Oil leaking from front of engine

[vcgodinich]

Hi, i am new to motorcycles, and am trying to fix up a 79 xs1100.

One cylinder is leaking what i assume is oil slowly. I have tried tightening that collar up, but its really tight already.


My question is 1) how do i fix this? (broad overview) 2) does it matter? 3) could this be causing the smoke that i am getting out the tailpipe?

Sorry this is so vague

Look at the picture for details.

[Incubus]

That is your exhaust retention stud. Tightening that will not stop an oil leak.

[fredintoon]

Hi, i am new to motorcycles, and am trying to fix up a 79 xs1100.
One cylinder is leaking what i assume is oil slowly. I have tried tightening that collar up, but its really tight already.
My question is 1) how do i fix this? (broad overview) 2) does it matter? 3) could this be causing the smoke that i am getting out the tailpipe?
Sorry this is so vague

Hi VC and welcome,
like Succubus sez, that's an exhaust pipe retaining flange fastener. Your exhaust pipes cannot leak oil.
If the bike runs good, don't let it worry you.
It may be that oil leakage onto the engine and oil burning in the exhaust have a common cause.
Time to find and fix this is when the oil is dripping off the fins onto your riding boots
and you can't see anything in your mirrors except a blue haze.
Not that bad, you say? Again, don't let it worry you.
What you can do is brush or spray Dunk or other water-soluble engine cleaner onto the engine
and scrub the oil stains with an old paintbrush before hosing it off.
Then ride the bike for a week or so to see how quickly (or at all) the oil comes back.

[Silent]

I had a similar problem on my XS. Turned out the valve cover was leaking and it was running out one of the drain holes hear the exhaust. The drain holes let water out of the head where the spark plugs are. The valve cover would be the first place I'd check, and while I was in there, I'd double check the valve clearances just because I had the cover off

[XSokieSPECIAL]

I had a similar problem on my XS. Turned out the valve cover was leaking and it was running out one of the drain holes hear the exhaust. The drain holes let water out of the head where the spark plugs are. The valve cover would be the first place I'd check, and while I was in there, I'd double check the valve clearances just because I had the cover off

I agree with Silent. It's leaking from the valve cover and running down the front of the engine through the air passages, or drain holes, by the plugs.

I had exactly the same problem when I made the rookie mistake of trying to reuse a valve cover gasket.

[XJOK2PLAY]

I'm hoping that after you follow Silent's advice, you'll find it's a simple fix w/ the valve cover gasket... and I just can't tell from the pic if it's leaving a trail down from there.

When I look at that pic... it almost looks like that cylinder's pumping oil out the exhaust...and it's leaking around the exhaust flange. I hope not...
But you did say it's smoking as well? Blue smoke? A lot?

If so, you may have a broken oil ring in that cylinder.

But, until you can confirm, we'll hope for the best... valve cover gasket's a whole lot cheaper & easier to fix...
Good luck, and let us know.

[vcgodinich]

There is a little smoke, not alot, but that could be because i am still trying to tune up the carbs.

I am pretty sure the holes you are referring to drain from the spark plug "bins" to the front, and no, its not coming from there, its coming right out of that pipe area.

[tinman905]

You should take a compression test of that cylinder to start . If it's close to spec than it could just be your valve seal is shot. No need to panic it's fixable but a compression test will tell you a lot.

[DGXSER]

Worst case scenario if it seems to be running decent is a bad head gasket.

Can be changed in a day, but if I pulled the head I think I would lap valves and clean it up a bit