common big block leak.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IBA 270 Posted May 4, 2012 Author Share Posted May 4, 2012 I had a leak on mine from what first appeared to be the head gasket. 300 miles and it would leave oil on my left boot and traces between the head and barrel. It turned out to be the o rings on the head studs gone hard, in particular on the cap that fits over the stud on the inner most short stud. That one vents straight to the great outdoors by the oil feed pipe. That's the common big block leak.. Ahhhhh....yet another possibility... I think I'm just going to dump an entire bottle of baby power on the motor, set up a little fan for airflow, and watch it idle for a while. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IBA 270 Posted May 8, 2012 Author Share Posted May 8, 2012 UPDATE!!!! Oil leak found/fixed. Oil return lines. Whew! What a search! Yes, the oil does migrate to strange places. Yes, it's an easy fix...very easy! Love this bike! ...but it's for sale. I can't keep them all Look in the classifieds here for a sweet one. I had a leak on mine from what first appeared to be the head gasket. 300 miles and it would leave oil on my left boot and traces between the head and barrel. It turned out to be the o rings on the head studs gone hard, in particular on the cap that fits over the stud on the inner most short stud. That one vents straight to the great outdoors by the oil feed pipe. That's the common big block leak.. Ahhhhh....yet another possibility... I think I'm just going to dump an entire bottle of baby power on the motor, set up a little fan for airflow, and watch it idle for a while. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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