Let's play "Figure out why my bike is leaking oil"

[Mike]

Replaced that seal. Still leaking oil all over the parking lot right now. Any other seals in that area that could be suspect?

[Charlie G]

There's an o-ring on the gear position sensor.

cg

[cowboyup3371]

Clean that area up real good, get some athletes foot powder/spray and see where it is leaking from.

[Mike]

There's an o-ring on the gear position sensor.

cg

I'll check that out.

Is there a seal or anything around the output shaft?

[Souske]

Because its a 30 year old aircooled bike
What did I win?
Mine leaks a bit as well, try to think of it as the bike marking its spot ;-)

[Mike]

Because its a 30 year old aircooled bike
What did I win?
Mine leaks a bit as well, try to think of it as the bike marking its spot ;-)

If it was just a bit, I'd chalk it up to being 30. When I got to work, I went back out 30 minutes later and there was a spot about 4 inches in diameter and it's only gotten bigger since then.

My bike's incontinent

[Souske]

Incompetant at being continent, yeah he raps about that on side 2

Good luck with the leak chasing

Bonus points if anyone gets the referance...

[Mike]

Alright, now I'm thoroughly confused.

The oil isn't coming from the front sprocket area. I think that was just a mess because the oil was dripping on the chain and flinging everywhere.

Oil is dripping off the airbox drain tube. I pulled the tube off, and the spot where it plugs on the airbox has oil on it as well. The clamp holding the left carb on the airbox has a bit of oil on it too.

I don't see how the oil could possibly be getting in the airbox, so I'm guessing that it's splashing against the airbox somehow.

[Mike]

I think I found another leak too. I sprayed off the top of the transmission with carb cleaner a couple days ago to try to find out why it had oil on it. Today, there's a little bit under whatever the thing is coming out the back of the engine between the carbs, has a spring on it and the end rotates (nothing but technical terms here). Is there a gasket or something on that thing that could be bad? And what exactly is it?

[cowboyup3371]

That's your cam chain tensioner and known to go bad over time (especially 30 years). I was going to replace mine today but we have 40 mph winds for some reason so not going outside.

[Mike]

That's your cam chain tensioner and known to go bad over time (especially 30 years). I was going to replace mine today but we have 40 mph winds for some reason so not going outside.

Is there a gasket or something that can be replaced, or should the whole thing be replaced? What do those usually run?

[pete]

It sounds like there could be two causes.

Firstly, Cowboy's on the money with the cam chain tensioner, and there is a guide on BassCliff's site on how to rebuild them. And yeah, there's a gasket between it and the cylinders. Be sure to read the manual on how to remove it properly, don't just unbolt it.

The other thing is that there should be a hose connecting the valve cover breather on the top of the engine to the front of the air box.

In that valve cover breather are some pieces that look a bit like rolled up wire mesh. They are there to keep oil pressure in but allow some seepage of oil out the breather (I believe it's in case of too much pressure), so it's possible something is amiss with them up there and it is blowing too much oil through the breather into your air box.

[Mike]

.....I never knew anything about a procedure to unbolt the tensioner and just pulled it off.

Dang it.

Local parts place may have one for $15

[pete]

As long as you didn't let stuff fly apart it should all be good

The big risk is actually the timing chain jumping a tooth on the camshafts, so worst case is pop the valve cover and check that out.

[oldrookie]

http://bwringer.com/gs/camchaintens.html

Not a 450, but this might help.