oil leak base of engine cover

[RSMike]

Well first off, I noticed this after I topped up the oil slightly above half way and went for a longer than usual ride ( for the R65) of about 60 miles.

When I pulled up after the (very enjoyable) ride I saw smoke coming off the exhaust crossover and thought I had a crack or hole in the exhaust, but on closer inspection I realized the smoke was from a little oil drip from the arrowed spot.

I rode the bike since ( though not as long) and its not happened again, so may have just been the excess oil finding another route out. I have to admit its not worried me enough to even take the front cover off for a closer look, I have always noticed some dampness in that spot. Should I be more concerned,  , anyone else have this?

Cheers

Mike

[Bob_Roller]

There are a few possibilities for oil leaking or seeping out in the area you showed .

There is an o-ring on the 'bean can' that has the points on your bike .

The oil seal on the timing cover under the alternator rotor .

The timing cover gasket may be suspect as well .

[montmil]

Bob has listed the usual suspects. I'd put Crenshaw's lunch money down that it's the bean can O-ring. It's at the lowest point to allow a little leakage from the timing case. Easiest and cheapest fix, too.

[Bengt_Phorqs]

Mighty free and easy with my funds aren't you Mongo?  If it's leaking it isn't going to heal itself.  Might as well pull the cover and see what's happening.  And I have it on good authority that Mongo has a spare bean can and would probably swap his good one for yours that need repair for a coupon to a Dunkin Donuts. 8-)

[montmil]

The Bengt Mummy walks!  [smiley=clap.gif]

Me thinks it's only the O-ring that needs replacing; forms a seal where the bean can's drive dogs pass through the timing chest opening and engage the slots in the forward end of the camshaft. Quick fix.

[RSMike]

The Bengt Mummy walks!  [smiley=clap.gif]

Me thinks it's only the O-ring that needs replacing; forms a seal where the bean can's drive dogs pass through the timing chest opening and engage the slots in the forward end of the camshaft. Quick fix.

 

Thanks all, probably right on the O ring, I got off my ass this evening and pulled the cover, here's a close up



The oil seems to be mainly seeping out of the pin that the cover seats on (arrowed), I guess that is the lowest point so it seeps down to there.

If its the O ring, I guess this is the part:

[nhmaf]

Just in case you don't already know - before you remove the bean can, make a mark on its case and on the back of the timing case cover so that they line up with the beancan in  its current orientation.   Helps to get things very close to where they ought to be upon reassembly and any minor timing adjustments necessary can start from there.

[montmil]

Is that a smushed rubber O-ring on the positioning pin your red arrow points to?

Nope, that's not the cause of the leak although it does simplify the oil's passage to the floor. That dowel simply locates the bottom of the front engine cover and needs no O-ring at all. Must be a PO's addition. Toss it.

The potential leaky O-ring is accessed by removing the Ignition Trigger Unit (ITU) aka: bean can... That big, round, shiny thang above the locating pin. Reference NHMike's tip on marking bean can and case for easy replacement positioning.

Be sure you have removed the negative battery cable prior to opening the front cover. There is an electrically "hot" spot on the diode board that, if contacted by the front engine cover during removal/replacement, has the potential to destroy the diode board. O-ring=cheap. Diode board=$$$$$

[Bob_Roller]

That's just oil around the anti rattle pin .

[RSMike]

Yep, Bob's right, that's just oil.

[montmil]

Bob IS the Oil Guy

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/