Oil leak

[Jeffintampa]

Hi all,
I seem to have a slow oil leak from that thing a ma gig on the front of the motor between the middle exhaust pipes high up below the valve covers kind of a bolt on thing. I tried to tighten it up to no avail. Not really a bad leak but it is a leak.
Thanks

[James England]

That's your camchain tensioner. THere are three places they can leak from. 1. The gasket face of the whole assembly where it bolts onto the cylinder head 2. The bolt and locknut which are used to adjust the camchain tension. There is a small rubber O ring on the bolt and this O ring could be worn. 3. There is a rubber covered metal plug which is a push fit into the barrel of the tensioner. Look at the front of the tensioner and you will see a circular plug, facing forwards. They often leak from there.

If you check on recent threads, you will see that many people use CCT's from other bikes. It might be worth your while to consider doing this.

Your leak is easily repaired. 1. RTV or new gasket 2. New O ring 3. remove the plug, clean and degrease everything, RTV and put it back.

[fredintoon]

Hi all,
I seem to have a slow oil leak from that thing a ma gig on the front of the motor between the middle exhaust pipes high up below the valve covers kind of a bolt on thing. - - -

Hi Jeff,
like James sez, it's the Cam Chain Tensioner (AKA CCT)
The search function will tell you the (quite fussy) way to adjust the cam chain tension and how to replace the stock CCT with a self-adjusting unit from a different bike.
From you not knowing what it was despite having owned an XS850 which has the same adjuster, I deduce you don't know it's on the front of the bike instead of the rear because the XS11 engine runs backwards. Not knowing this when working on the bike can spoil your whole day.

[James England]

Hi. Have a look at my most recent post... 'CCT conversion'. No chance of an oil leak on there

[Jeffintampa]

CCT info

Guys thanks great information, I am a shade tree at best. Can I just remove it tear it apart (clean everything) put new 0 rings, rvt, and reinstall? I have visions of removing it and pieces of motor coming out, and having to take it someware to get fixed.

[XSive Okie]

Taking it off of the bike is a bit more intensive than adjusting it! Read up very thoroughly on the topic before attempting that.

[latexeses]

Jeff,

If you do not have a manual for your bike look up any post from CatonicBug.

http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread...357#post331357

He has a link to his website and has manuals that can be downloaded.

Read the section about adjusting the Cam Chain Tensioner then go to the search button above and do a search for the same. Read the goodies and the sage advise on keeping the timing in place.

If you are like me you will want to read it several times!

[cywelchjr]

Guys thanks great information, I am a shade tree at best. Can I just remove it tear it apart (clean everything) put new 0 rings, rvt, and reinstall? I have visions of removing it and pieces of motor coming out, and having to take it someware to get fixed.

If it's coming from the end, just pull that plug out, clean things up real good with brake cleaner or carb cleaner (I prefer brake cleaner, it seems to work better for me, but that may just be cause I'm in Ca), and then goop it up with RTV and put the plug back in and then give it plenty of time to cure, you might even put something over the end and use a radiator hose clamp to hold it in place while it cures as well. This way you don't have to take it off and all. If it's the o-ring, you still don't have to take it off, just take the bolt out, and put a new o-ring on it. The only one you need to take it off for, is if it's leaking at the gasket, and then you should just spring for an auto adjusting one that won't ever leak OR need adjusting again if you have to go that far.