What's this hole and why is it leaking oil?

[oldgsfan]

So, I've pulled the starter motor so I could install a new o-ring. The old o-ring looked a little flat, but it didn't appear to be damaged.


I was shocked at the level of gunk inside the starter motor cavity -



I put a new o-ring on to replace the old one, but given that the old o-ring didn't look all that bad, I expect I'll still have an oil leak. Guess I'll find out tomorrow when I re-install the starter motor.

[Big T]

The cam chain tensioner is the next place to look for an oil leak

The oil runs down the back of the motor and right into the cavity next to the starter

[oldgsfan]

Wasn't the starter o-ring

So I replaced the o-ring on the starter unit, ran the bike a little bit. Was briefly elated to see no oil coming out. Waited about 15 minutes and...there came the oil.

OK - so it's not the starter unit o-ring.

I replaced the gasket and o-ring in the cam chain tensioner the summer before last and there's no oil coming from that area.

I read trexbob's excellent write up working on JMS's bike to deal with his mystery hole oil seepage and it looks like that's my next step.

All I can say is YIKES! I've never in my life cracked open an engine. I gotta say - I'm a pretty nervous about this. I've torn apart my carbs to clean them a couple of times, adjusted the valves and lots of other stuff on the bike. But so far I've stayed out of the internal guts.

Guess I'll start my research now on how to proceed and which gaskets I should order ahead of time.

Ugh.

[5150/gs]

did u check the oil pressure switch yet? it sits right there also.

[Agemax]

try the talcum powder trick. clean everything as best you can then sprinkle talcum powder all around that area. start the bike and let it run for a while. the source of the leak will soon become apparent....

[oldgsfan]

hunting for replacement oil seals

After doing some more reading on the forum I removed the plug for my secondary gear oil compartment to take a look and found it full of oil.

My starter compartment, on the other hand, is bone dry. It looks like there's an overflow on the top with a little hose that feeds into the compartment where the Mystery Hole lives.

Anyway, it seemed to me that the likely culprit was bad seals or, possibly, damaged bearings from what I've read.

I'm game to give this a go so I've begun stripping things off to pull the engine. The problem I've now hit is that when I tried to order new seals, my local Suzuki dealership told me the seals I need are on back order with Suzuki and they have no ETA on when they'll get some. I tried Bike Bandit and got the same response.

Anyone have other suggestions on where I might get replacement oil seals? I had ordered OEM, but is there an aftermarket option for this?

Btw, while I have the motor out, I was also planning replace the head gasket, which has weeped oil since I've owned the bike.

[hjfisk]

After doing some more reading on the forum I removed the plug for my secondary gear oil compartment to take a look and found it full of oil.

My starter compartment, on the other hand, is bone dry. It looks like there's an overflow on the top with a little hose that feeds into the compartment where the Mystery Hole lives.

Anyway, it seemed to me that the likely culprit was bad seals or, possibly, damaged bearings from what I've read.

I'm game to give this a go so I've begun stripping things off to pull the engine. The problem I've now hit is that when I tried to order new seals, my local Suzuki dealership told me the seals I need are on back order with Suzuki and they have no ETA on when they'll get some. I tried Bike Bandit and got the same response.

Anyone have other suggestions on where I might get replacement oil seals? I had ordered OEM, but is there an aftermarket option for this?

Btw, while I have the motor out, I was also planning replace the head gasket, which has weeped oil since I've owned the bike.

You might have to pull the old seal and measure the inside, or shaft that you are sealing , the out side , bore which is fitted to, and thickness and cross reference the seal. I don't know if it has been done yet but if you find you have to go that route and seals are N/A through Suzuki, I am sure the fine folks here would like it if you were to pass on the part #'s and brand of the seals that you came up with.

[Big T]

Anyone have other suggestions on where I might get replacement oil seals? I had ordered OEM, but is there an aftermarket option for this?

Btw, while I have the motor out, I was also planning replace the head gasket, which has weeped oil since I've owned the bike.

For the oil seal, try your local bearing shop. I'm sure there's a number of them in Tacoma

You'll want to pull the cylinders also and replace the base gasket and O rings

Are you sure that it's the head gasket that's leaking? and not the valve cover gasket?

[Agemax]

yep, seals are readily available from multiple sources as long as you can determine the dimensions, which are usually encoded into the suzuki part #'s....

[oldgsfan]

For the oil seal, try your local bearing shop. I'm sure there's a number of them in Tacoma

You'll want to pull the cylinders also and replace the base gasket and O rings

Are you sure that it's the head gasket that's leaking? and not the valve cover gasket?

Thanks, Big T. This makes me feel a whole lot better about my chances for resolving this issue. You're right, Tacoma is a choice place for industry.

I'll try removing the old seals without damaging them too much and hunt down a local bearing shop and follow these suggestions.

I am planning to replace the base gasket. It doesn't appear to be having any problems but from other threads I've gathered it's a good idea to replace it at the same time.

The valve cover gasket is good and pretty new. I did the valves just a few months ago and used a new gasket. It's definitely the head gasket. It's never been severe but since I'm pulling the engine anyway, it seemed to make sense to take care of a few issues at the same time.

[oldgsfan]

Oil looks like latte

So, in preparation for removing the engine I drained the oil...weirdest thing. The oil came out looking like milk - more like a latte really.

Am I right in thinking the oil looks like this because it got mixed up with the secondary gear oil, which I know is a much lighter fluid?

Oh, and when I drained the secondary gear oil, it came out looking like motor oil.

This is all new to me. It's kind of fun but nerve-wracking at the same time.

[Steve]

Not sure where you got the idea that the secondary gear oil is a much lighter fluid?

The secondary gear oil is 80w-90 gear oil. That is the same stuff that should be in the final drive, as well.

Before you go tearing anything apart, make sure you have the proper amount of oil in the secondary drive. You have to pull the cover off the back left corner of the engine (there are no gaskets involved), then you will see the oil level inspection bolt. After draining the oil and replacing the plug, remove that inspection bolt, add oil until it comes out that hole, replace the inspection bolt and the bolt over the fill hole. That should minimize any weepage into the mystery hole.

.

[oldgsfan]

Not sure where you got the idea that the secondary gear oil is a much lighter fluid?

The secondary gear oil is 80w-90 gear oil. That is the same stuff that should be in the final drive, as well.

Before you go tearing anything apart, make sure you have the proper amount of oil in the secondary drive. You have to pull the cover off the back left corner of the engine (there are no gaskets involved), then you will see the oil level inspection bolt. After draining the oil and replacing the plug, remove that inspection bolt, add oil until it comes out that hole, replace the inspection bolt and the bolt over the fill hole. That should minimize any weepage into the mystery hole.

.

I guess I meant color-wise. The secondary gear oil, in the bottle anyway, looks lighter in color than the motor oil I put in my bike. So when I drained the crankcase and saw all the whitish fluid coming out, I just thought maybe it was due to the seals failing and the various fluids all mixing together. If it's not that, I'm not sure what could have gotten into the engine to cause the oil to go white like that.

The secondary gear oil, which I also drained, was really, really dark.

I had never added any secondary gear oil but when I checked it as I worked to figure out the source of the oil leak, I found that compartment filled to the top plug hole.

[hjfisk]

I guess I meant color-wise. The secondary gear oil, in the bottle anyway, looks lighter in color than the motor oil I put in my bike. So when I drained the crankcase and saw all the whitish fluid coming out, I just thought maybe it was due to the seals failing and the various fluids all mixing together. If it's not that, I'm not sure what could have gotten into the engine to cause the oil to go white like that.

The secondary gear oil, which I also drained, was really, really dark.

I had never added any secondary gear oil but when I checked it as I worked to figure out the source of the oil leak, I found that compartment filled to the top plug hole.

If the secondary was fill to the top , it was over filled and that is the cause of your leak. As you ride and the oil heats up it expands and pushes past the seal , change the engine oil and the secondary oil , fill to proper level . and ride it , it will probably stop leaking .

[oldgsfan]

That makes sense but I don't understand how the secondary oil became so full in the first place if I never added any fluid in there. Or why my engine oil looks white.