oil leak(pour)
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From: Houston Texas
All the more reason to clean all the oil and grease off the frame and engine, then start it up and look at it as it sits there idling. You will quickly see the oil start to flow.
Where does it originate? That is going to be the area you have to repair. A cracked case will be a line of oil showing up. A bad seal may be a stream of oil running down the back side of the primary case.....pg
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From: Siler City,North Carolina
Thanks pioniongear. I wont be able to work on her again till probably Thursday. I'll clean her up and may even pull the back tire off so I can get a closer,better look at things. I'll get back to you then.Thanks alot man your a class act.JTB
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From: Houston Texas
Here is the thing about a Sportster.............
There is very little oil sitting in the bottom end when the engine is running.
The oil pump pumps oil into the engine which travels throughout the engine and falls back into the small sump in the bottom end.
As the pump is running and pumping oil in, it is also running it's scavenger side to return oil to the oil tank. So, there is never any excess oil (to leak out) unless the ball check in the pump has let oil flow by gravity into the sump. This takes 2 things..... some amount of time with the engine not running and a leaky ball. When the oil does drain and collect in the sump we call this 'loading up.'
The oil pump scavenger section can only pump out a certain amount of oil per minute. If there is a lot of oil in the sump. the pump cannot remove it fast enough, the pistons come down and compress this excess amount of oil, so it has to go somewhere and that place is out the breather vent tube below the generator and onto the ground.
Yours has been run frequently enough to not have the base load up though.
So where is this oil coming from when the bike is running?
The only other oil is in the primary and connected to that using the same oil is the transmission. If either of those were leaking it would most likely be all the time, engine running or not.
So, clean it up really good and have some good daylight to see what is going on when you crank it up.
When we know where the oil starts leaking at we will be closer to determining what the fix is going to be............. pg
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From: West Tennessee
Depends on where the break was at, but most likely yes the bike would leak even if were off if the cases were cracked.
Have you tried just putting the bike in neutral, starting it and carefully looking under the bike while it's running to see where its dripping from? I have a feeling that either your primary drain plug or tranny drain plug have stripped or come loose causing a leak. But the problem with that argument is you said it only does it when its running.
You really need to either do what piniongear said and clean the motor and frame of all the dirt and crud, run the motor and see where it leaks or do what I said and while its running look under the bike to see if you can see where it's leaking. Then report back here with the findings and even pictures would really help us help you.
Have you tried just putting the bike in neutral, starting it and carefully looking under the bike while it's running to see where its dripping from? I have a feeling that either your primary drain plug or tranny drain plug have stripped or come loose causing a leak. But the problem with that argument is you said it only does it when its running.
You really need to either do what piniongear said and clean the motor and frame of all the dirt and crud, run the motor and see where it leaks or do what I said and while its running look under the bike to see if you can see where it's leaking. Then report back here with the findings and even pictures would really help us help you.
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I'm gonna clean it up the end of the week. I did crank it and looked under it. The oil pours out so fast, and I do mean fast, that I'm scared I'm gonna lock her up. She already ran out once today. I reckon I'm gonna have to just keep pouring and pouring. The thing is,when I fired her up today,I was with her for 5 to 10 mins. Came inside for about 5 mins.Went back out to the old girl and she was dry.Didn't lock her up and hope I did'nt screw anything else up. I'll update you at the end of the week. Thanks yall.jtb
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From: Houston Texas
Hey supr2nr,,,,,,,,,
I am a graduate of the Evelyn Weedhead school of speed typing
I am a graduate of the Evelyn Weedhead school of speed typing
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From: West Tennessee
Originally Posted by jtbredneck351
I'm gonna clean it up the end of the week. I did crank it and looked under it. The oil pours out so fast, and I do mean fast, that I'm scared I'm gonna lock her up. She already ran out once today. I reckon I'm gonna have to just keep pouring and pouring. The thing is,when I fired her up today,I was with her for 5 to 10 mins. Came inside for about 5 mins.Went back out to the old girl and she was dry.Didn't lock her up and hope I did'nt screw anything else up. I'll update you at the end of the week. Thanks yall.jtb
If you put your finger down under the starter do you feel oil? If so then its likely coming from where I just said. And that would make sense as to why it only pours when the motor is running.
Edit: Another way to determine that, is fill the oil tank up with oil. Start the bike, open the oil tanks lid and look and see if you see oil being returned to the oil tank. If not then your return line has some issues.
Last edited by supr2nr; Apr 1, 2009 at 09:57 AM.
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From: Houston Texas
Now we are even Randy. You beat me to this one.
Last night I was thinking about the oil leak problem and remembered that the oil lines were removed to check them. I wonder if the return line was installed back in place?
It was late, so I let it go.
The oil line is the only thing that could pump oil out like JTB described. And he did have the lines loose or removed, so I think you may have found the problem for him. We shall see what he finds........ pg
Last night I was thinking about the oil leak problem and remembered that the oil lines were removed to check them. I wonder if the return line was installed back in place?
It was late, so I let it go.
The oil line is the only thing that could pump oil out like JTB described. And he did have the lines loose or removed, so I think you may have found the problem for him. We shall see what he finds........ pg
Fast on the track and fast on the keyboard!
I know you said earlier that you pulled the oil tank and battery tray and checked all oil lines. But did you check the hose on the return (just above the transmission, see picture below). If that hose had a break in it or it physically came off oil would pour out exactly like you have been experiencing (and obviously the motor would eventually run out of oil because the oil would be pouring on your driveway instead of being sent back to your tank).
If you put your finger down under the starter do you feel oil? If so then its likely coming from where I just said. And that would make sense as to why it only pours when the motor is running.
Edit: Another way to determine that, is fill the oil tank up with oil. Start the bike, open the oil tanks lid and look and see if you see oil being returned to the oil tank. If not then your return line has some issues.
I know you said earlier that you pulled the oil tank and battery tray and checked all oil lines. But did you check the hose on the return (just above the transmission, see picture below). If that hose had a break in it or it physically came off oil would pour out exactly like you have been experiencing (and obviously the motor would eventually run out of oil because the oil would be pouring on your driveway instead of being sent back to your tank).
If you put your finger down under the starter do you feel oil? If so then its likely coming from where I just said. And that would make sense as to why it only pours when the motor is running.
Edit: Another way to determine that, is fill the oil tank up with oil. Start the bike, open the oil tanks lid and look and see if you see oil being returned to the oil tank. If not then your return line has some issues.