View Full Version : Oil leak on my new sv650 curvey!
I thought it was the O-ring around the clutch housing, but I changed that and it still leaks :-(
It has been suggested that it could be the housing around the water pump... its oil cooled i am told... any1 got any more info on this? is it a common problem?
Oil drips onto the exhaust and into the belly pan, and also sprays onto the rear wheel a bit... NOT ideal obviously!
I am skint, so looking for manual online before i strip (the oil pump, not me! - not that skint yet!)
Just go the bike a few days ago (previous post) and not rode it much :-(
wanna get her back on the road asap! lol!
Thanks in advance guys, any advice weclome...
Mike
Ps. I added a piccy in one of my replies below... adding one here too - so people notice it !
http://www.kingpin-seo.co.uk/bike/Leak1thumb.jpg
dizzyblonde
22-03-08, 05:33 PM
maybe you've tightened the bolts a little too tight??
I know a while back I asked about the leak here, and someone said it was a common problem. My black one has a slight leak in the same place. Als the clutch housing can get warped apparently, and if the paint gets disturbed around it that can sometimes cause the seal to leak.
Can someone correct me if I'm wrong
Could it be coming from your breather pipes? I should think you'd see it leaking past the water pump housing.
Dangerous Dave
22-03-08, 05:42 PM
If its none of the above...
First things first you nedd to identify where the oild leak is coming from, spraying on to the back wheel means you are losing a lot so check your oil level before riding! Give the engine a good degrease, especially around the right hand side, then take the bike for a short run if it leaks you should see where from (if you ride for too long the oil will leak more and it will be less likely to see where it is coming from).
The clutch cover O-ring was always a known problem, one of the reasons that the later models had a one piece right hand side! I have this problem with the 750 but its not down to the O-ring, its two of the bolts on mine. If you can identify that the leak comes from one or two bolts all I do is remove one bolt and place silicone sealant on it and place it back in then repeat with another bolt. Never been a problem since.
But you need to identify where the leak is coming from first!
Could it be coming from your breather pipes? I should think you'd see it leaking past the water pump housing.
Here is a piccy... it looks like housing. As you can see, it looks like the bike has been dropped due to the scrape on clutch housing. But it seems to be coming out higher up.
How could the water pump leak oil??? - Have a look at piccy, see if any1 can spot it...
http://kingpin-seo.co.uk/bike/Leak1thumb.jpg
http://www.kingpin-seo.co.uk/bike/leak1.lpg
Biker Biggles
22-03-08, 05:52 PM
Also take the front sprocket cover off and see if it is leaking from the gearbox output shaft bearing.If it is check the sprocket nut is tight as a loose one will allow the seal to leak.And the sprocket will come off.
If its none of the above...
I have this problem with the 750 but its not down to the O-ring, its two of the bolts on mine. If you can identify that the leak comes from one or two bolts all I do is remove one bolt and place silicone sealant on it and place it back in then repeat with another bolt. Never been a problem since.
But you need to identify where the leak is coming from first!
AH! This makes sense Dave.... It does (or did) look like it was coming past one of the bolts...
The bolts were all slightly bent when i took them out, suggesting to me that the seller knew of the problem and tried to tighten them up too much to cure it maybe?
I did nip them all up when I first saw the problem, and some were loose! So maybe he even took the cover off to have a look, don't know. Are bent bolts common do you find?
Thanks for the advice so far everyone!
Mike
Ps. Last nite i rode from Bristol to bath (14 miles each way tops i think) and then back... I lost half the oil!
Dangerous Dave
22-03-08, 06:01 PM
Last nite i rode from Bristol to bath (14 miles each way tops i think) and then back... I lost half the oil!
You need to find this leak if you are loosing this much in 14 miles, I know the A4 (Bath-Bristol road) well and that route doesn't take long to do!
I know the A4 (Bath-Bristol road) well and that route doesn't take long to do!
Nope ;-)
what do you think to the picture? - added it to first post in thread...
Dangerous Dave
22-03-08, 06:05 PM
Just seen you pic Mike, same place one of mine leaks! The two bolts at 1 o'clock and 3 o'clock are the problem I have had, created the same mess too!
I'd recommend the silicon treatment, and replace them bent bolts as I have never seen this in the flesh on any of the 3 SV's I have owned or the dozen I have serviced!
Have you checked your water level, and the quality of the water? The oil in the sight glass, when you can see it, is it milky coloured?
Just seen you pic Mike, same place one of mine leaks! The two bolts at 1 o'clock and 3 o'clock are the problem I have had, created the same mess too!
I'd recommend the silicon treatment, and replace them bent bolts as I have never seen this in the flesh on any of the 3 SV's I have owned or the dozen I have serviced!
Cool. I will treat the bolts to a silicone...
I will replace all bolts has they are all bent! - have to be after weekend as everywhere closed for easter!
Mike
Dangerous Dave
22-03-08, 06:13 PM
Have you checked your water level, and the quality of the water? The oil in the sight glass, when you can see it, is it milky coloured?
Do this too...
Do this too...
Yer... well... water is clean.
Level does not drop...
Oil... now then...
When i took the oil filler cap off, it was like creamy white inside :-(
I obviously thought... ****e! head gasket!!!
BUT... it had just been run out of oil, and stopped/started lots.
it now seems okay.
and I checked with a friend that has a gsxr750, and he has a similar thing - has done for ages - if he stop starts lots...
Should i be worried? - basically, no oil in water at all, but there appears to be a little water in the oil.
THAT SAID, the water level does not drop one bit...
- also... important question here... I have some 10/40 oil (as it says it need on the cap) - but its for a car... any good ? As i have a new filter, and once the leak is plugged I want to change the ****ty oil...
- With sv650, do you check oil level thru the glass when its cold or hot?
Mike
Dangerous Dave
22-03-08, 06:30 PM
have some 10/40 oil (as it says it need on the cap) - but its for a car... any good?
Bike Oil Only!!!
Bike Oil Only!!!
Cool... - with sv650, do you check oil level thru the glass when its cold or hot?
Thanks for all ya help!!!
Mike
Cool... - with sv650, do you check oil level thru the glass when its cold or hot?
Thanks for all ya help!!!
Mike
Cold. We always check ours just before going out for a ride, but we can't run it first as we keep it in the house.
sv-robo
22-03-08, 06:33 PM
- With sv650, do you check oil level thru the glass when its cold or hot?
Mike
Run bike for a few mins to warm it up then swittch off
Check oil 2/3mins later and see how high it comes up the window
Also, not on the side stand but holding the bike upright.
Run bike for a few mins to warm it up then swittch off
Check oil 2/3mins later and see how high it comes up the window
Cold. We always check ours just before going out for a ride.
Doh!
Which one is right!?!
The handbook does say what Robo says, but we check it cold, can't really see it makes a lot of difference as long as you do check it.
The handbook does say what Robo says, but we check it cold, can't really see it makes a lot of difference as long as you do check it.
Okay, thanks!
I will maybe check cold, then run and check hot... and see what the difference is.
Cheers everyone!
Mike
dizzyblonde
22-03-08, 06:47 PM
you do it cold so you get a more accurate level. When your oil is warm its travelled round the system a bit, and may seem low when you check it. If you top it up, and go back to it I garantee it'll say you'vr over filled it above the high level mark.........trust me I got told off by Im Indoors for doing a check after I'd run it a little. I'll do as I'm old in future!!
Cool, thanks everyone! - gotta go now.
Will silicone the bolts in the morning, and change oil for nice new oil.
Dangerous Dave
22-03-08, 07:06 PM
Run bike for a few mins to warm it up then swittch off
Check oil 2/3mins later and see how high it comes up the window
This is what I do, you gotta check it with the bike upright and not on a paddock stand either.
maultin
22-03-08, 07:06 PM
mine was leaking a few weeks ago - turned out to be the crank case breather pipe.
Dangerous Dave
22-03-08, 07:08 PM
mine was leaking a few weeks ago - turned out to be the crank case breather pipe.
Thats a common one too, but if you look in his pic you can see that the oil spill does no go high enough which means a leak is coming from either the clutch or the water pump. Always go to the oil marks highest spot and work down.
Bike Oil Only!!!
OK lets stir things up a bit..............................:rolleyes:
I do know the answer to my question, but would like to see how many of you spend too much cash !!!!
Why BIKE OIL ONLY ? why not a bit of old api spec sl 10/40 car oil ?
As you can generally buy a 5 litre can for the same as 1 litre of "bike oil"
Discuss........................................... ........................................
jumjum_0214
23-03-08, 02:28 PM
The leak your referring to is the waterpump. There are 4 seals in total.
There is an o ring seal inside the waterpump, when this fails water/oil mix will leak from the casing. This is currently happening on mine (although not as bad) and its going in to be fixed Thursday.
Your probably getting a little bit of water in your oil, that will explain the creamy stuff. I would get the leak fixed properly first before replacing it.
As for silicone on the nuts???? - This will only be a temporary fix and its just hiding the problem.
Dangerous Dave
23-03-08, 03:59 PM
As for silicone on the nuts???? - This will only be a temporary fix and its just hiding the problem.
I was referring to the clutch cover which is a seperate piece on the early curvy's and a well known problem. They only way it can be treated properly is to replace the side casing with a one piece casing as used on later curvys and pointys.
caz650s
23-03-08, 05:05 PM
OK lets stir things up a bit..............................:rolleyes:
I do know the answer to my question, but would like to see how many of you spend too much cash !!!!
Why BIKE OIL ONLY ? why not a bit of old api spec sl 10/40 car oil ?
As you can generally buy a 5 litre can for the same as 1 litre of "bike oil"
Discuss........................................... ........................................
I think if you don't use proper bike spec oil it can cause problems with the wet clutch operation .
Hi again!
I siliconed the 2 bolts... tightened them up...
Unfortunately, I think that whatever bent the bolts must have been weakened them also (as I think I said before, maybe it was dropped by a previous owner as there is a scuff/scrape mark on the clutch cover) - as when I tried to tighten them one sheared off! - didn't have a torque wrench to hand, but even so, I didn't tighten hard!
I removed the clutch cover and was very pis*#d off to find there was not enough of the bolt to clamp grips onto... I managed to tap the bolt round with a flat headed screwdriver until there was enuf to grip and remove... thank god! (didn't have any extractors to hand either!!!)
So, I went to the local bike shop and managed to get a free bolt (bought oil from them so not too out of order!) - I siliconed the bolts again,changed the oil and filter, and fired her up...
IT DIDN'T LEAK! (at first...)
I had a quick whizz around the block, starting steady (till I got to the petrol station to check all the oil was washed off the rear tyre!)
Then after a bit it started to leak a little. So I went back, removed the silicone and used some blue gasket paste on the bolts - This time they stopped leaking.
I had a quick jolt up the m32 and back :-) and now another 1 - maybe 2 bolts are leaking! - but only a tiny, tiny bit... just sort of weaping.
I intend going to Peter Hammonds in cirencester tomrw... a bit of a fun ride - as I hear they are good guys.
If they have them in stock I will buy some new bolts, fabric washers, (and gasket paste to keep under the seat!!!)
- I was thinking, my curvy has no temp. gauge - which I am not happy about...
How hard would it be to fit a temp gauge? - Also an oil pressure guage would be nice! - I always see oil pressure as akin to blood pressure... advance warning is good!
Anywayz, thanks so much for all your help, you lot have helped me to figure this out!
Mike
Dangerous Dave
25-03-08, 12:14 PM
If they are still leaking, well in a different place now, I am thinking that the clutch cover maybe warped slightly after the previous owners off.
May be worth a look on Ebay???
If they are still leaking, well in a different place now, I am thinking that the clutch cover maybe warped slightly after the previous owners off.
May be worth a look on Ebay???
Hmmmm... maybe. I will see howmuch new. Thanks again!
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