200 miles, oil leak

[depechevelle]

I rode 65 miles including some mountain curves. I'm still on engine break-in so nothing crazy but the hardest I've run it so far. When I returned to the garage I discovered oil dripping off the left side of the bike and leaving a puddle, then realized everything from the engine back had been hosed in oil. I traced the trail up and into the airbox. I have taken the covers off and the oil seems to be in the left rear corner floor of the airbox. What I see in there is what appears to be a vent hose with a sheath on it which has oil all over it but is still connected. Also, what looks like two 1" long or so hoses that are open on the top and it looks like they were cut off. At first I thought one of them was a broken hose and that was the leak but I didn't find another end to it. Perhaps these are just vents? The oil level is between the two lines on the sight gauge. The bike has 211 miles and there was no sign of the oil before this ride. Any one know what is going on?

Also, I have read a lot about the drive chain slack. I don't see any wear on the rub and I have not measured yet but slack looks excessive compared to what I have read and seen. Is it typical to need to adjust it already?

[1190SX]

Could be coming out the breather line if the oil was overfilled(possible but most people report too little oil on delivery). It is typical to need to adjust the chain from delivery. Let's just say that the bikes weren't exactly buttoned up for delivery, and there was some assembly required for potential dealers.

[depechevelle]

All three of the hoses I mentioned come from the engine area through the bottom of the airbox at that corner. Looking at the parts diagram, they are the:

1. hose, engine breather (#3)
2. hose, front cylinder bypass port (#15)
3. hose, rear cylinder bypass port (#16)

Which seems to confirm that two are vents? and the other is the breather, which apparently spews if the oil is too full. As far as I know mine was as it left the factory. When I checked it a few minutes after finishing my ride, and again after more than 24 hours parked in the garage, the level was: at the very bottom of the sight glass while on side stand, 1/2 to 3/4 between the two lines when held upright.

For now I'm going to put it back together and ride it, I guess. I can't see anything actually wrong. I wiped as much oil as I could, there is still some I cannot reach pooled in the valley under the throttle bodies, but I guess that will drip out eventually. At least I was able to take the throttle servo out while I was in there ("de-noid"); guess I'll probably need to order a resistance plug. Next time I take it apart this far I'll probably send off the dash and ecm for update.

[buell-fan]

All three of the hoses I mentioned come from the engine area through the bottom of the airbox at that corner. Looking at the parts diagram, they are the:

1. hose, engine breather (#3)
2. hose, front cylinder bypass port (#15)
3. hose, rear cylinder bypass port (#16)

Which seems to confirm that two are vents? and the other is the breather, which apparently spews if the oil is too full. As far as I know mine was as it left the factory. When I checked it a few minutes after finishing my ride, and again after more than 24 hours parked in the garage, the level was: at the very bottom of the sight glass while on side stand, 1/2 to 3/4 between the two lines when held upright.

For now I'm going to put it back together and ride it, I guess. I can't see anything actually wrong. I wiped as much oil as I could, there is still some I cannot reach pooled in the valley under the throttle bodies, but I guess that will drip out eventually. At least I was able to take the throttle servo out while I was in there ("de-noid"); guess I'll probably need to order a resistance plug. Next time I take it apart this far I'll probably send off the dash and ecm for update.

It should be fine. However, they do go to some type of carbon canister for emissions purposes so it may have done something to that, and continue to show residual oil leaking. It wouldn't hurt to warm the bike and take out all the oil and start fresh. I always pull a new motors oil out after 50-100 miles of first being ran to get rid of the metal and any manufacturing debris.

Always put in 3.3 quarts at the oil change and change the oil regularly based on use/abuse or high heat cycles; it is cheap insurance. The bike's oil should never need topped off if you do this, unless you plan on putting 3,000 miles or more on the oil.

A search for that denoid resister in this forum will bring up the manufacturer's phone number to get them cheap, or they can be gotten from Harley Dealers using the Buell 1125's.

[Cooter]

Part# Y0248.1am (same as 1125) is a 120ohm 1/4 watt resistor wired into a Deutch DT06-2S-P006 plug.

Ladd distributing in Kettering OH 800-223-1236 ($4.24)

[depechevelle]

After wiping all of the oil off I rode another 250 miles with no further sign of a leak. Then I rode it pretty hard again (still staying within break-in requirements) and got the same leak again - oil coming out the bottom of the airbox and washing down the left side of the bike. This time it got my shift lever and shoe as well. When I put it on the sidestand it dripped down and made a small puddle. So I wiped it down again and it didn't leak any more. Oil level is still where it should be. Weird. I don't know if it's just on longer rides, or when I lean the bike a lot more, or what but it's not much oil and it seems to be breather-related so I guess I'm not worried, it's just annoying to have it leaking. I'm only 120 miles from the first service now so I'll be careful to put the right amount in. Also, those little rubber washers under the body work bolts? They fall apart and get lost if oil gets on them (I lost the lower one of the front sprocket cover during this oil leak - it broke down and split both times).

[MakingPAIN]

http://ebrforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=1480&d=1497204412&thumb=1

[MakingPAIN]

picture is upside down sorry.. but look at the brass fitting mine was leaking right there and getting on my shoe and on my plastic output shaft cover

[1190SX]

I think his leak source is a different one based on the amount of oil and location

[MakingPAIN]

With pressurized crank cases like these Bikes it is sometimes hard to chase down leaks. Could be blowing around with wind and being blown out of the leaking orfice all at once.

[depechevelle]

I am aware that the brass fitting has been a leak for some; mine is ok so far. My leak is definitely collecting in the bottom of the airbox and then dripping all the way down.

[zviadi]

My bike also pours oil on the left side of the front cylinder if I drive for a long time at high speeds (above 8000 rpm). I try to keep the oil level in the middle of the viewing window.
And still periodically, oil pours through the ventilation tubes of crankcase gases.

In my opinion, nothing can be done with this. This is the design of big forced V-twins - they have a high crankcase pressure due to the rupture created by the two large pistons.
Similar problems have people with rotax on old Aprilias and original engines of DD1200. I had such bike for 3 years and all 3 years I struggled with crankcase gases and puddles of oil in airbox.

[MakingPAIN]

1558 where abouts does it leak or can you not see it from this view

[depechevelle]

You can't actually see the area in the photo but it's underneath the area with the red box. There are three breather tubes that come up through the bottom of the airbox and it puddles then leaks out from around there. Most of it drips all the way down the left side of the engine and sometimes a little bit drips on the right side.1562

[mgagliardi811]

I have the same leak, I thought it was the brass fitting as well but I also chased mine up further and realized it was coming from my airbox as well. I'm still trying to figure out where exactly it's coming from, I'm going to tear it apart this weekend and hopefully figure it out.

[mgagliardi811]

Did it end up being the breather line? I have the same leak and I chased it from my left side up to the airbox as well.

[EBRRider]

On most our XBs we do a reroute with the pvc vent tubes, Is this something that should/could be done with our 1190s as well ? just throwing it out there.