Unofficial Royal Enfield Community Forum

Royal Enfield Motorcycles => Bullet with the UCE engine => Topic started by: Hobgoblin on November 11, 2010, 10:57:28 pm

Title: G5 Oil Leak
Post by: Hobgoblin on November 11, 2010, 10:57:28 pm
I just completed the first oil and filter change on my 2010 G5 Deluxe after 350 trouble-free miles. (I used Amsoil 20W50 full synthetic.) I then rode the bike for approximately 50 miles. The next morning, I noticed a small puddle of oil on the garage floor under the engine. When I looked under the engine, I discovered that oil droplets were forming on one of the two retaining bolts for the cover over the filter screen (i.e., the rear-most bolt only ..... the other bolt was clean and dry). Has anyone had a similar experience after an oil change? Any idea what might be causing this oil leak?
Title: Re: G5 Oil Leak
Post by: t120rbullet on November 11, 2010, 11:15:24 pm
Any idea what might be causing this oil leak?

The lack of thread sealant on the bolts?
CJ
Title: Re: G5 Oil Leak
Post by: r80rt on November 11, 2010, 11:24:49 pm
Could be a pinched O ring.
Title: Re: G5 Oil Leak
Post by: TWinOKC on November 12, 2010, 02:20:39 am
Mine leaks a few drops, just like yours, keeps the rust away.  I just put a pan with kitty litter under it and call it good.   
Title: Re: G5 Oil Leak
Post by: Ragmas on November 12, 2010, 07:17:22 am
You like me are using full synthetic which is fairly more thin than all them dead dinosaurs.  Perhaps a little bit of sealant is in order.

Sam
Title: Re: G5 Oil Leak
Post by: Ducati Scotty on November 12, 2010, 03:41:26 pm
I'm using Mobil 1 full synth 10w40, no leaks.  Full synth is more prone to leaking from small gaps than dino oil but first I'd suspect a pinched o-ring, loose bolt, or tiny piece of grit somewhere on the sealing surface.

Scott
Title: Re: G5 Oil Leak
Post by: prof_stack on November 12, 2010, 05:46:01 pm
I'm using Mobil 1 full synth 10w40, no leaks.  Full synth is more prone to leaking from small gaps than dino oil but first I'd suspect a pinched o-ring, loose bolt, or tiny piece of grit somewhere on the sealing surface.

Scott

+1
Title: Re: G5 Oil Leak
Post by: Ducati Scotty on November 12, 2010, 06:12:37 pm
Of course to check this you'd need to remove the cover which would drain all the oil. :(  If you don't want to buy new oil just get a clean aluminum disposable baking pan at the grocery store.  Then you can collect the oil and put it back into the engine if you want, without the contamination of whatever gunk live in your normal drain pan.

Scott
Title: Re: G5 Oil Leak
Post by: prof_stack on November 13, 2010, 01:07:53 am
Of course to check this you'd need to remove the cover which would drain all the oil. :(  If you don't want to buy new oil just get a clean aluminum disposable baking pan at the grocery store.  Then you can collect the oil and put it back into the engine if you want, without the contamination of whatever gunk live in your normal drain pan.
Scott
Scotty, are you sure that ALL the oil would drain out of the oil filter cover?  Isn't most of the oil lower down in the motor?  If the bike is on the side stand I would think that removing the oil filter cap would not cause an exodus of oil.

But, please correct me if I'm incorrect here.  Thanks.
Title: Re: G5 Oil Leak
Post by: Ducati Scotty on November 13, 2010, 04:11:27 pm
Not sure, but if you used a small pan, then yes, I'm sure ALL the oil would drain out.  If you used a large pan I'm sure it would only be some. ;)

Scott
Title: Re: G5 Oil Leak
Post by: Kevin Mahoney on November 14, 2010, 02:25:35 am
Remember that before the oil change there was no leak. It relates to something you did or didnt do. My guess is an O-Ring pinch as well. Use some grease to hold them in place while you replace them.
Title: Re: G5 Oil Leak
Post by: raycopper on November 14, 2010, 07:26:13 am
Mine leaks a few drops, just like yours, keeps the rust away.  I just put a pan with kitty litter under it and call it good.   

Stress not an option  ;D
Title: Re: G5 Oil Leak
Post by: REpozer on November 14, 2010, 05:15:22 pm
My AVL engine with 3 drain plugs and a British design oil filter, don't leak a drop.
Title: Re: G5 Oil Leak
Post by: Ducati Scotty on November 14, 2010, 06:12:04 pm
My AVL engine with 3 drain plugs and a British design oil filter, don't leak a drop.

Shhhh!  Don't let it hear you! ;)
Title: Re: G5 Oil Leak
Post by: Hobgoblin on November 15, 2010, 12:02:42 am
Problem solved ..... however, I'm still not sure what caused the oil leak. Maybe the original O-ring did get pinched, as several of you suggested, but there was no evidence of that.  Nevertheless, I replaced the O-ring and slapped everything back together.  I'm happy to report that, after 60 miles of riding, the bottom of my engine is clean and dry. Thanks very much to everyone who responded to my post with suggestions. The US RE Community is fantastic.
Title: Re: G5 Oil Leak
Post by: r80rt on November 15, 2010, 03:37:22 am
Glad to hear it!
Title: Re: G5 Oil Leak
Post by: Ducati Scotty on November 15, 2010, 01:57:47 pm
:D
Title: Re: G5 Oil Leak
Post by: TWinOKC on November 16, 2010, 04:42:08 pm
I removed both drain plugs, cleaned and inspected the old o-ring, small plate and drain plug, didn't find anything out of the ordinary.  Put everything back together using a new o-ring.  I used just a dab of silicone grease on the o-ring only.  Did  not use any gasket sealer on anything else.  I tightened the hell out of the two 8mm screws hoping that would help stop the leak.  Started the scooter and ran it for approx one hour, everything looked good.  This morning there is a small spot of oil under the scooter in the area of the small plate with two screws.   

My previous post in this thread regarding the drip pan and kitty litter is based on a converstion I had with the local RE dealer.  I mentioned to him that the scooter had a small leak.  He told me "Oh haven't you every owned a British bike before, they all leak oil"

I would really appreciate any positive suggestions.  If anyone could tell me the recommended torque value for the two 8 mm bolts and the drain plug, it would be appreciated.

Respectfully,

Terry     
Title: Re: G5 Oil Leak
Post by: r80rt on November 16, 2010, 04:54:09 pm
Tightening the hell out of it is a good way to strip threads and cause leaks!
Title: Re: G5 Oil Leak
Post by: The Garbone on November 16, 2010, 05:15:14 pm
Guy I work with bought a new Harley and was using it to come to work every day.    After about a week he noticed what appeared to be a weep and drip coming from someplace on the case, it persisted for quite a few days.    Being under warranty he brought it to the shop and they checked it out.. No leak..

 A week later it was weeping again,  same place.   Brought it into the shop and they split the case, redid the seals etc..     It stopped leaking for about a week and then started up again from a different location..       At this point he was in the office complaining about it and said he was going  to bring the bike back as a lemon. 

That afternoon when he got back to the office he found a small oil can in his cube,  someone had been jerking his chain for about 2 months..
Title: Re: G5 Oil Leak
Post by: gashousegorilla on November 16, 2010, 05:48:25 pm
 COLD BLOODED !!.  Who did he piss off?
Title: Re: G5 Oil Leak
Post by: prof_stack on November 16, 2010, 06:20:17 pm
Reminds me of a story about some jerks tossing small nuts and washers near a motorcycle so the rider sees them when he gets back to his bike.

On our vibrating thumpers, this could be nerve-wracking !   >:(
Title: Re: G5 Oil Leak
Post by: qgolden on November 16, 2010, 06:58:42 pm
That afternoon when he got back to the office he found a small oil can in his cube,  someone had been jerking his chain for about 2 months..

That qualifies for justifiable homicide in some circles....
Title: Re: G5 Oil Leak
Post by: prof_stack on November 16, 2010, 07:20:12 pm
Back to the thread,

Does your G5 have the new oil filter cap with built in spring loader?  If not, perhaps that will solve the problem.  The Nfield catalog has it on sale now, I think.

If so, then back to the thread replies...