Leaking Oil

[soliecirc]

2 things.
1st- Recently purchased the bike and it would start up on the first try every time. Rode a total of about 30 miles over the course of a month and finally decided it would be a good idea to check the oil. It was bone dry! Added 20w-50 based some of the forum posts. Bike now doesn't start up on the first try. I have ridden it 200 miles and oil has had more than enough time to cycle through. Usually need to pull the choke all the way out to get it to start. No big deal because it starts after a few tries but does anyone else run into this? Adding oil makes it harder to start.

2nd- Oil now leaks onto my left foot. I haven't pinpointed the exact location but it is definitely on the underside of the left valve cover. On a 20 mile ride there will be a small amount of oil on the top of my shoe in the toe area. Small enough I can wipe it off with a napkin. Not huge but wondering if there is a remedy for this.

Thanks

[Barry]

1st point 20W-50 is standard especially in your climate so it would seem unlikely the previous oil was of a thinner grade making cranking easier.

2nd point if you filled to the top mark on the dipstick or higher you will almost certainly be getting more oil vapour out of the engine breather. This might explain the oily foot as it condenses and leaks out of the inlet tube joint usually on the left hand side. Most people fill only to the halfway mark for this reason. Maybe also has some bearing on the starting if there has been a lot of oil carry over it might have fouled your spark plug.

[montmil]

...Rode a total of about 30 miles over the course of a month and finally decided it would be a good idea to check the oil. It was bone dry!...

Am I reading your post correctly? "Bone dry", as in, No oil in the crankcase bone dry? [smiley=cry.gif]

Have you checked the condition of the valve cover gasket?

Monte

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

Even if there is no oil showing on the dipstick, there is always the possibility that there is oil in the pan.

Whenever I change my oil I shoot for 1/2-way between the full and add marks.

One of the places you might be leaking oil on the left side is the oil pressure switch.

[Mike V]

Let's start with an inspection of your spark plugs.  Are they oil fouled?

An easy place to start is to inspect your valve cover gaskets and valve covers for warpage.  Then you may have a look into your airbox.  Is there a pool of oil resting in the bottom of the air box?  And as Rob suggests, check your oil pressure switch, and oil gallery plug also on the left side near the switch.

I guess we need to determine if the oil is being used or lost before we go on a witch hunt.  I would think if it's loosing that much oil it would be leaving quite a trail.

I have a similar situation with my /7.  In my situation I've pretty much determined the oil is getting past the original valve guides and the bike is processing the oil quite efficiently in the combustion chamber.  While on the open road it will munch nearly 2/3 a liter every 500-600 miles.

[soliecirc]

To clarify, I should have said Almost bone dry. I remember seeing a tiny bit of oil on the very end.  Added a quart and that put the oil level about halfway between the high and low on the dipstick. After the 200 miles it still is just below halfway so it really isn't leaking a terrible amount.
I don't know where or what the pressure switch is or much less any of the other things you guys mentioned. The guy who sold me the bike did give me the thick clymer manual as well so I will try and find everything you guys mentioned. I think I know what the spark plugs are. There is one on each side going into the top of the valve cover area? Almost see one in the photo above or is that not it? Is it easy to pull them out and inspect. Just dont want to take anything apart and not have it go back together. Thanks for all of the quick responses.
Dan

[Mike V]

Dan,

Even though the oil was barely visible at the tip of the dipstick, you still had a bit of oil circulating in the engine, not much but some. Hopefully you haven't operated the bike with the oil light on for any extended amount of time, but my guess is, if you did you would be experiencing other obvious problems.

Might be good just to keep an eye on the dipstick level for a few hundred miles and monitor any visible leakage around the engine.  Keep track of how much oil you add and the miles when you add it.  Try to add the oil amounts to the same area on the dipstick.  I see you're in San Diego.  Maybe you can drop by the house this weekend and we can do a general overview of the bike and have a look at things.  Send me an email, maybe we can set something up.

-Mike V. / San Diego
mvtv@cox.net

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

solicerc, it sounds like you are new to bikes and mechanics?

If so, you should know that when checking the engine oil, you only rest the dipstick on top of the threads, you do not screw it in.

And take care not to fasten things down too tight, as many of these fasteners are steel into alloy, and the alloy threads are easily stripped.  This includes the spark plugs.

Also, regarding the spark plugs (and exhaust nuts - but you are not there yet), you will want to employ some sort of anti-seize paste.

I use the standard Permatex anti-seize compound.



But many prefer the copper-based:



The copper is only available in 8 & 16 oz bottles.
Available at any auto parts store.