oil leak?

[bigbeemer2004]

Dear All

I think I have found oil weeping from the front of the crankcase. It seems to be coming out at the bottom of the black plastic cover. I thought I saw something a while back but it washed off and I guessed it was just a greasy accumulation of diesel etc thrown up off wet roads. If it is a leak, any ideas what it might be?

Thanks.

[gus]

hi
If it is engine oil and not crud,then i would hazard a guess it would be the seal behind the pully wheel which drives the alternator.
You really need to have a closer look.ie take off the cover.It amy be that the front cover bolts are loose and need retorqing.
Also check the fixings around the oil cooler as oil could be running from them and onto the cover.
Also finally,the front shock aint sprung a leak has it?
hope that helps
plenty to be going on with!
gus

[bigbeemer2004]

Thanks Gus

I'll keep an eye on it over the next few days and if it comes back (I wiped it off) then I'll know it's a leak. Don't think it's the shock or oil cooler because of where it is - it doesn't seem to run down from the front of the bike or from above the telelever.

[Archie]

I'll guarantee it's the front crank seal - I had one go.

It's quite cheap and easy to change in about 1.5 hours so long as you follow the manual and also mind a few things:

1. Don't disturb the alternator mounting bolts but just derail the belt.
2. Mark the ignition sensor plate and casing with a paint/scribe/punch before removing it so you can put it back in the same place.
3. Build up a ramp to the step on the shaft using insulating tape. The alernative is the special tool to get the seal over the step but I'm guessing it would be expensive.

I learnt these (now obvious) pearls of wisdom by messing it up the first time around!

Cheers

Alan

[Jason M]

I'll guarantee it's the front crank seal - I had one go.

Alan

G'day Alan - haven't heard from you for a while.

As a matter of interest, doesn't the alternator belt get covered in oil and start slipping if that seal goes?

Jason

[Archie]

Hi Jason

Still here I'm afraid.

It just weeps down the front casing behind the ignition rotor and bypasses the belt entirely. Unless you've messed up replacing the seal (no tape) in which case it'll p*ss out about a litre in fifty miles. ...or so I'm told Still misses the belt though.

Alan

[bigbeemer2004]

Dear All

Thanks for the help and advice. I cleaned her up and took her out for 100 mile thrash up and down the Antrim coast road yesterday and there was no leak. I reckon it must have been diesel etc off the wet roads that looked like a leak once the water had evaporated.

[julian]

The oil sight glass can leak too.
I've just replaced mine and the leak has stopped.

All the bolts on the crank case front were loose too.