oil leaking after oil change

[backonabike]

bike: 2012 V7 racer

I recently did oil change, added 1.9 L of oil but now I notice that I am getting spotting of oil under the bike. I also did the carb sync recently and had the vacuum line detached to get vacuum meter attached, not sure if that had a side affect? But also maybe over filled with oil? Need some suggestion on how to fix.

[I am ready for someone to say remove the evap. ] here are some pictures.

Here bike facing to the left, you can see the small line leading to the back of the motor has oil drop on it, you can see the bottom right some oil on the parking lot.



Here you can see oil on the canister, but this oil could have originated from somewhere else:

 

[Kevin.NZ]

Looks like that oil fitting is leaking or oil running down the pipe and then dripping off. Clean off all the oil, run the bike for a minute or two then try to find the source. Cant see the vacuum line having anything to do with it. If you have overfilled it, just suck some out or drain and refill.

 

[greer]

Remember the old spray-on foot powder trick, easy way to detect the source of the leak. Good luck, let us know how it goes.

Sarah

 

[V700Steve]

Always put in 1/2qt less than book says, then top up to 1/8" under full mark. Check after running motor. Smallblocks are sensitive to full mark.
You could look in bottom of airbox to see if leaking from there cause of overfill. Also check return hose to pan tightness.

 

[backonabike]

initially it looks over filled, but I am checking with the engine cold. I will need to go for a ride. However, why does the engine need to be warm anyway? I don't think that oil expands. Maybe they want a thin coat of oil everywhere? Manual say to warm the engine up 10mins of riding, then cool off for 5mins also to let the oil drain back into the pan.

MG as a manufacturer could have just done a cold measurement and give us the spec of that too, wouldn't that be convenient for everyone involved? My noob self doesn't understand.

But will report back when I get the oil checked again. thanks all.

 

[Kevin.NZ]

Oil does expand, I also have an Aprilia Caponord that has a see through tube, not a dip stick on the side of the engine to measure oil level, when cold it just shows at the "low" mark but when hot it is at the "full" mark. its at least 100mm higher, there is no sump as such on this bike, Its good to get the oil warm/hot as it assists in draining, don't scold yourself. Of course you can do it cold, it just takes longer. Make your own mark on the stick to assist on a cold reading before you set off on a ride.

 

[backonabike]

I drained out about 3-4 oz of oil and got the oil down to the low mark after a 20 min ride. It was over filled, and I tighten the return line 1/3 turn, it was easy to initially turn, but at 1/3 turn it was pretty tight. I used a stubby wrench only maybe 4" long, so it must have been pretty loose. I will take a look after a few hours. ty.

 

[scott_m]

initially it looks over filled, but I am checking with the engine cold. I will need to go for a ride. However, why does the engine need to be warm anyway? I don't think that oil expands. Maybe they want a thin coat of oil everywhere? Manual say to warm the engine up 10mins of riding, then cool off for 5mins also to let the oil drain back into the pan.

MG as a manufacturer could have just done a cold measurement and give us the spec of that too, wouldn't that be convenient for everyone involved? My noob self doesn't understand.

But will report back when I get the oil checked again. thanks all.

First off - All liquids EXPAND when heated. It's called thermal expansion. This includes oils.

The reason you check oil when it is hot is because,

1. They want the oil in the most fluid flowing state, where the excess returns to the pan at the bottom of the engine, relatively quickly (hence the 5 minute wait), thereby giving the most accurate reading on the dipstick.

2. During the warming up process, the oil is being circulated and is literally "coating" the various internal component with a fine film of oil, and in some places inside of the engine, even more than just a fine coating. Again, the excess will drain down quickly, but the amount of oil used in this coating process, is significant. If the engine was cold, then this would not be the same and the level on the dipstick would read unusually higher than it should be.

This is also the reasons why you should never "chase" the FULL mark on the dipstick. There is a MIN and a MAX line on the dipstick. ANYWHERE between these 2 marks is NORMAL and just fine. The motorcycle will run perfectly with the oil level anywhere between these two marks.

OVERFILLING the oil is detrimental to the operation of the engine. Excess gets drawn up into the airbox from the positive crankcase ventilation pathway, which routes oiled air from the crankcase, back into air box for burning in the cylinders. When the engine oil is overfilled, literally liquid oil, not just oiled air, gets pulled up into this ventilation system and can deposit significant amounts of liquid oil into your air box, causing a host of running issues.

I hope this helps explain it for you. Good luck!

 

[backonabike]

so far so good, i think it was just leaking from that return line. tysm

 

[Bill Hagan]

First off - All liquids EXPAND when heated. It's called thermal expansion. This includes oils.

The reason you check oil when it is hot is because,

1. They want the oil in the most fluid flowing state, where the excess returns to the pan at the bottom of the engine, relatively quickly (hence the 5 minute wait), thereby giving the most accurate reading on the dipstick.

2. During the warming up process, the oil is being circulated and is literally "coating" the various internal component with a fine film of oil, and in some places inside of the engine, even more than just a fine coating. Again, the excess will drain down quickly, but the amount of oil used in this coating process, is significant. If the engine was cold, then this would not be the same and the level on the dipstick would read unusually higher than it should be.

This is also the reasons why you should never "chase" the FULL mark on the dipstick. There is a MIN and a MAX line on the dipstick. ANYWHERE between these 2 marks is NORMAL and just fine. The motorcycle will run perfectly with the oil level anywhere between these two marks.

OVERFILLING the oil is detrimental to the operation of the engine. Excess gets drawn up into the airbox from the positive crankcase ventilation pathway, which routes oiled air from the crankcase, back into air box for burning in the cylinders. When the engine oil is overfilled, literally liquid oil, not just oiled air, gets pulled up into this ventilation system and can deposit significant amounts of liquid oil into your air box, causing a host of running issues.

I hope this helps explain it for you. Good luck!

All good points.

That said, my only quibble -- from, as most here know, a guy who loves wrenching but is ... erm ... challenged by it -- is your use, twice, of the word "significant."

I am not as much doubting that as just trying to comprehend how it could be significant in the context of the amount wandering around upstairs -- thus affecting dipstick-visible oil level -- or, absent gross overfilling, enough to affect running from a slightly sloshy air box.

Over the years, and especially in the Norge now and then, I have occasionally been guilty of "chasing" the full mark, and have thus had too much oil in the air box. In those instances, while annoying, I do not recall running issues, just a minor embarrassing mess to clean up.

Moreover, with the Norge and the others, I have been curious about the difference between checking the oil level when engines were hot and cold. I have also been interested in finding a mark on dipsticks while on side stands. As I recall -- not necessarily to be confused with actual facts -- there were not, at least to my mind -- significant, or, FTM, particularly discernible differences in levels on the dip sticks.

Be all of that as it may -- and it might not -- thanks again, Scott, for your reminder about the engineering behind the metal curtain.

Bill

 

[scott_m]

Hi Bill,

1. Significant amount of oil coating the inside of the engine components after running. Next time you drain you oil, when you think it is drained, put a fresh oil pan under the bike and leave it overnight. You will be shocked at how much oil is in the pan in the morning.

2. Significant amount of oil in the airbox. There should be no oil in an airbox. Zero. I have opened airboxes and soaked up as much as a cup of oil before! This oil will be drawn up into and through the steeper motor and gum it up and cause it to stop operating properly. This is why the procedure for idling issues on a steeper motor motorcycle is to clean the steeper with carb cleaner while running the engine, to remove the oily gum residue. It also causes gum buildup throughout the entire intake track, leading to buildup on the intake walls and valve, causing running problems down the road.

This has been my personal experience with this issue. I offer it for informational purposes.

Next time you go riding, check your oil 5 minutes after you get back. Mark your dipstick and leave it out all night. Take another reading the next day. You will see a significant difference.

For clarification in general...

Forums seem to draw people who love to argue about established fact, or the obvious. I don't understand it.

However, because of this, I never expect people to treat anything I share, as gospel or even remotely correct. (I think Todd, John Zibel and a few others here, would agree with this next statement...) Most won't - as evidenced here by the number of people who very foolishly (IMO), who break the paint seal on the "sacred screw" on the throttle bodies and alter the initial "factory bench setup" butterfly valve angle, or run car tires on a motorcycle, etc. People do what they want to do.

YMMV.

 

[Bill Hagan]

Thanks, Scott.

Lest I be misunderstood, I thought I was deferential, not doubting nor disputing, your observations. I also thought I was rather candid about my own ignorance and inexperience. My post was simply wondering aloud about how "significant" your use of "significant" was.

And, FWIW, I've never touched the sacred screw" or done of any of those other things you mentioned. I do almost always leave the engine oil to drain out overnight (and, occasionally, because of "honey do's," etc., even longer, but it all goes into the same pan so I've not noticed any "extra."

Even in the times I've over-filled thorough negligence, most of those only resulted in an oil mist in my various air boxes, but the once that "pooled" was enough of a mess to avoid same after that.

But I have done my share of dumb things. Just today, I almost had my V7 III topple as I pulled the front wheel. I had the center stand deployed and the metal "pedestal" from the H-B paddock stand from my Griso under the V7's sump. Holy shix ... it's very exciting to see the pedestal lean and the bike move a bit as it obeyed the law of gravity!

I managed to get the scissors jack under it in time, but yee ha that was "fun."

Best,

Bill

 

[scott_m]

Oh Bill...

I meant nothing in my reply (the first half) other than genuine info. I’ve been around here long enough to know that you are a First Class Gentleman.

The second half, about forum people, had absolutely nothing to do with you. Not one bit Sir. It was just semi-related to my thought train, and just an out loud talking point on my part. Please forgive my carelessness.

I apologize I caused you any angst or consternation whatsoever. Truly.

 

[Bill Hagan]

Thanks, Scott, but yours was an unnecessary apology.

I have 13 grandkids. I thus assure you that, unlike the impact of those little hellions on my delicate psyche, while I was concerned I might have unintentionally "aroused your competitive instincts," I suffered no angst or consternation whatsoever.

Bill