81 GS650G Oil Dripping from Airbox Hose

[Archania]

I am wondering about this. I have put oil in the bike since I have gotten it 3 weeks ago. The bike runs good. But I was wondering why I am adding oil to it. I have been putting in some every week. I do put 450 miles + a week on it.
I was watching after I came to work that a small amount of oil is dripping from the airbox hose. Is this normal? Is the airbox filter need a replacement? There is no other oil leak that I can see.
The bike has almost 22000 miles on it. The last owner did a oil change and stuff before he put it in the shed for the winter.

Any ideas would be great. I have a month and 1/2 before i ride out to ohio and don't want any issues.

Scott

[BassCliff]

Black gold in your airbox? Texas tea in your air filter?

Hi Mr. Archania,

Are you speaking of the breather hose that connects the top of the motor (breather) to the airbox? This is part of a rudimentary emissions system that ports crankcase gases back to the intake system so they can be burned.

Inside the breather should be 4 pieces of wire mesh, 2 on the top of the valve cover and 2 in the breather itself. This wire mesh is supposed to give the oil vapors a place to condense so that the oil will fall back into the motor leaving only gases to return to the intake system. Perhaps this wire mesh is missing in your breather? See pictures below.





A couple of other thoughts would be to ensure you are not overfilling the crankcase, ensure that fuel is not leaking into the crankcase, ensure all the oil passages (especially the return passages) in the top of the motor are clear and not letting too much oil accumulate in the cam area. Keep us informed.

Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

[Archania]

Thanks. I will be looking at it once I get out of work and get my kids.

[Archania]

I went out at lunch. Its from the drain Tube off the Air Chamber. And also looks like there is some oil on the Crankcase by the cover.
I will take some pics at home to verify what i'm looking at and also will check with the repair manual.

I really don't want this to be a big issue...

Thanks very much though so far.

[BassCliff]

Hi Mr. Archania,

If your breather hose is not connected properly (between breather and airbox), all of that oil vapor can accumulate on your motor and make a mess.

Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

[waterman]

How much oil are you adding? I have found that my 650 will consume a little oil, more than one would expect. The oil dripping from your airbox is from the hose that is attached to the breather assembly. It really probably is not hurting anything other than creating a mess. Unless you are leaking a lot of oil from a blown seal, I would leave it alone and keep driving until you can tear it apart and replace all gaskets and seals. Seeping engines are not uncommon.

My one 650g that I recently rebuilt was leaking, consuming 12 ounces per tank of gas. That was pretty severe. Did cut down on oil changes though...

[Clone]

do you have it sitting on the centre stand when you are putting oil in it or the side stand?
It should be on the centre stand, and the oil should not be above the top line in the window. If you fill it with the bike sitting on the side stand, there could be enough oil in the engine to blow it out the crankcase vent.