Oil Drip - Normal (see pics)

I am trying to figure out if this is fairly normal or if there might be a problem. The bike runs fine, but I noticed a small oil drip under the motor (towards the back).

There are a series of rubber tubes coming down (I assume they are vent tubes), some of them are smaller and cut straight across, but the 2 of them are larger and diagonal cut (if that matters). Here are the pics from under the bike.

Thanks for any help or comments.

Wally

That is not normal, first, clear the hose that is clugged up, that could be some of your trouble, if the motor can not vent through the hoses then it will vent in other places that they shouldn`t. If you look around the back of the motor towords the top, you will probably see some blow by.

K

OK...I couldn't see any blowback from the engine. There are some areas that "oily", but for the most part, it looks like it is coming from the ONE vent tube...I posted 2 more pics.

Wally

Check your oil level. If it is higher that 3/4 up the sight glass, it's too full and you might be venting excess oil .... (I'm guessing but I believe this was an issue with the 1st gen's)

FYI... I never run my oil level highr than appx 2/3 on the glass.

SilvrT...I hope that is what the problem is...on my second oil change, I overfilled the crankcase and had to "draw" some of the oil out. I am hoping this is what this is...I have done one oil change since that overfill...and admittedly, it is about 3/4 on the scale...next one I may go ahead and fill ONLY to the half mark.

Thanks.

Wally

SilvrT...I hope that is what the problem is...on my second oil change, I overfilled the crankcase and had to "draw" some of the oil out. I am hoping this is what this is...I have done one oil change since that overfill...and admittedly, it is about 3/4 on the scale...next one I may go ahead and fill ONLY to the half mark.

 

Thanks.

 

Wally

Spin your filter off and drain it... then put it back on. That will "draw off" some oil.

also just for grins, take a look at your rear shock and see if it is covered with oil... but I do agree with the above that you may have to much oil in it.

Check your oil level. If it is higher that 3/4 up the sight glass, it's too full and you might be venting excess oil .... (I'm guessing but I believe this was an issue with the 1st gen's)

 

FYI... I never run my oil level highr than appx 2/3 on the glass.

This IS a 'problem' with the 2nd gens too. I typically try not to go above the 1/2 mark - but I also measure the oil as I fill it up during a change (unless I am on the road).

SilvrT...I hope that is what the problem is...on my second oil change, I overfilled the crankcase and had to "draw" some of the oil out. I am hoping this is what this is...I have done one oil change since that overfill...and admittedly, it is about 3/4 on the scale...next one I may go ahead and fill ONLY to the half mark.

 

Thanks.

 

Wally

Based on your pictures, so long as your rear shock is okay (not covered in oil and whatnot) and your admission that your first fill was over-done and this last fill is over 1/2 way it is my suspicion that you have been 'leaking' this for a while (hence the gunky/grimy build up on the hose). You will have some clean up work to do around the airboxes and stuff too, but I suppose that is part of the 'learning curve', eh?

This is a great thread, because I've had my bike a little over two weeks now, and when propped up as straight as I can get it the oil level glass is full to the top! It only appears at about the 2/3 mark when on the kickstand. the dealer I bought it from said they had serviced it, and the oil in the glass looks fairly new, but I checked my hoses on my lunch break and didn't see any oil on any of them. I didn't look for blowback on the rear shock, but I don't think there is any. I've been looking under it for signs of any kind of leaks and can't see any, so would you all recommend I remove some oil, like was suggested, remove the oil filter and drain it and put it back on? I had the same problem on my triumph, the dealer put too much oil in and the airbox was leaking like a sieve....

any suggestions are greatly appreciated!

Brian

This is a great thread, because I've had my bike a little over two weeks now, and when propped up as straight as I can get it the oil level glass is full to the top! It only appears at about the 2/3 mark when on the kickstand. the dealer I bought it from said they had serviced it, and the oil in the glass looks fairly new, but I checked my hoses on my lunch break and didn't see any oil on any of them. I didn't look for blowback on the rear shock, but I don't think there is any. I've been looking under it for signs of any kind of leaks and can't see any, so would you all recommend I remove some oil, like was suggested, remove the oil filter and drain it and put it back on? I had the same problem on my triumph, the dealer put too much oil in and the airbox was leaking like a sieve....

 

any suggestions are greatly appreciated!

Brian

From what I understand, if you put the "recommended" amount of oil in, it will fill the sight glass. I just changed my oil and filter yesterday and put 3 litres of new oil in. Ran the bike for a few minutes afterward and allowed the oil to "settle" .... it was at exactly the 1/2 way mark on the sight glass. I don't see a need to add more.

As for removing/draining/replacing the filter, if your sight glass is full, I don't think the filter alone will drop it down to "our recommended level" .... maybe have to do it a couple times... unless you want to use the drain plug method which could get a bit messy.

BTW... I notice your posting shows you as having a '96 RSVS Midnight Venture .... is that a typeo??

First of all, this is pretty normal on a 2nd Gen. Second, there is nothing wrong with your vent tubes. Third, the primary cause IS an overfilled crankcase.

The oil level sight window has a max level mark on the case next to it near the top of the window. In my experience it is NOT necessary to make sure the oil is never higher than mid window, but it IS necessary to make sure it is not OVER the max level mark. Basically, if you can see any air bubble above the top of the oil in the site window, you are fine.

BTW - this issue is also why all 2nd gens that have decent miles or some long periods of high-speed highway running will show lots of oil grunge and dirt on the #1 carb (left rear). Here is what is going on:

The crankcase vent runs from the top of the case between the cylinders up to a T connection between the two air plenums above the carbs. When the engine is running, this vent allows the positive pressure caused by the pistons moving down (and any compression blow-by) to push the extra air that contains lots of oil and gas fumes up into the intake to be burned instead of blown out to the air we breath. If the oil level in the engine is too high, the excess splashing from the turning crank causes a LOT more oil mist to be blown out with the normal venting.

While the majority of the oil fumes and mist get sucked into the carbs, some of it coats the inside of the air plenum walls and must be drained out. For this reason, each of the plenums has a drain tube in the rear - those are two of the tubes pictured (the other two are the tank overflow and coolant overflow). But in a staggeringly stupid design trick, the drain for the left plenum is NOT at the lowest point when the bike is sitting on the sidestand. So as oil collects over time inside the plenum, it slowly migrates to the left rear corner of the plenum as the bike sits, and since there is no drain in that location for the left plenum, the oil will slowly weep out around the top of the carb and make a nasty mess all over the left rear carb!

But lets get back to the oil coming out of those hoses. On an older or high mileage bike, even one that has never been over-filled, there will be an occasional drip from those vents. But if the engine is overfilled, there will be a lot more oil up there, so you will see many more drips. And it will virtually never completely stop. Those drain hoses have check valves in them (so you don't suck unfiltered air into the engine), and those check valves make it impossible for all the oil inside the hoses to easily drain out. That, coupled with the normal collection of oil mist inside the plenums means there will always be a bit of a drip, but it is very slight under normal conditions.

Goose

snip

It only appears at about the 2/3 mark when on the kickstand.

snip

any suggestions are greatly appreciated!

Brian

With the proper amount of oil in this engine, the sight glass will be EMPTY when the bike is on the sidestand. Your oil level is much too high,a nd you do need to drain some.

As I explained in the post above, the engine does not "pump" oil out when it is overfilled, it just causes a lot of internal splashing that allows a lot of mist to be blown out the vent. If you do a lot of riding, you will begin getting a lot of dripping from those drains.

Goose

I checked my shock...everything is fine there, so I am sure it because of the IDIOT that did the 2nd oil change on my bike (that IDIOT being me).

Thanks everyone for the replies.

I appreciate the xtra info SilvrT and V7Goose...your responses not only help me, but all the other people that:

1. Were afraid to ask

2. Didn't know how to ask

3. Asked before, but forgot they asked

4. And anyone else I left out.

Again...appreciated!

Wally

I checked my shock...everything is fine there, so I am sure it because of the IDIOT that did the 2nd oil change on my bike (that IDIOT being me).

 

Thanks everyone for the replies.

 

I appreciate the xtra info SilvrT and V7Goose...your responses not only help me, but all the other people that:

 

1. Were afraid to ask

2. Didn't know how to ask

3. Asked before, but forgot they asked

4. And anyone else I left out.

 

Again...appreciated!

 

Wally

Yeah, what he said!

Brian

I appreciate the xtra info SilvrT and V7Goose...your responses not only help me

 

Wally

I've been on this site for around 5 years and have gleaned a lot of info from a lot of the folks on here. Whenever I can, I try and give back, even if sometimes I'm not entirely accurate or occasionally incorrect. Someone always comes along and corrects or clarifies and I learn. I'm always learning on here.

Goose is a walking book of knowledge IMHO, as many others on here are. I very much respect them and always enjoy reading what they have to say. Once again, Goose's clarification has enhanced my knowledge.

Those fat tubes come off the top of the air plenum on top of the carbs.

when I removed my carbs a FEW times *LOL* I always see some oil around that area.

correct me if I am wrong. but I have never had any problems so far.

I also have replaced the crappy foam in that area as well with a better type

of rubber.

and:sign yeah that:what the Goose says

This is a great thread, because I've had my bike a little over two weeks now, and when propped up as straight as I can get it the oil level glass is full to the top! It only appears at about the 2/3 mark when on the kickstand. the dealer I bought it from said they had serviced it, and the oil in the glass looks fairly new, but I checked my hoses on my lunch break and didn't see any oil on any of them. I didn't look for blowback on the rear shock, but I don't think there is any. I've been looking under it for signs of any kind of leaks and can't see any, so would you all recommend I remove some oil, like was suggested, remove the oil filter and drain it and put it back on? I had the same problem on my triumph, the dealer put too much oil in and the airbox was leaking like a sieve....

 

any suggestions are greatly appreciated!

Brian

If you can see the oil in the sight glass when on the stand it is TO FULL. Wen I change mine I only put in about 3 and 1/3 quarts and this brings it to the middle of the sight glass when it has been setting overnight. Stopped dripping a drop or two of oil overnight when I started doing this

I've been on this site for around 5 years and have gleaned a lot of info from a lot of the folks on here. Whenever I can, I try and give back, even if sometimes I'm not entirely accurate or occasionally incorrect. Someone always comes along and corrects or clarifies and I learn. I'm always learning on here.

...

WAIT WAIT WAIT!!!!

*Puts on hip-waders, nose plug and goggles*

Okay, NOW you may continue shoveling that bu....

:witch_brew::stickpoke:

WAIT WAIT WAIT!!!!

 

*Puts on hip-waiters, nose plug and goggles*

 

Okay, NOW you may continue shoveling that bu....

 

:witch_brew::stickpoke:

hip WAITERS .... ???

:rotf:

hip WAITERS .... ???

 

:rotf:

Wha-chu talkin' 'bout?

.... Oops.

hip WAITERS .... ???

 

:rotf:

Now, now, better watch the content - this is supposed to be a family site - I don't know where "hip-waiters" is going, but it's starting to sound a little dirty!

If you can see the oil in the sight glass when on the stand it is TO FULL. Wen I change mine I only put in about 3 and 1/3 quarts and this brings it to the middle of the sight glass when it has been setting overnight. Stopped dripping a drop or two of oil overnight when I started doing this

Thanks Rick, that's what Goose said earlier, and it makes sense. Short of just doing an oil change to correct it, I don't think I can just loosen the drain plug without it coming all the way out and letting all the oil out. I guess I could buy a new drain pan and just recycle the oil. Supposedly it was just changed about 500 miles ago by the dealer. Great learning all this stuff from all you venturers!

Brian

Thanks Rick, that's what Goose said earlier, and it makes sense. Short of just doing an oil change to correct it, I don't think I can just loosen the drain plug without it coming all the way out and letting all the oil out. I guess I could buy a new drain pan and just recycle the oil. Supposedly it was just changed about 500 miles ago by the dealer. Great learning all this stuff from all you venturers!

Brian

:confused24::think::confused24:

It IS possible to only drain SOME of the oil. The way I see it you have 3 options:

1) As suggested - loosen the oil filter and let some drain out, re-tighten the filter then check you oil level; repeat as necessary.

2) Unscrew the drain plug enough to let the oil drip. Let it drip for a while then re-tighten the plug and check your level. You could speed it up by removing the plug completely for a few seconds then put it back in and check your level. Note that removing the plug for a short time will not dump ALL of the oil out.

3) IF the dealer really did service the bike, take it back and have them do it correctly.

Either 1 or 2 is extremely easy to do. Don't worry about it and just do it!!

Wha-chu talkin' 'bout?

 

 

 

 

 

 

.... Oops.

Ya ... you changed your copy but I got the original ...

Ya ... I changed your copy but you got the original ...

:think: Really? So what sense does this statement make? Huh?

See, ANYONE can change a quote, not just souperstars!