Mysterious Oil Leak

[Jim R]

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?

[chuck hahn]

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.

[Jim R]

I have the cover to the starter off and the cavity is bone dry. I guess I should check more closely.

[chuck hahn]

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.

[Jim R]

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.

[chuck hahn]

gear oil and engine oil smell distinctly different. Whats it smell like???

[Jim R]

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.

[Brendan W]

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.

[Jim R]

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.

[Jim R]

There is no hose or pipe running into the starter cavity.

[Brendan W]

There is no hose or pipe running into the starter cavity.

I think there should be. Part nos. 22 & 52

http://www.cmsnl.com/suzuki-gs1100-g-1982-1983-usa_model15998/partslist/96032.html#results

[Jim R]

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

[Jim R]

I can't tell from the schematic where that hose and breather are supposed to be.

[Jim R]

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.

[Brendan W]

Stupid question, but how are you topping off the gear oil ?