A common spot to look for oil leak?

[T_C]

Okay.. hate to post this here, but I might have an issue.

This morning I started the bike and while it warmed up a bit and I donned my gloves, I noticed the distinct smell of something burning. Glancing down I saw a bit of smoke rising from the right side of the bike around the rear brake pedal area.

Glancing around I didn't see anything, but the slow rise of some smoke coming from behind the right fairing. I shut the engine off and looked at the oil sight glass and did not see anything. Fearing the worst I added some from a quart bottle and immediately saw a response in the glass. Only took about a 1/3 of a quart to get me back in the safe zone.

So I never see any drops on the floor of the garage, no drops in the parking spot at work (I park on concrete and always in the same stall). So any leaking is very minimal at most and it must be all burning off what does leak out. So hopefully I haven't been too long in the low zone.

Making a mental note to remember to check the oil level more frequently. Since the Honda engines are so reliable and I never saw drops I rarely check the sight glass.

But any suggestions as to where I might be having a slow leak? apparently only under pressure.

 

[v8-7]

Check the valve cover gaskets .

Also, could it be some residual oil spill from your last oil change ?

 

[Blrfl]

Glancing around I didn't see anything, but the slow rise of some smoke coming from behind the right fairing. I shut the engine off and looked at the oil sight glass and did not see anything. Fearing the worst I added some from a quart bottle and immediately saw a response in the glass. Only took about a 1/3 of a quart to get me back in the safe zone.

Check again on the center stand after having been shut down for 3-4 minutes and make sure the additional oil you added didn't put you at overfilled.

--Mark

 

[T_C]

some residual oil spill from your last oil change

Have a couple thousand mles since last oil change, so I wouldn't think so. But the valve cover gaskets.. hmm.. it's emerging from under the fairing towards the bottom, like may actually be on the exhaust pipe when I started. Would the valve cover gaskets let it run back that far or would it emerge somewhere else? I haven't torn do that far under the fairings but I would think the valve covers woudl just show as drips on the floor, no?

 

[sennister]

Check again on the center stand after having been shut down for 3-4 minutes and make sure the additional oil you added didn't put you at overfilled.

--Mark

Yep, I would first make sure you didn't just overfill it when you added a bit more oil.

Did you do a valve clearance check recently? Valve covers can leak but they typically do so on the front where those semi circle cutouts are. It is possible that it took a while to get something down to the exhaust pipe/header. So even if the work was back in the spring don't dismiss it. Also remember that it doesn't take much oil at all to cause enough smoke to be seen.

 

[T_C]

Nope, have not torn into the engine at all. Probably need to do a valve check as I'm over 45k and don't know if one has ever been done.

Yeah... it wasn't much smoke so I only imagine a drop of oil, it was just a light wisp of smoke, probably less then a cigarette puts out when not being stoked. Never smelled it when I get to work.

I don't usually let the bike warm up before I start backing out of the garage. So not sure if it has been doing it for long.

Not overfilled, BTW.

 

[T_C]

Headed out at lunch and checked the bike. No visible leaks, oil level was right at the upper fill line. It is moist and slightly grim on the backside of the motor/transmission area, as in the part that is directly behind the rear brake pedal/fairing.

 

[connierdr]

Your leak most likely is coming from the vally between the cylinders ..there is a casting plugs with no sealent .u need to remove the throttle body to get to it ..

 

[dduelin]

My money is on a common coolant leak and not oil at all. Coolant attracts grime and area takes on the appearance of an oil leak. At 45k coolant leaks, well really seeps, are common if the clamps have had no attention since the factory.

 

[Igofar]

Check both the ROUND weep hole, and the SQUARE drain hole for signs of coolant leaks (search coolant leak threads for photos and text).
What you've described MAY be a coolant leak. Or....it could be oil seeping from the MYSTERY PLUG (also search threads for photos and text) or PM me if you have questions.
Igofar

 

[bolter1100]

I had a leak in roughly the same area. Turns out it was my spare oil stashed in the fairing pocket that wore through the 12 oz. shampoo container. Surprising how much that looked like a legitimate engine leak till I started taking the plastic off. DSOM for that one!

Harry

 

[SupraSabre]

My noticed my '04 leaking oil last May and figured it was the valve covers. I replaced them and I still can smell oil (yes oil, not coolant). And it is coming from the back of the engine. I'm suspecting the o-ring for the starter. The whole back of the engine is covered. I've noticed a few of the rear covers on ebay (ones the sellers don't clean up) and have noticed the same pattern and it was coming from the starter area. So that's what I'm baking my oil leak on. I'll probably get a few other o-rings too and replace any possible leaking in the rear. 4:

 

[T_C]

I have been lazy, busy or just negligent.

Oil leak is still occurring and I haven't moved to fix.
With a unheated garage, most likely the leak and my valve check will be on the list of should've done till spring.