A little seepage... must be an age thing?

[Fireblade92]

Hi,

Over the last few months I've noticed a small pool of "fluid" under the LH crank case after the bike has been parked up for a while. It is a little hard to define exactly what it is - water, hydraulic fluid or oil. The bike has a full Akrapovic system and no centre stand so it always sits on the side stand hence anything leaking will always work its way down to the LHS of the bike.

Since noticing it a few times I've take the fairing off and cleaned everything and had a good look about and nothing seems obvious. I've started the bike and let it run for a while and still nothing. However, went out for a long(ish) ride the other day and got the bike home parked it up and everything all OK. Checked a few times over the next few days to see if it had dropped any more fluids and nothing. Brilliant, a self fixing fault... the best type.

Unfortunately I went out to use the bike today and there was again a small puddle underneath the bike (only a few drops nothing excessive) but the crank case was wet so there is something going on.

Obviously we all suffer with a little seepage as we get a bit older and I was wondering if anyone had suffered any similar issues and what the fix was. I'm not sure the old girl is quite ready for the Tenner Lady incontinence pants just yet so if anyone has any suggestions they would be most welcome.

The fluid does seem more like water than oil or anything hydraulic but I stupidly put some kitchen roll under the bike to catch anything that fell onto the floor and its all be absorbed into the material and difficult to tell. No fluid levels look like they have changed, all the hoses, fixtures and fittings all look ok and after a bit of a prod still showed no signs of leaking. The bike has done about 70k miles and is used all year round but looked after and in very good nick.

...Starting to think radiator webbing, anyone any views??

 

[Centaur]

Sounds like coolant, FB.

Next time there is a little puddle add a few drops of water. If it is anything oily the water will not mix. If it is coolant the water will mix. That will give an idea of where to look. I would suggest tasting it but elf and safety wouldn't approve! :-0)

 

[mikeyw64]

have you got a cat ?

 

[Fireblade92]

Next time there is a little puddle add a few drops of water. If it is anything oily the water will not mix. If it is coolant the water will mix. That will give an idea of where to look. I would suggest tasting it but elf and safety wouldn't approve! :-0)

Genius - I'm off out for a few miles on the bike tomorrow and will wait for the inevitable puddle and then carry out your science experiment.

have you got a cat ?

Not Genius - yes I do have a cat but it is never allowed in the locked garage (and to the best of my knowledge has neither opposable thumbs nor a key to open it when I'm not looking)

 

[mikeyw64]

Not Genius - yes I do have a cat but it is never allowed in the locked garage (and to the best of my knowledge has neither opposable thumbs nor a key to open it when I'm not looking)

It was a perfectly serious question

 

[sr71caspar]

Next time there is a little puddle add a few drops of water. If it is anything oily the water will not mix. If it is coolant the water will mix. That will give an idea of where to look. I would suggest tasting it but elf and safety wouldn't approve! :-0)

But.....if it was just water, from condensation perhaps, this would also mix with the few drops of water added.

I also can't condone dipping a digit in and seeing if it has no taste (water), sweet (coolant) or vinegar/ammonia (cat piss)

 

[ianrobbo1]

You might want to get in touch with "Murt" he had the same thing, on a track day though!! :dunno:

 

[Centaur]

You might want to get in touch with "Murt" he had the same thing, on a track day though!! :dunno:

8rfl@8rfl@8rfl@

 

[Fireblade92]

But.....if it was just water, from condensation perhaps, this would also mix with the few drops of water added.

I also can't condone dipping a digit in and seeing if it has no taste (water), sweet (coolant) or vinegar/ammonia (cat piss)

Your last comment "Vinegar/ammonia is the exact reason why I was not overly keen on mikeyw64's cat related comment. However, perhaps it was genius as I don't want to taste it...just in case he is right.

Now with respect to Murt was it the bike or the over excited rider that suffered the seepage :-0) But seriously (we are not in the coffee shop after all) do you remember what the bike related fix was??

 

[DLN1965]

Your last comment "Vinegar/ammonia is the exact reason why I was not overly keen on mikeyw64's cat related comment. However, perhaps it was genius as I don't want to taste it...just in case he is right.
?

A workmate of mine said look we have a spillage... And suggested it was bodily fluid of some sort

I dipped my finger in and seconds later stuck a finger in my mouth to 'taste'
The person turned rather pale and almost hurled !!!
I looked on in amazement as he wretched for ages as I described how I didn't think it quite had the taste of urine it probably was a soft drink of some sort

What he hadn't spotted is that I swapped fingers when I put one in my Mouth !!

Within a couple of hours other staff kept coming up to me and asked was I mad? how did I dare do that ? And what it tasted like ??

I showed them the 'two little dickie birds routine" and the penny dropped !

8rfl@

 

[Centaur]

Your last comment "Vinegar/ammonia is the exact reason why I was not overly keen on mikeyw64's cat related comment. However, perhaps it was genius as I don't want to taste it...just in case he is right.

Now with respect to Murt was it the bike or the over excited rider that suffered the seepage :-0) But seriously (we are not in the coffee shop after all) do you remember what the bike related fix was??

In Murt's case it was a track day and someone who shall be nameless nearly gave Murt a heart attack by putting a puddle of water under Murt's bike. If I remember correctly Murt ultimately got his own back! :-0)

 

[Dickiebird]

A workmate of mine said look we have a spillage... And suggested it was bodily fluid of some sort

I dipped my finger in and seconds later stuck a finger in my mouth to 'taste'
The person turned rather pale and almost hurled !!!
I looked on in amazement as he wretched for ages as I described how I didn't think it quite had the taste of urine it probably was a soft drink of some sort

What he hadn't spotted is that I swapped fingers when I put one in my Mouth !!

Within a couple of hours other staff kept coming up to me and asked was I mad? how did I dare do that ? And what it tasted like ??

I showed them the 'two little dickie birds routine" and the penny dropped !

8rfl@

I did a similar trick at a party I was at several years ago, when I pretended to shove my finger up the house owners Jack Russells' arse and then into my mouth. The lady of the house immediately threw the contents of her guts all over the lounge carpet !! Needless to say I was immediately removed from her Christmas card list ! 8rfl@

 

[andyBeaker]

So back to the (unresolved) issue;-0)) .............if you have by any chance overfilled the cooling system it is likely to spit a bit out now and then.

Don't suppose you have a Scotoiler by any chance? If so it might just need turning back a bit...............

At the risk of stating the obvious, put something non absorbent under the bike so at least you have half a chance of identifying what is dripping.

Kitchen towel?? really??:-0)



I will wager 10p that if there is a Scotoiler that is where the drip is originating.

 

[noobie]

Did we get a result from this?

 

[Jaws]

So back to the (unresolved) issue;-0)) .............if you have by any chance overfilled the cooling system it is likely to spit a bit out now and then.

Don't suppose you have a Scotoiler by any chance? If so it might just need turning back a bit...............

At the risk of stating the obvious, put something non absorbent under the bike so at least you have half a chance of identifying what is dripping.

Kitchen towel?? really??:-0)



I will wager 10p that if there is a Scotoiler that is where the drip is originating.

And if it IS a Scottoiler it will be caused by the drip who occupies the saddle cos it must be up WAY too high LOL !!!

 

[andyBeaker]

And if it IS a Scottoiler it will be caused by the drip who occupies the saddle cos it must be up WAY too high LOL !!!

Better too high than too low!!

In fairness, if you ride in the wet (shocking behaviour, I know) you do need to keep it turned up pretty high, which inevitably means the odd stain when the weather is good unless you adjust it every time the weather changes..............

 

[Fireblade92]

Did we get a result from this?

Yes - but only had time to post today (bloody work) and also wanted to make 100% sure the problem has been resolved.

I'm relaying this second hand as I've not had time to do the work on the bike myself so a mate effectively fixed it for me... And the fix - change the two "o-ring" seals for the water pump.

It was done about six(ish) weeks ago and not had a problem since. I've not ridden the bike much (as I said too much going on at work) but since the seals have been replaced the bike has not dropped any fluids on the floor. So fingers crossed that got it....

I think Tortoise might be having a similar issue - not much to fix (only a few quid for the seals) so I think I might recommend him giving it a go as I had similar symptoms initially as I could not tell if water and/or oil dropping from the bike. However, it was the water loosening may years of chain lube and other crud making it look more like an oil leak than a water leak to begin with.

But one to stick in the knowledge bank for future reference if anyone suffers a similar issue.