79 xs1100f oil leak

[ross]

hey there forum.....own the above bike....bought it earlier this summer and had a blast riding it for 3 months.....i put it up 2 weeks ago (inside)....well, the weather turned nice and planned on riding it.....started it and shortly after it started it leaked oil from the left side of the engine right under the igintion cover...i have looked in the clymer manual, but can not figure out what the bolt is for or where the oil is leaking from.....it seems to stop once the oil pressure goes down from shutting the motor off...it does not leak much, but any oil leak is not good....the bike sat for 2 weeks on the sidestand.....was run a couple times in that period and did not give me any problems.....any advice with this problem would be really kewl......btw, i know how to wrench, but just can not figure this one out......thanx in advance....ross

[skids]

Until you know for sure, keep an eye on the middle drive gear oil. If that runs low, you will lock-up the rear wheel at speed!

[mro]

right under the igintion cover

if coming between cover/case could be crank seal.

Need to clean real well. Oil can start from several places and end up there, or there, or there....................

originally posted by skids
you will lock-up the rear wheel at speed!

OUCH!!

Just how do you know that



mro

[mro]

BTW

Just noticed your a "newbe" here...........

How about posting a pic of your 79' ???


mro
btw2---
welcome to XS-land

[prometheus578]

several people here, myself included, have had leaks coming from the neutral switch... left side, behind the frame. Oil could run, making one think it was from under the engine cover.

[skids]

Re: right under the igintion cover

Rick Jemison locked-up a middle gear box and so did my younger brother, due to lack of gear oil.

Originally posted by mro

OUCH!!
Just how do you know that
mro

[mro]

due to lack of gear oil

Have not checked since Febuary...........
No leaks but couldn't hurt to look
and sounds like it could if "deficient"



mro

[Czekus21]

I have to agree with prometheus578... I too had an oil leak that I couldn't figure out.... Turned out to be the neutral switch.
When figuring out where a leak is coming from, Gotta remember that "stuff" rolls down hill. Make sure the ENTIRE underside is clean. Ya don't want to replace a switch and find that it's the oil filter housing...

[mason79]

me too, neutral switch, don't put it on too tight, i snapped mine and that's when the fun started, snug with teflon tape, holding up so far...

my crank seal does sweat though...

[trbig]

The left side is a bit trickier to spot for sure what is causing the leak. The alternator tends to sling it all over on the right side if the crank seal is leaking, but the right side, it just runs out behind the plate. Something you might check... there is a galley plug directly under your cover that has an O-ring. It may have dried out. It's hard to tell because air pressure while riding can force this oil up into the cover. To tell for sure, take that left sidecover off and start it (Make sure the galley plug is in...) rev it a bit and watch.

I had heck with a leak one time that I thought was coming from there. It was a leaking valve cover gasket. The oil would leak into the inner part of the head over the number two cylinder, through the back of the head from the air forcing it back... down onto the cooling fin that is where the split between the head and cylinders are, run around the front, drip off and fall back on the cover while riding. Sometimes you just have to play Sherlock holmes.

Tod

[prometheus578]

Yeah, Mason,
Mine, the oil was leaking through the switch, not around the threads. Would then run down the wire, into the wiring harness that runs along the frame, and reappear both in front of, and behind, the actual place of the leak. Would only leak when running under pressure... was a real pain to figger out.

[mason79]

Originally posted by prometheus578
Yeah, Mason,
Mine, the oil was leaking through the switch, not around the threads. Would then run down the wire, into the wiring harness that runs along the frame, and reappear both in front of, and behind, the actual place of the leak. Would only leak when running under pressure... was a real pain to figger out.

yeah prom,must have been messy down there...

[80mdnt11]

the oil was leaking through the switch, not around the threads. Would then run down the wire, into the wiring harness that runs along the frame, and reappear both in front of, and behind, the actual place of the leak. Would only leak when running under pressure... was a real pain to figger out

Bingo!! No I didn't say B-9 This is where I have isolated my seeper/weeper leak! Thinking gasket/washer issue,ordered washer with some other things. Sure enough, after closer inspection...........leaking through the switch!
So, my question to you Prom or any one in XS land.....had any luck stopping leak without replacing the switch?
Letting it dribble is not an option!! Planning on 200 mile run in couple days if rain holds off. Had thought of removing and plug til find replacement? Will look into further.......Just wondering???
If by some miracle my local Yamaha dealer would have in stock $$$$$$$!!!! No time to wait on the Bandit!!
Thanks

[Czekus21]

I don't think that you can repair that switch. I also think that if your gonna wait for the rain to hold off, You might be waiting for awhile. We've been gettin hammered with snow the last couple of days. You'll be gettin the rain part of it. Pretty good storm. Get a new switch, My guess is you'll be dry next week, Both oil and water.

[80mdnt11]

Dry Next Week

Yea, Will order today. Didn't really think there is permenant fix for leaky switch. Just wondering if anyone has tried Band-Aid on it?
As for the other wet stuff................. .......How bad you been gettin' it? Forcast looks WET, WET, WET!!!!! Will take the liquid stuff anyday over that white stuff!!