• Required reading for all forum users!!!

    Welcome!
    Register to access the full functionality of the GSResources forum. Until you register and activate your account you will not have full forum access, nor will you be able to post or reply to messages.

    A note to new registrants...
    All new forum registrations must be activated via email before you have full access to the forum.

    A Special Note about Email accounts!
    DO NOT SIGN UP USING hotmail, outlook, gmx, sbcglobal, att, bellsouth or email.com. They delete our forum signup emails.

    A note to old forum members...
    I receive numerous requests from people who can no longer log in because their accounts were deleted. As mentioned in the forum FAQ, user accounts are deleted if you haven't logged in for the past 6 months. If you can't log in, then create a new forum account. If you don't get an error message, then check your email account for an activation message. If you get a message stating that the email address is already in use, then your account still exists so follow the instructions in the forum FAQ for resetting your password.

    Have you forgotten your password or have a new email address? Then read the forum FAQ for details on how to reset it.

    Any email requests for "can't log in anymore" problems or "lost my password" problems will be deleted. Read the forum FAQ and follow the instructions there - that's what we have one for...

  • Returning Visitors

    If you are a returning visitor who never received your confirmation email, then odds are your email provider is blockinig emails from our server. The only thing that can be done to get around this is you will have to try creating another forum account using an email address from another domain.

    If you are a returning visitor to the forum and can't log in using your old forum name and password but used to be able to then chances are your account is deleted. Purges of the databases are done regularly. You will have to create a new forum account and you should be all set.

Oil Leak - Strange location

  • Thread starter Thread starter williamcryan
  • Start date Start date
W

williamcryan

Guest
82 Suzuki GS1100G, run's strong. I have a small oil leak seems to be coming from around the valve cover gasket or the breather cover at the top of the valve cover. I get some oil blowing onto the side airbox covers and some drip and a my boot shows a little oil.

I did a recheck of valve clearances six months ago and replaced valve cover gasket and breather cover gasket. Oil leak is still small and annoying but I can live with it and prefer not to replace cylinder and head gasket.

Yesterday, before a 200 mile round trip ride, I checked oil level while I was parked with center stand up and in a pretty level spot. Oil showed just above low mark. I added almost a 1/2 qt of oil to bring it up, just below the high level mark.

About 30 miles into my ride, I stopped to top up fuel and, again at a level spot, put bike back up on center stand. Oil level filled the glass window. Looked like I overfilled. It's happened several times before, when it seemed to need oil and then looked like overfill later on.

When I got home after about a 100 mile ride, speeds up to 65 for extended periods and slower at other periods, I got off bike, put the side stand down and oil began flowing out of the breather hose. About a six inch puddle. I've had some oil drips from the hose before, but they were just a few drips, not a small gusher.

I'm thinking it's from the oil overflow and not enough oil draining out of the valve and cam area back into the engine and the solution is be extra careful in topping up oil. I don't think it's an oil pump issue, the bike runs strong and fast.

Feedback welcome. Bill
 
The oil level needs to be checked per the service manual procedure: with a cold engine and while the bike is level and on the center stand. Oil expands when hot so you must not check with a hot engine.
 
Last edited:
Hello Bill - Ed's probably nailed it but also does the oil smell of petrol at all?

Welcome to the GSR by the way.
 
Greetings and Salutations!!

Greetings and Salutations!!

Hi Mr. williamcryan,

Yes, I've had the oil level look full one time and then over-full the next time. As long as the level is close and you change the oil every 2000 miles it will be OK. As Ed mentioned, different variables can affect the level you see in the sight glass. Sometimes more oil gets trapped up in the top of the motor. So after topping it off, the oil drains down, and it's over-full.

Anyway, let me dump a TON of information on you and share some GS lovin'. :D

I just stopped by to welcome you to the forum in my own, special way.
big_hi.gif


If there's anything you'd like to know about the Suzuki GS model bikes, and most others actually, you've come to the right place. There's a lot of knowledge and experience here in the community. Come on in and let me say "HOoooowwwDY!"....
hat1.gif


Here is your very own magical, mystical, mythical, mind-expanding "mega-welcome". Please take notice of the "Top 10 Common Issues", "Top 15 Tips For GS Happiness", the Carb Cleanup Series, and the Stator Papers. All of these tasks must be addressed in order to have a safe, reliable machine. This is what NOT to do: Top 10 Newbie Mistakes. Now let me roll out the welcome mat for you...

carpet.jpg


Please click here for your mega-welcome, chock full of tips, suggestions, links to vendors, and other information. Then feel free to visit my little BikeCliff website where I've been collecting the wisdom of this generous community. Don't forget, we like pictures! Not you, your bike! :D

Thanks for joining us. Keep us informed. I will put you on my prayer list.

Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff
 
Thanks guys for the feedback and good diagnosis. I was off the site for a while and re-registered. One of the problems back then was # 1 & 2 plugs fuel fowling. Went thru quite a bit of work. Pulled carbs, rebuilt them put them back on and still same problem. It was probably Basscliff or Nessism that said check the petcock. Would have saved me a lot of time and effort, but it was good learning. That was about three years ago and I went thru a lot of plugs. Fortunately, my buddy had a sand blaster at his work and cleaned them up for reuse. The diagraphm on the petcock was ruptured and fuel was flowing full barrell into my carbs. I got about 7 mpg and someone behind me said I they spotted flames from my 4 into 1 exhaust.
I replaced the petcock. .
Even though the bike is running strong now, I'm now having fuel fowling on #'s 1 and 2 again and have to change a plug or two perodically.
So, as I understand, I'm getting overloaded with fuel that is seaping thru my cylinders into the crankcase causing my plugs to fowl and mixing with my oil causing the oil level to rise. Sometimes the obvious is the most frequently overlooked.
I'll order a new petcock and post results.
Thanks again. Bill
 
Back
Top