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Mysterious Oil Leak

J

Jim R

Forum Apprentice
suzuki oil.jpg

1982 GS1100G - Started finding several drops of oil when I parked the bike after riding. Also could smell oil burning off of the exhaust pipe when idling at a red light. Found the source.. There is a machined hole in a nook on the side of the engine (see red arrow in pic) Oil only comes out when bike is in motion and for a short while after parking. I can rev the engine while sitting still forever and no oil drips. Any idea's?
 
That looks like the sump drain hole for the starter. Its there for water or whatever to drain from around the starter motor. Theres an Oring around the front of then starter that seals to the cases. That oring is most likely going south.
 
I have the cover to the starter off and the cavity is bone dry. I guess I should check more closely.
 
If its dry inside the sump, the next suspect would be the stator cover gasket leaking at the top corner and the oil running down there and thats just happens to be where it drips from.
 
I had recently had the stator cover off so I checked that first. The believe that the oil that is dripping is gear oil. Not motor oil.
 
I didn't smell it and the bike is now on the lift with various pieces removed but the oil was much cleaner than the motor oil so I assume it was gear oil. I also topped of the secondary oil before I rode it the last time and checked the level today and it was down a little.
 
Gear oil smells of cat pee. Do you have a vent on the secondary with a plastic pipe running into the starter cavity. If the secondary got overfilled it could just be blowing it off. This would only happen with the bike moving.
 
Upon further investigation, I am now 99% sure it is Secondary Gear Oil. When I top off the gear oil, I get a few drops out of the hole even without the bike moving. It does smell a little like cat pee.
 
You may be on to something. Here's a pic I just took. To the best of my knowledge, there was never any hose coming out of this and the "hole" isn't a hole. It's solid.DSC00004 (1).jpg
 
Disregard my last post. I did find the breather and hose. They are connected properly. There is no oil in the starter cavity. It only comes out of the hole in the first pic I posted earlier today.
 
I have a bottle of SAE 90 that has a tapered spout. I put it in right to the top. I just did a complete change of secondary gear oil. I also pulled the breather hose out of the starter cavity and blew through it. I couldn't tell if it was blocked but it definitely isn't now. Just drove a few miles through the gears. Going to wait for it to cool off and go check it again.
 
What his question was is are you removing the bolt where it says something like " oil level " and filling just till it comes out that hole....or filling it to the top from the top filling hole???????

If till the top hole youre over filling it and expansion will force the oil to go somewhere.....and make a leak.
 
Last edited:
Ah. No. I take the oil level screw out and fill from the fill hole on top and watch the oil come out of the hole where the oil level screw goes.
 
Guys,

I have exactly the same problem with my '81 1000G.

I have the stater motor cover off and there is grit and oil in the well.

Gave it a squirt with aerosol degreaser and getting a flow of oil and grit out the drain hole.

Not sure if engine or gear oil.

Could the oil come from the cam chain tensioner or oil pressure switch.

I had oil under the carbs.

Will try to clean it all up and find if the source.

Any advice appreciated.
 
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