Oil Leak - Please help, long thread with pictures...

[Whhpssh]

OK, I'm looking for some guidance here. I changed the oil on my cycle on Tuesday. After installing the new filter and refilling with oil I started it and everything sounded fine. I rode it for a little while and then, about 10 blocks away, it started running really rough and smoking badly (white smoke).

I parked it in the garage and the next day there was a large puddle of oil. I left it alone, starting it a couple times and noticing more smoking, just not as bad. Today I decided to take it to the bank to see if I could run it for a while and see an improvement. I got to the same spot as Tuesday and it started smoking badly and running rough, followed very quickly by a smoothing of the engine and the smoking stopped.

I rode it to the bank to make a couple deposits and when I came out there was a small puddle under the bike again. I rode it home and it ran great all the way but, after parking it, I again noticed the oil dripping. This first picture is after it was parked for about 30 minutes.



As you can see, there is another puddle. The bike is running great but obviously this worries me. I took a couple pictures of areas that are wet.

What is this housing? It's hard to tell but it was wet with oil right where the arrow is pointing.



Also, I found a hose that was dumping oil. It was just dripping out but I'm not sure what this hose is.

Here's where the hose is connected:



And although you can't see the end very well, it just hangs freely and is dripping oil.




When I changed the oil, there was very little that drained out which leads me to believe the cycle may be using oil, whether by leaking or burning it. I haven't noticed puddles under this bike for over two years, though. It just started after I changed the oil.

Can someone help me out and explain what I'm looking at in these pictures? Should I be as concerned as I am about this?

Thanks for any help you can get me.

[beechfront]

may be a stupid question...

but did you drain the oil as well or just change the filter?

i made that mistake my first time. removed the filter & not the drain plug. added 3 quarts & wondered why the glass was all the way full. completely forgot to remove the plug from the oil pan.

[Whhpssh]

Well, honestly, that's not such a stupid question. This is the first time I changed the oil on this bike and I was flying a little blind. I removed the filter and assumed that was also the drain plug.

Reading your post, I get a sense of dread that I didn't drain the right location and I feel pretty stupid....



I take it, from what you wrote, that I needed to pull out the filter and replace it (which I know I did), then also find a second plug to drain the rest of the oil. Sound accurate?

If that's the case and this thing is just leaking because it's overfilled, I'm still going to feel pretty stupid but I'll be a lot happier about the condition of the bike.

Right now I want to crawl into a hole and pretend I never changed the oil...



Also, based on the location of the filter, where do I look for the oil drain plug?

[beechfront]

well you weren't the only one to make that mistake.....

drain plug is right behind the filter.

#14 below i think it takes a metric 15 but not sure. it's a big bolt you can't miss it.

http://members.fortunecity.com/imlucky/B3.htm


(NICE LOOKING BIKE BY THE WAY!)

[Whhpssh]

Thanks for the help, man. I should've found this site before I ever started changing the oil...

:lol:

I only loosened 'A' and I should have done 'B' as well, right?



Now, I'm only putting this out there because of the sheer ignorance of the filter/drainplug mixup. Atleast tell me I put the oil IN the right place. It said "OIL" right next to it so I used this:




{sigh...} Thanks again, beechfront.

[beechfront]

yep that's correct. remove B as well.

and on that last picture... if you go down about 8 inches from the oil fill - there is a looking glass which shows oil level. just keep it between the lines.

full for me requires something like 3 1/2 quarts.

[TheDjost]

Don't forget to check the oil level while the bike is on CENTERSTAND.
If you check while on the sidestand, the oil level will be too high.

-Justin

[Whhpssh]

(NICE LOOKING BIKE BY THE WAY!)

Didn't see that the first time I read it. Thanks for the compliment. My brother bought it 1990 for about $1800 from the original owner. At that time it had just over 6,000 miles on it and now it has just over 15,000. He gave it to me in '97 after he bought his first Harley.

The bike runs great and always starts in the spring. Friends of mine constantly have problems early in the year and this one, as long as I have a fully charged battery, will always kick over.

Thanks everyone for all the help. I drained it again and did the oil change this afternoon the right way. Took it for a test drive and it's running great!

BTW, TheDjost, I did check it on the center stand. Thanks for the heads up.

[bkr]

Housing

Hey Whhpssh The housing in your photo is where your air cleaner element is located,remove 2 screws for access,slides out. bkr

[Ken Talbot]

Tsunami had the same problem when I bought her. The PO didn't know what he was doing and basically added oil till he thought it had enough??? I limped alon to my BIL's place where we removed approx 3 litres to being it bcak down to full. You should have seen the clouds of smoke! The oil was being blown up into the airbox, it leaked from there and pooled on top of the motor. Then when I went around a corner, a great gush would roll off and run over the hot exhaust pipes. A couple of time I totally lost sight of the vehicles behind me...

[strom]

Oil leaks....
as you guys all know, my XS burned up lotsa oil
So, new piston rings time and cyls honed....
No smoke after initial test ride around the block... cool....
So I went a bit further... to a decent coffee place with a detour to take a few twisties in... bout 30 miles worth.
Well... no smoking from the exhaust, BUT the whole left side of the engine was drenched in oil. My left leg too.
The coffee didn't taste that good then. Went home, checked out the engine a bit... oil started at the head gasket just beneath the #1 pipe, left cyl. fins all soaked in oil, then all the left side of the engine, airbox, middle gear case....
OK... how can oil get to the head gasket.... simple... it can't....
Podered a bit.... till a friend came over for coffee. He noted that it had to be high pressure oil, cause of the spray it made.
OK, that's kinda good news.... either a cracked head or something was wrong with the oil line that feeds the head on the back side.
Checked the bolt. And it was oily. Sigh.
Changed the copper gaskets, cleaned the bike, went on the same road, same twisties, same coffee, got home, the bike is still clean.
Coffee was good this time. A guy attacked me on the gas station tho... asked what year the XS was. After I told him, he had to admit he had two elevens at home. One to ride and a parts bike. Hmmm.... a few days earlier a frinend with a CBX told me he met a guy that had two elevens. But it wasn't the same guy!!!
So... I thaught there were only two running elevens around here, but it seems there are at least 4 and 2 parts bikes.
Gotta get em some time to chat a bit over a beer or something.

LP

[ratbyk]

Up and Running

Congratulations Strom on getting your bike up and running. Great feeling and satisfaction. Good to find that you have other XS'ers in the area to compare notes and swap parts with. The more knowledge you can pool the better. Maybe this going to be a bike to last 50 years.
Take care and enjoy the bike and the coffee.
Ken/Sooke

[Czekus21]

I'll bet your brother wishes he still has that Yami eh! I would get rid of MIYAMI for a harly *ell H.D. actually stands for hundred dollers.. Ever go into a harley shop and look at the prices of everything? Ya do have a nice bike, lookes better then mine.

[Whhpssh]

I'll bet your brother wishes he still has that Yami eh! I would get rid of MIYAMI for a harly *ell H.D. actually stands for hundred dollers.. Ever go into a harley shop and look at the prices of everything? Ya do have a nice bike, lookes better then mine.

I doubt it. He bought a '96 Softail Custom in 1997 when he let me have the Yamaha and this year he traded the Softail in for a 2004 Ultra Classic. All he has to do is rev that bad boy and I can guarantee he won't want the Yamaha. He still loves the bike but his Harley is his baby.

We rode for quite a while last night (Summerfest here in Milwaukee so it's free parking for bikes). I could blow his doors off but definitely suffered from muffler-envy...