Oil leaks from the engine

Do these normally require someone to take the engine out, take it apart, and rebuild it?

I've got a slight oil leak on the CBR at the bottom of the engine, it seems to be coming from the join between the sump and the rest of the engine. Assuming the bolts are tightened to the correct torque, is the only way to fix this to take it apart and re-seal (I think there is some sort of sealing paste or something used, which is what would be missing if the bolts were tight enough)?

It's very slight and seems to only happen when I leave the bike on the side stand, i.e. leaning over on the side the leak is coming from. But it's at the bottom of the engine so I'd have thought it'd always be below the oil level - but that's another question which I will investigate tomorrow at the earliest...

Can you get any kind of radweld type stuff for engines perhaps?!

[yorkie_chris]

I wouldn't trust ANYTHING that claimed to seal engine leaks, snake oils the lot of them.

Basically its split the cases or live with it, I'd live with it unless there was some other reason to be inside the engine.

[rictus01]

if it's the sump, then you'll not need to remove the engine normally, drain the oil, remove the bolts and renew the gasket ( no more than £10 or so) and then re-assemble and refill, it's important to make sure all traces of the old gasket are removed and both surfaces are clean before fitting the new one, but an easy job to do.

Cheers Mark.

What Rictus said, CBR engines will allow you to drop the sump pan without removing the engine, you may well have to remove the complete exhaust though. Last one I did was a bit older and the downpipes really restricted working in that area.

I'll double check but pretty sure it's the sump - at least that sounds like it can be fixed relatively easily! I've changed the downpipes on it already so I know how to do that and they should come off easily. I might be able to do it without removing them, depending on how large the sump is (didn't check it out).

I can live with the leak for now, as it only seems to leak when it's left on the side stand!

Btw off topic but it's so much more informative/helpful on this site than the CBR forums! If I'd asked this there I'd probably get told to get a Haynes manual, even if the question has never been asked before...

Maybe I should swap the CBR for another SV!