| Author | Message | ||
     Pkforbes87 |
ok so I am going insane trying to find this oil leak. I have checked everything I can think of and absolutely nothing is making the leak any better. I'm getting oil EVERYWHERE around the right front corner of the engine. I thought the oil line between the pump and filter housing was loose - nope. checked and snugged the oil pressure sensor - still nothing. The filter doesn't appear to be leaking, neither does the gearcase cover. I actually replaced the oil line from pump - filter, then rode it and got the exact same mess all down the right side of the bike. I don't know what to look for next, but this leak is making my bike look like shit. it's already baked onto the header and probably will never come off of there. It's getting all over the bottom of the cases, on the muffler and shock.. ugh. whatever, this thing is harley powered and will probably leak forever. looking at it get's boring after a while so I'll keep riding it 100 miles a day and keep an eye on the oil level. AGHHHHHHHHH  | ||
| Brinnutz |
pics help bro. | ||
| Buellistic |
Pkforbes87: Have you checked the "TORQUE" on the cam gear cover ??? If you have a FACTORY SERVICE MANUAL you use the Figure(picture) on "Gear Case Cover Mounting Screw Torque Sequence" ... Basically you torque it like you would torque the head on a car block as not to warp the cover ... "i" convert the inch pounds to foot pounds and do the first pattern at 2 ft. lbs, 2nd pattern at 4 ft.lbs. and last pattern at 6 ft.lbs. ... My cover stays tight at this TORQUE setting, therefore "i" see no reason to torque more pounds ... MAY THE LONG LASTING BUELL be with you !!! | ||
| Ratbuell |
With the forcewinder in your profile pic...it could be breather spooge. Or catch-can spooge, looks like you have it mounted to the RF downtube. Check your rockerboxes too. And your upper and lower pushrod O-rings. Brakleen. Clean it off totally. Dry. Ride a SHORT ride, enough to get it to temp but not so much that the oil slick is too big to source. ID the source, fix, and smile  | ||
| Buellistic |
Ratbuell: You could be very "RIGHT" about ForceWinder "DRIP" ... If you over "PUKE" into the intake for what ever the reason, it will drip out the air cleaner ... | ||
| Pkforbes87 |
Buellistic. The cam cover was torqued to factory specs using the factory pattern. I even stepped the torque up little by little in that pattern. Then the fasteners got safety wire, so I can tell by looking that none of them have loosened. there's no breather routed to the intake, it's all going to the catch can. That's a good idea too.. I hate to ask now and look like a moron, but is it normal for the breather filter to smoke/steam a little when the engine is at operating temp? I have noticed a little smoke/steam coming from the breather filter when I look down at it at a stop light. All I've been draining from the can is a small amount of water, so find it hard to believe that it could be spitting out oil all over the engine without collecting more inside the catch can. I'll try adding a length of hose between the breather filter and the catch can instead of having the hose from the rocker boxes puke right there next to the filter. I assume it's not safe to use brake cleaner on paint or powdercoat? | ||
| Ratbuell |
A steaming breather filter is normal, yes. Does the oil on your engine look like liquid oil, or condensed/accumulated vapor? It doesn't take much vapor to coat something pretty well. That, and check the hose going to your catch can...your engine could be making the oil, but it isn't getting all the way to the can. I run the breather filter on my S1W attached to the left passenger footpeg mount, as far back on the bike as I can get. It's a long hose...but the only thing that gets puke spray on it is the rear wheel. Since it's not pressurized, you can run a hose just about anywhere on the bike you can route it cleanly, with no kinks. Most folks run it either all the way to the back, or down to the bottom somewhere. I've used brakleen on paint and powdercoat in the past, with acceptable results. Spray it on cold parts, not hot, and watch the decals. I've lost the ink on a lot of decals. Another option is plain ol' Simple Green, it should degrease fairly well but the drawback is you have to let the bike sit (or blowdry it) to get a dry surface; brakleen dries pretty fast. Try an inconspicuous spot first, and don't let it sit on there too long - spray, watch it dissolve the oil mess, and wipe as quick as you can. | ||
| Buellistic |
Pkforbes87: Normal for the breather filter to smoke /steam: "YES", because the engine at operation temperature is boiling off the water condensation in the oil ... Oil vapor in the air will collect on the breather filter element and when enough collects you get a drip situation so move the filter to where the drips go on the ground ... "i" do not use a filter on my catch container as it uses a 3 inch stand tube on the drain cap ... See you up-dated to "XB Rocker Covers", smart move ... Paint or Powercoat: soap and water, only ... | ||
| Pkforbes87 |
my gremlin bell is cursed.  Started a ride this morning and noticed that the oil leak was getting worse fast, so I stopped at Pete's house and he helped me spot the culprit. The bolt for the front isolator was LOOSE! and leaking oil. I cleaned everything up with carb cleaner then started it in his shop.. soon as I revved her a little bit this nice shot of oil came oozing out from under the bolt. I took it out, added teflon tape and put it back in - no leak! I'm really surprised that oil pressure is even applied to that hole.. Anyways she's all cleaned up now and leak-free >fingers crossed< I had to add about a pint of 5w30 synthetic at Pete's house to get me back home, so I just did a second oil change with about 420 miles on the new top end. Oil was scary black again.. hopefully that clears up soon. There wasn't nearly as much metal in the filter this time though. Thanks again to everyone for the tips. | ||
| Brinnutz |
Clarify foe me...Front Isolator attaches to frame...then the motor mount. So those bolts of the front tie bar? | ||
| Ducxl |
HUHHhhhhhh.I worked on my oil pump over the Winter.THEN i developed a leak from the oil line to the filter.THe seat under the fitting was buggered up.I replaced the hose AND the fitting going from the hose into the oil pump.No more leak from mine. Sounds weird that the tiebar threads into a hole that ISN'T a blind one.Second guessing | ||
| Pkforbes87 |
tie bar, isolator, whatever that is in the middle of the picture. The bolt that the bell is hanging on is the one that was leaking. (Message edited by pkforbes87 on May 25, 2009) | ||
| Ducxl |
WOW..I'll watch out for that  | ||
| Brinnutz |
Yeah, that hole goes through the case...It is odd, but just how it is. Glad you fixed it! | ||
| Oldog |
Betty was marking her territory | ||
| Preybird1 |
lol  | ||
| Pkforbes87 |
wish she hadn't marked it by baking oil onto the rear and bottom sides of the header.  Any ideas on how to get that stuff off? I had the chin fairing off today and cleaned everything with carb cleaner. It's all spotless now except for that baked on oil. On a side note, that gremlin bell is nearing it's demise. I guess it constantly swings around while the bike is moving, so the "dongle" part (don't know the right term?) of the bell is wearing away the bottom 1/4" of the bell. No doubt, soon as it wears all the way through and breaks Betty will have issues. | ||
| Tdman77 |
Phil - If you header is just polished and not coated try using some brake clean. I had a couple of spots on my stock header and it cleaned up nicely. But I got some on my coated D&D slip-on and it took the finish off. Hope you to see you at homecoming. | ||
| Pkforbes87 |
It's ceramic coated.. Unless I find a proven way of cleaning it off without harming the finish I'll just be leaving it as is. I'd hate for it to look like a trailer queen after all Yep I'll be at homecoming rain or shine. Only 1000 miles to get there! | ||
| Littlebuggles |
I wonder how the ceramic holds up to oven cleaner? Works great on regular stainless. |
