[Jellyroll]

This very night. Wife asleep. Sky dark. Traffic nil. Time to ride. Backed the GT out of the garage. Went back in to grab togs. Oil pool the size of a dessert plate. Went back outside to roll GT back in. Grabbed MagLite, paper towel, glasses. Swept floor, laid down on same. Wiped down underside of engine and inspected towel for oil. Found drops hanging from filter screen bolts. Cleaned up oil, tightened bolts. Blew off ride.
I have about 500mi. on it now, took it in for the first oil change at 328mi. In the interim I have averaged 35mph with a few slow revving runs up to and maintaining 55mph for short distances. Each time I've parked it there's been no oil on the ground(rode a 69 Triumph, you kind of look for that), and nothing on the rear worth noticing. The only reason I found this leak is the GT has set for 5 days since my last midnight skulk. A slllooow leak here, folks.
Us fresh RE owners might check our drain plugs 'n' such after each oil change; ride for a while, and re-torque after the bike is cold. Just like doing a re-torque on a reassembled motor. I recall on the old forum a thread on drilling the bolts/plugs for safety wire, a damn good idea.

[gizzo]

Mine had the same thing: Leaking from new, the dealer sent it back to me after the first service still leaking. Sent it back for another try, they told me that the O ring sealing the plug is a little undersize and sits inside the o ring groove too deeply. A smear of Yamabond fixed it. I'm taking the o ring to my local bearing supplier next service and get one that fits properly. Meanwhile, the Yamabond sealed it ok.

[mattsz]

Us fresh RE owners might check our drain plugs 'n' such after each oil change; ride for a while, and re-torque after the bike is cold. Just like doing a re-torque on a reassembled motor. I recall on the old forum a thread on drilling the bolts/plugs for safety wire, a damn good idea.

Be careful with those small bolts - I believe the torque spec is 6NM, or about 4.5 ft-lbs.  It doesn't take much to strip out those threads.  Safety wire will definitely keep your bolts from loosening, but it won't stop oil leaking around a faulty o-ring, or dirty mating surfaces...

[Jellyroll]

Good advice. I have a few more runs through town to get the mileage up, and I'm going to drain it and inspect the oil myself, plus run to my bearing dealer and find the right seal. I used a Nm torque wrench , they were off about 3-4, but I'm paranoid enough to do the work myself. After this, next mandatory visit to the shop I'm taking all my tools and I'll go over it in the parking lot before I leave. No telling how much oil I lost. I'm doing a fork boot job and detail wash among other things all this week so I'll check the level before the change. Seems on the darkish side for so few miles, the new oil being clear(Castrol Actevo).

[dickim]

Similar on my C5 - went for 1st service "Oil Tight" - came back with a leak from one of the 2 small bolts - and they were dammed tight - so loosened to finger and then just thumb pressure on the spanner - so will just see how it goes 

[medra42]

Similar on my C5 - went for 1st service "Oil Tight" - came back with a leak from one of the 2 small bolts - and they were dammed tight - so loosened to finger and then just thumb pressure on the spanner - so will just see how it goes 

Any update on this? I'm having the same problem after first oil change. Can't seem to get the slow leak to stop and I know it's one of those small bolts, or that it's at least coming from that cap/cover. They're currently as tight as I'm comfortable turning them for fear of stripping them out.

[GSS]

Ace hardware has all the right o-rings for the UCE engines.  Just take your old ones and match them up with something a tiny bit thicker.  Also our hosts sell 5 pack oil change kits that come with nice o-rings.  Just don't overtighten the bolts.....as many others have cautioned against as well......that will only make things worse!

GSS

[medra42]

Ace hardware has all the right o-rings for the UCE engines.  Just take your old ones and match them up with something a tiny bit thicker.  Also our hosts sell 5 pack oil change kits that come with nice o-rings.  Just don't overtighten the bolts.....as many others have cautioned against as well......that will only make things worse!

GSS

Thanks! I don't think I've over-tightened. If I have, do I need new bolts or to have the holes re-tapped?

I'll grab a torque wrench tonight when I'm going for the gasket.

[medra42]

Final check in. Completely solved the problem with two new M5 bolts from the hardware store. No new o ring needed. Thread on the bolts was indeed questionable, probably from over tightening.

Words of advice, the thread on those holes doesn't like every kind of bolt. I went through a couple packs of M5s before I found two that went in easy.

[Kevin Mahoney]

There are some good points made here about overtightening.