G5 Oil Leak

[starfield181]

Not ridden the G5 much yet but it does seem to be doing its best to waterproof the garage floor. Over the past 2 weeks the engine oil level does not seem to have varied at all, but the gearbox oil level has dropped by maybe 1/4 to 3/8". It seems to get worse if I run the engine, whether or not I actually take it for a ride.

The frame channel under the engine makes it difficult to establish where the leak originates. So far none has made it onto the back tyre so I think its probably not the output shaft oil seal but of course I could be wrong - my wife tells me I usually am.

Any suggestions as to where I should start my investigations or am I wasting my time and should just live with it?

Thanks

Peter

[cbranni]

I live with mine

Colin

[Rob Harknett]

I put an old bit of carpet on the floor of my sheds. Gets a bit soggy after about 10 years. So you may need a clean bit by the shed door, to wipe your feet when you go out.

[Ozmadman]

Now for the sensible answer... do you leave it on it's main or side stand? number one possibility is the rear main seal (behind the gearbox output sprocket). If you lay under the bike on the LH side and look up underneath roughly where the footrest is you will see that side of the box, stick your hand in the bottom of the casing and you will find oil there if there is a leak 2).. the kickstart or gear selector seals but then you would notice the "run" down the casing, wrap some cloth around the front pipe under those shafts and see if any oil soaks into it (these are notorious for leaking even when the seals are replaced). Possibly the gaskets but that will require a strip down, try taking off the RH side crankcase cover and then make sure those 6 screws that hold the box together are tight

[Rob Harknett]

The old bikes always seeped a bit of oil. This was not so noticeable when in daily use. If standing in the same spot for weeks, oil gets noticed. Probably looses a bit more also. Hence my sort of, don't worry about it reply.

[Janet]

This is my serious reply. I agree with Colin and Rob.

When you say it is worse when the engine is run, do you mean the level drops to the same point but quicker or do you mean it drops lower than when standing? Do you think the oil level will continue to fall lower if it is left standing for longer? How much is is losing compared with how fast you can top it up? What I mean is, if you went out for say 100 mile ride, would the level be worryingly low when you got back, ie not enough in the box to flick up onto all the moving parts? If the answer is no, and you remember to check it, it should be fine. If it's getting very low after 20 miles, I suggest you try to fix wherever the oil is leaking from.

Now, I know that some people feel that bikes should be perfect and every fault should be sorted straight away but it isn't idleness but more likely my lack of mechanical ability that causes me to say this. If you can live with the leak until it gets so bad that it must be fixed, wait until you need to fettle something else there, and do both jobs at the same time. To do some maintenance work on these gearboxes you need to pull off at least the offside end. This includes removing six screws that go from the outer cover right through to the case on the nearside. Having removed them, even if you're only delving inside that first cover, it is likely that you'll also slightly disturb the second gasket and, unless you're lucky, it may not reseal after you've finished the job. Therefore you could fix one problem and create another. Perhaps this happened to the previous owner.

Obviously there are other things to consider. One, is it leaking so badly that you'll be bankrupt through buying oil to top it up? Two, have you a suitably absorbent carpet to put underneath it?

[Rob Harknett]

Who remembers when garage floors were so thick with oil and grim, every so often you had to shovel it off. Never had old bits of carpet then to use. I was going to paint my garage floor with that Cardinal Red floor paint, still got the half gallon drum un opened.

[starfield181]

Other than that I keep it on the centre stand I don't currently have answers to the other questions. I have not ridden it often or far enough to establish whether it leaks at a faster rate in use than when standing nor to discover if it drops to a particular level then stabilises. I did originally keep it on the side stand and changed to using the centre stand in case this was assisting the leak; to be honest I don't think it made any difference. The rate of leakage is always greatest after the engine has been started regardless of whether it actually got ridden or not.

I will check the things commented on but it seems from the replies that some leakage is to be expected so I may well be worrying unnecessarily. Me and the bike are about to come out of hibernation so I will take the line of least resistance and just monitor the level for bit to see if a pattern emerges. Just as well there is a reasonable size toolbox as I will clearly have to take some oil with me as well as tools.

Must be nice to have a posh garage with carpet on the floor, we have to make do with cardboard in the sticks! Like Rob I bought some floor paint. Mine was green and it got used on the shed roof in the end - don't ask.

Thanks

[Ozmadman]

The rate of leakage is always greatest after the engine has been started regardless of whether it actually got ridden or not.

Are you sure we are talking about the gearbox oil leaking??? as that should make no difference whether the engine is started or not. The engine oil will show a drop when it is run as the oil circulates and may show an initial drop in the tank (the oil cap on the RH front side of the engine) keep that topped up to just under the oil return hole you can see. The gearbox oil is separate and can be checked by removing the oval plate on the side of the box with the two screws in it, keep the level right up to and level with the bottom of that opening otherwise a low level in these can knacker the box. SAE 50 engine oil in the box and engine (I use this all year round but you can use a slightly thinner SAE40 in the engine in winter if you want)

Must be nice to have a posh garage with carpet on the floor, we have to make do with cardboard in the sticks!
Thanks

Must be nice to have a garage let alone a bit of carpet or cardboard, mine just leaks into the front garden, good weedkiller though!!

[Janet]

The rate of leakage is always greatest after the engine has been started regardless of whether it actually got ridden or not.

Are you sure we are talking about the gearbox oil leaking??? as that should make no difference whether the engine is started or not.

I'm aware that I don't understand much about how bikes work but I thought that when the engine runs,so does the gearbox, or at least some of it, and vice versa. Otherwise, how does the kickstart work? Yes, a genuine question if I've misunderstood.

If I was right and the gearbox internals would be whizzing round, wouldn't they fling oil all over the place, including upwards to where, if there was a damaged bit of gasket, some of it could escape. Also, I don't know how long Peter was running his bike for, or how warm the gearbox oil would get in that time, but I'm fairly sure that there would be some rise in temperature with perhaps a corresponding increase in leakabilty.

My simple initial test for tracing the origins of oil leaks is, if the puddle on the floor is hacky black, it's from the engine, if it's clean, it's from the gearbox and, if under the nearside and a bit mucky, it's from the chaincase.

Must be nice to have a posh garage with carpet on the floor, we have to make do with cardboard in the sticks!

Cardboard is for the house floors. Like you say, the garage is posh. It has laminate flooring. When I moved into this house 35 years ago, there was imitation wood (ie printed on the surface of 4mm plywood sheeting) panelling on some walls of the living room. This was removed and laid face down on the garage floor. Although it is now black with oil, grease and anything else that's spilled onto it, damaged and de-laminating in parts, it's still there. Anyone could have a posh garage like mine. All they need to do is move to a house on the edge of a large council estate in Hull. Tempted?