Oil leak/Seapage

[ahpd1992]

I posted some time ago about a small oil leak on my 08 R3T. I located the source of the leak, brought it to the dealer and the service tech reattached the hose and clamp. Well I was out riding yesterday and when I returned home I noticed the leak had reappeared. The source is the same, back of the motor, the black rubber tube that goes from the oil pan into the motor. There is the same leak. The design itself seems not well thought out, but Im not an engineer, anyway let me put it to the people.

Have any of you had this same problem? If so did you come up with a solution other than retightening the hose/clamp set up?

Now that I know the source of the problem it is not as worrisome, but a bike with less than 3K miles on it leaking oil makes me think Im back in the 70's on an AMF HD. Everything I read about the R3 motor is that it is stone cold reliable, this leak is startin to piss me off...

 

[darrell]

I have a small leak/seep at the rear of my R3Tengine too. Have not yet been able to locate the source of the oil. Not always but sometimes the rear of the motor on the right side behind the exhaust manifold has a moist spot. It's defiinitely motor oil. Need to figure out where the source is. Do you have any pictures of the source of your leak ? Mine appears to be seeping from somewhere up high on the back of the motor and accumulating on the right side. It's not leaked enough to drop the oil level (yet).
3,000 miles on the bike so far.......

 

[ahpd1992]

Darrel, I still live in the dark ages and dont own a digital camera and my cell phone only makes phone calls, so I dont have the ability show you a photo.

Look at your engine from the right side, right below the seat there is an oddly shaped triangualr piece of plastic that fits between the frame rails. Remove the screws and cover. Behind the cover you will see the back of your motor and there is a black rubber tube coming out of the engine and into the oil pan. Thats where my leak is from the hose connection. Im guessing thats where yours is as well. The oil seeps/drips out and pools, then eventually collects where you are seeing your oil. It is not a critical problem, but no one wants a leaky bike. It shouldn't leak and I want it to stop which is why Im asking the forum if this is a design qwirk and if there is a good fix for it.

Im pretty sure you and I are having the same problem. To further frustrate me is that I cant get my fat hands in there to tighten the hose clamp myself, so Il hafta go to the dealer

 

[RocketDaryl]

I have a small leak/seep at the rear of my R3Tengine too. Have not yet been able to locate the source of the oil. Not always but sometimes the rear of the motor on the right side behind the exhaust manifold has a moist spot. It's defiinitely motor oil. Need to figure out where the source is. Do you have any pictures of the source of your leak ? Mine appears to be seeping from somewhere up high on the back of the motor and accumulating on the right side. It's not leaked enough to drop the oil level (yet).
3,000 miles on the bike so far.......

Sounds like a head gasket to me.

 

[darrell]

Sounds like a head gasket to me.

I sincerely hope you are wrong but my initial suspicion was the same diagnosis.

 

[darrell]

Darrel, I still live in the dark ages and dont own a digital camera and my cell phone only makes phone calls, so I dont have the ability show you a photo.

Look at your engine from the right side, right below the seat there is an oddly shaped triangualr piece of plastic that fits between the frame rails. Remove the screws and cover. Behind the cover you will see the back of your motor and there is a black rubber tube coming out of the engine and into the oil pan. Thats where my leak is from the hose connection. Im guessing thats where yours is as well. The oil seeps/drips out and pools, then eventually collects where you are seeing your oil. It is not a critical problem, but no one wants a leaky bike. It shouldn't leak and I want it to stop which is why Im asking the forum if this is a design qwirk and if there is a good fix for it.

Im pretty sure you and I are having the same problem. To further frustrate me is that I cant get my fat hands in there to tighten the hose clamp myself, so Il hafta go to the dealer

Will do. Will pull the triangular plastic cover off again. Looked back in there when I first noticed the leak but was unable to determine where oil was coming from. There was a light film of oil all over the back of the engine. I wiped everything off, rode about 50 miles and pulled the plastic cover off to take a peek....everything was dry. Was hoping that it was an anomaly that wouldn't reoccur but noticed a slightly wet spot in the same area Friday after a 385 mile ride to West Virginia. Getting ready now to go out to the garage and pull the cover back off to take another peek. Just curious... what is the purpose of the hose that is leaking on your bike ?

 

[warp9.9]

Take a look in your air box for saftey see if oil is blowing in there from the crank case!
also have a look at the rear of the cam cover could just be a small gasket leak.

 

[darrell]

Take a look in your air box for saftey see if oil is blowing in there from the crank case!
also have a look at the rear of the cam cover could just be a small gasket leak.

Will do that right now.
Thanks.

 

[darrell]

Will do that right now.
Thanks.

Inside of airbox is clean & dry.

 

[warp9.9]

good this means your not making to much crank case pressure. check your oil pressure switch when you pull that infill panel and check the bam cover gasket if its been off it could be leaking where the arches are usually you apply some silicon in them when you put th cove on and I would check the cam cover bolts also.