I am not saying my bike leaks oil, but it leaks oil even when there is no oil in it.....
Let me explain. I have owned my 650SS/Wideline for 12 years, which have not been without trials.& trubulations. I have never been able to get it completely oil-tight. For example, the timing cover has a little weep that no gasket, thick or thin, with ample use of Wellseal, will cure. The rev counter drive leaks a tad, from where the cable joins.
Primary chaincase isn't too bad, although it will drip a little. The oil tank filler cap never seems to seal perfectly, although the tank breather is working ok, providing nearly enough oil mist to keep the rear chain lightly lubed, via the breather pipe at the back of the tank. I have a full-flow filter fitted, on the Norvil bracket behind the gearbox. It has a low pressure oil system, being a 1964 engine, with rocker fed from the T on the return pipe to the tank. It has a large breather pipe exiting behind the timing case, fighting for space with the magneto, the pipe going to a catch tank between the rear engine plates below the oil tank and tool box.There is never much oil in the catch tank.
However, recently the oil puddle below the engine has been getting bigger, when parked up after a run, to the point where it needs sorting. It can wet sump a bit, which seems to find it's way out, or so I thought, so recently I have acquired the habit of draining the oil tank and the sump after a run, if I am not going to use it for a few days,.to prevent a pool of oil forming underneath. Trouble is, the pool of oil still forms, although not as much as when I did not drain the oil. See photos.
The oil is leaking down the right hand crankcase at the rear, but it is pretty impossible to see from exactly where. As the oil has been drained, one would imagine it could only leak from a reservoir trapped in the engine, which is somehow able to leak out.
But where?
Any ideas?
Many thanks. Ian
Oil%20leak%2C%20the%20evidence.pdf
