Doh! Not another one!

[Guest]

Hey all -

OK, some of you know I declared war on my oil leaks when my valve cover gasket let go a couple of weeks ago. Since then I've replaced those gaskets, fixed the tach sender, and just today rebuilt the cam chain tensioner (thanks again, Bwringer). Great results. Cleaned everything up and it's looking good, and I'll be able to see future leaks clearly.

Oh, and speaking of which, the topic of my post...

Now I'm getting a drop at the bottom of the ignition cover. I took a look in there - not too bad, just a slight pooling of nice clean oil draining out the drain hole at the bottom of the case. So what gives? I'm biting my lip that it's a crankshaft seal, and that I need to split the cases or something similarly complicated to fix it. Any thoughts? 8-[

BTW, the pic's from right after I cleaned the engine, I'm just showing where the drop would be if it were there. Right at the seam under the bottom ignition cover screw.

[Nessism]

Pull the cover and have a look inside. Oil on the ignition pick up coils (or points as the case may be) is not good.

[Roostabunny]

Pull the cover and have a look inside. Oil on the ignition pick up coils (or points as the case may be) is not good.

What am I looking for? Just checking to make sure those parts aren't getting fouled or gummed up? I did look inside, and it seems like it's not on the electrical parts.

[Roostabunny]

Picture

Pull the cover and have a look inside. Oil on the ignition pick up coils (or points as the case may be) is not good.

Sorry about the quality here - might be hard to see that the electrical parts are pretty much dry as a bone. But you can see the oil. Seems to be coming from behind the electrical parts.

[Nessism]

Swab out the oil and watch to see if more accumulates. Could be the oil got into the cover from the other leak you just fixed. Never hurts to hope.

[SPARKSS]

It it were mine, I'd pull the ignition side cover and run the bike with it off, looking for the source of oil. If you wanted to get just a little fancy, you could add a little engine-oil-dye
to the crankcase and, with the help of a UV LAMP ("black light") it'll show right up. The UV reactive dye is used by many pro mechanics and they might sell you a small amount or Google similar sources. Often, just cleaning surfaces with some brake cleaner and blowing dry prior to running will show up the leak by eye without anything further.

P.S. Most of the snake-oil treatments supposed to "fix seals".......don't.

[Roostabunny]

Swab out the oil and watch to see if more accumulates. Could be the oil got into the cover from the other leak you just fixed. Never hurts to hope.

Oh - hope springs eternal and I had the same thought, so I did that before I posted. Something's leakin'.

[Roostabunny]

It it were mine, I'd pull the ignition side cover and run the bike with it off, looking for the source of oil. If you wanted to get just a little fancy, you could add a little engine-oil-dye
to the crankcase and, with the help of a UV LAMP ("black light") it'll show right up. The UV reactive dye is used by many pro mechanics and they might sell you a small amount or Google similar sources. Often, just cleaning surfaces with some brake cleaner and blowing dry prior to running will show up the leak by eye without anything further.

P.S. Most of the snake-oil treatments supposed to "fix seals".......don't.

Yeah, I've had my bad experiences (and a terrific past mechanic who threatened to kill me a couple of times when I tried some of them on my car) with snake oils and such.

I'll have to swab it out in there and run it again, but my money's on the crankshaft seal. Are there any other oil seals in that compartment?

[chef1366]

It appears that if it is the crankshaft seal it can be replaced without splitting the cases. See #22

[Suzuki mad]

IF you take the cover off you can remove the retarder and back plake very easily with the electronic ignition type GS's. One 14mm bolt and three philips screws gets you straignt to the crank seal.

Then you can really get a good look.

Never changed one on the bike only when the crank's out. You may be able to tell when the ignition/back plate are out.

Suzuki mad.

[Roostabunny]

It appears that if it is the crankshaft seal it can be replaced without splitting the cases. See #22

Sorry to ask a pair of dumb questions - but, 1.) I guess this is the view from the front? 2.) What makes you say this picture makes it look like the seal can be replaced without splitting the cases? Is it because the shape looks like it might press in place?

Also, here's a better pic till I have a chance to pull the ignition.

[chef1366]

I could tell by looking at the seal. Take off the ignition and have a looksy. You'll see. You can remove the old seal by screwing a long screw into the EDGES of the old seal. Be careful because if you go in near the center you can bugger the bearing.

[Roostabunny]

I could tell by looking at the seal. Take off the ignition and have a looksy. You'll see. You can remove the old seal by screwing a long screw into the EDGES of the old seal. Be careful because if you go in near the center you can bugger the bearing.

You're making my day by telling me I can get the old one out without splitting the cases, Chef!

I'm going to pull the ignition parts off so I can clean out any oil and get a good look, then put it back together so I can idle the bike with that cover removed and confirm the flow's coming from there.

Any tips on getting the new one in?

What's going on, anyway? After replacing valve cover gaskets, tach sender seals, and cam chain tensioner seals, I thought I'd be leak-free for a week or so. Oh well. My sense of humor is intact and I'm having a blast learning this machine. Besides, chances are the crankshaft seal's been dribbling all along and I just didn't notice it till I took care of those others.

** Edit - I'm going to order OIL SEAL, RH (PN 09283-30021) Sound like the right part? Just paranoid.

[Headphase]

I did it about 15 years ago on a gs550. Screwdriver (carefully) will get the old seals out. Find an old socket or something that is about the same size as the new seals, and use that to try and knock them in, making sure you try and get them in square.
Patience and a swearbox, you'll be fine.

[Roostabunny]

I did it about 15 years ago on a gs550. Screwdriver (carefully) will get the old seals out. Find an old socket or something that is about the same size as the new seals, and use that to try and knock them in, making sure you try and get them in square.
Patience and a swearbox, you'll be fine.

Sounds good, thanks Headphase. Do you have a part number for that swearbox? :-D

Seriously though, is it what I think? A stand-in frustration receptacle that helps protect the bike from... me?