Gsx-1100 ET 1980 - Oil pressure switch leak?

[Bazeque]

Hey guys,

 

Finally got my baby back.  1980 GSX 1100 ET I inherited from my dad.

 

Been having some fun the last few decent days of weather we've had in the UK. 

Had a bit of an issue with the first repair/mechanic, but all sorted. Rode her home yesterday, but noticed there was oil all over my left boot. Side gasket/starter motor had just been done as well as the head gasket, so was somewhat hesitant to immediately blame it on that. 

I noticed below the fuel tank, a lot of the wiring there literally had drips of oil coming down, and onto the carbs causing smoking. Upon further inspection, it appears that my oil pressure switch may be "spurting" the oil "up"? I've never really come across this, so really not sure. Had a car mechanic have a little look (He was with me when I pulled up to my garage) and he was stating that in cars, that can happen and is most likely the cause. Been googling, but either I'm useless, or can't find the right terms. 

 

I've attached some photos. Just above the switch, the large metal (I do apologise my ignorance, I have no idea of the correct term) tends to have a huge drops of oil underneath also, directly above the switch. It's fresh and extremely hot. This doesn't really happen on short rides unless I fully open her up. The oil on my boot I'm presuming is run off from the switch, to the left side of the engine.

 

Right side is completely dry. Nothing on that side/oil at all. 

 

Any ideas/comments/opinions fully welcome. Any questions/further information needed, please do let me know and I'll provide what I can.

[Swiss Toni]

That's your camchain tensioner above it. Try renewing the gasket, or making a new one if you have the cord. Renew fibre/paper washer under plastic sensor. Try new fibre washers under bolt heads. Are you sure your leak is from here? Take the tank off, and get some light on the subject. Run the motor, and give it a good coat of 'looking at'!

[Bazeque]

33 minutes ago, Swiss Toni said:

That's your camchain tensioner above it.

1

Thanks! 

 

33 minutes ago, Swiss Toni said:

Try renewing the gasket, or making a new one if you have the cord. 

 

Cords still connected etc. Will give this a go

 

33 minutes ago, Swiss Toni said:

 Are you sure your leak is from here? 

 

Not 100%, but can't see what else would cause Oil to be on the wires below the fuel tank/dripping onto the carb heads/under the camchain tension and provide enough of it to run down the side casing/onto my left boot? Unless of course, it's the camshaft tensioner itself that's leaking? There's a 'bead' of oil that's directly underneath. But the only reason I've been assuming the oil pressure switch is various information given and/or my limited knowledge of motorbikes. 

 

This is the only thing that I can think would have 'pressure' enough to shoot oil up? Everything else is dry around there. Carbs themselves underneath on the valves are wet with oil, but above completely dry which is what's pointing me to the oil pressure switch. Are they actually capable of shooting oil 'up/out' when compression gets too much/heat? I can't re-create it unless I'm riding around giving it some whelley. 

 

I'm whacking it onto a bench this weekend to give it a further looking into, but wanted to see if anybody else had dealt with or seen similar issues. 

 

Really appreciate your response. I am a newby, but always willing to learn. 

Edited February 16, 2018 by Bazeque

[Captain Chaos]

crankcase breather (rubber pipe from top of engine to air filter box) still connected?

[Bazeque]

6 minutes ago, Captain Chaos said:

crankcase breather (rubber pipe from top of engine to air filter box) still connected?

No pipe/breather. Just a metal pipe protruding out. Hard to grab a clear picture, but presuming this is what you're meaning?

[Swiss Toni]

That could be your problem. Although it would be a mist, rather than a high pressure squirt. These roller bearing motors run at a lot less pressure than plain bearing motors. Clean everything off, and start the motor. And, by 'cord', I mean the round section rubber used for making your own o rings! I might be inclined to agree with CC, as you say the left side of the motor is oily, right side dry! How about rigging up a temp. hose, breather to small pop bottle, and see if that cures it?

[Bazeque]

Gave what you guys suggested a try. Nothing in the bottle. Pipe completely dry. Gave her a good run, nice and hot and left idling for a little. Noticed a fair amount of oil accumulating on the camchain tensioner. Attached another photo really shit lighting though, sorry. Was sat watching it, kept accumulating from there and dripping onto the left hand side. Guessing this is running down the casing and to my boot. 

[Gixer1460]

Yep - deffo looks like a tensioner leak! There is a gasket between the body and the barrels and also an O ring (#15) that could be leaking - not much else though!

Edited February 16, 2018 by Gixer1460

[Sheep]

Could it be leaking through the tensioner itself perhaps??

[Fjbj40]

There is a lip seal under the big knurled knob with the spring, here is a write-up http://www.bwringer.com/gs/camchaintens.html the Part numbers may not apply to yours though.

[arnout]

Always the same story.. Just save yourself the troubles and throw the stock tensioner in the bin. (Also a good place to store those stock vacuum controlled fuel taps btw!).

Instead fit a manual cam chain tensioner and never look back or be faced with an oil bath on top of the cases again.

[Bazeque]

On 16/02/2018 at 2:53 PM, Bazeque said:

So a few things were noticed,

 

Cam chain tensioner was completely missing the O ring. Pretty much what you've said @arnout, we replaced the O ring but still leaking (Tiniest amount) - Going to look into getting a manual one. Any recommendations? 

Cambelt was one tooth out

Rocker box bolts were missing oil seals on 4 of them. 

 

A shame that we/I/My Dad got ripped off at the first mechanic, but unfortunately wasn't in my control at the time. Appreciate the advice from here as always! 

[vizman]

give Dave at FBM a call on 07581 304745

[Blubber]

59 minutes ago, Bazeque said:

Cam chain tensioner was completely missing the O ring. Pretty much what you've said @arnout, we replaced the O ring but still leaking (Tiniest amount) - Going to look into getting a manual one. Any recommendations? 

Cambelt was one tooth out

Rocker box bolts were missing oil seals on 4 of them. 

 

A shame that we/I/My Dad got ripped off at the first mechanic, but unfortunately wasn't in my control at the time. Appreciate the advice from here as always! 

 

 

For those who are wondering what he is on about... have read 

[Bazeque]

 

It does get better... We (I say we, my Dad) paid £2k to get her fully up and running after he'd had her sat in the garage for a good 7/8 years before passing to me.

Things that were 'done' by the other mechanic...;

• Head gasket replacement (Twice lol) yet used different sized bolts when putting the head back on. Why?
• Fork seals
• Head bearings
• Oil change + cleanup
• Indicators
• Carb clean and re-tune
• Weld on the head (After he noticed holes the second time, not when he had the entire thing apart anyway the first time)
• Starter motor clean/fixup after it first died.
• Springs within the forks were a few MM out? 
• Wiring sort out

 

What we got

• Head bolts were all different sizes. 
• Missing oil seals on a bunch of the bolts
• Side cover gasket was completely missing a chunk. Rather than going around a hole, it went up and over like steps (Completely missing a chunk) - Just beyond lazy.
• Cam chain was one tooth out (what even the fuck)
• Camchain tensioner pissing out with oil. (He insisted it was the side cover.)
• He replaced said side cover. Twice. Guess what, still leaking... but he "test rode it" and it was all dry... bullocks. 
• Starter motor died (Had to then arrange through my insurance to take it back to him)
• Rocker box had all different sized bolts 
• Spark plugs were all rusted and still being used even though were 8+ years old. (No brainer to replace them when getting a bike up and running like new again...)
• Master cylinder on back break completely seized so break doesn't adjust/move. (Leaking from the olive as well)
• Fork seals had nothing done to them (Nothing) 
• Entire head was covered in gunk/shit. Considering he'd had it off twice, I'd at least have expected it to be somewhat cleaned. 
• Headlight completely dead (Wiring was fucked, had to fix myself. Neutral light also didn't work, also had to sort) 

To say I'm pissed would be an understatement, but glad I have a decent/reputable mechanic down here who managed to get her sorted for me... Just this camshaft tensioner now. 

 

@vizman Appreciated. Gave him a call, but unfortunately, they've just used the last few they had. Going to give me a callback when they get a few more/gave me a few recommendations on who else to call. Thanks for that! 

Edited March 22, 2018 by Bazeque

[Swiss Toni]

The problems you and your old man have had with this 'mechanic' beggars belief! If that's not the best reason to rtfm, and do it yourself, I don't know what is! You can do almost anything with a good manual, and any extra help you might need, is right here. On this forum!  Good mechanics, who really know their stuff are few and far between. That's why they're expensive! Having said that, there's a virtual gold mine of information to be had on OSS! When I see the standards, levels of skill, attention to detail and methodical workmanship, to say nothing about innovative ideas, on members projects/builds, I feel humbled! Long may it continue!!!  

Edited March 22, 2018 by Swiss Toni

[Bazeque]

Thanks @Swiss Toni Appreciated for that comment! Been getting stuck in and got the manual camchain tensioner installed. Wolah, no leaks! Fuck me was the OEM one heavy as hell. Useless piece of crap.

 

 Also as per your suggestion before, I got a crankcase breather hooked up. The only concern I now currently have with the bike is the vapour/steam (smells like pure petrol vapour) emanating from said breather... Dropped a link below to a video.

Seems to happen once she's nice and hot and been running for a little while. Been looking around and seen mention of water vapour etc, but still a little concerned. 

https://streamable.com/dbak6

 

I believe she is running a little lean. Fair amount of backfire on decal but taking her up to be tuned once I've rectified the other issues. 

Any advice as always, greatly appreciated.

 

Edited April 6, 2018 by Bazeque

[Gixer1460]

That's fine - absolutely normal! Remember the engine cases breathe IN as well as out when engine is switched off and cools down - vapour in air gets sucked in to a degree + any ring blow by condenses and all gets converted back to vapour next time its running - don't want to see it ............... direct hose down the back of the engine LOL!

[Simbec1863]

1 hour ago, Gixer1460 said:

That's fine - absolutely normal! Remember the engine cases breathe IN as well as out when engine is switched off and cools down - vapour in air gets sucked in to a degree + any ring blow by condenses and all gets converted back to vapour next time its running - don't want to see it ............... direct hose down the back of the engine LOL!

+1 on that mine does the same stick it out they way so you can’t see it

Edited April 7, 2018 by Simbec1863

[Blubber]

Looks normal to me too.

 

Mine did that. And the garage smelled like fuel to in the summer due to fuel evaporation due to the pod filters.

[johnr]

vent the head breather directly onto your drive chain. that way you never need to bother to buy a chain oiler.

 

[beam]

Don't you need to fit a catch can filled with steel wool to condense the vapour ?

[Screwriverracing]

Where do you live, could pop round and have a look if your struggling ( Bristol area only) if not I'm sure someone on here could spare a few hours.

Cheers SRR

[Bazeque]

Hey all.

 

I hate to resurrect a somewhat dead thread, but thought I'd update you all.

Oil leak - Was coming from the Camchain tensioner (Replaced with a manual) which rectified it, but also had others.

Neutral switch - Gasket was non-existent. Replaced, no more oil. But had one more

Starter motor - Undid the bolts, thing practically fell out. New O ring, back in, good as gold. No more oil leak! 

Everything else is pretty much spot on. I do have one other question however. 

Beforehand I was talking about the crankcase breather which I was told some steam is normal. I am noticing however, an excessive amount that's within said breather... any recommendations or thoughts on what could be causing this? Added video here - https://streamable.com/mkc7a 

Too much pressure? Tends to happen a lot when I'm having a rather spirited ride, but can't be helped. 

 

Thanks in advance as always,

Baz