SLR weird Oil Leak

[lucu]

Hi guys.

This is my first post. I'm form Portugal and i recently bought my first bike a cheap used Honda SLR, and i'm beggining to think it wasn't such a good idea.

After i brought it home, i noticed i had my pants smeared with oil and that the bike had an oil drop under the steering (see picture).

http://img34.imageshack.us/img34/6832/p10602342.jpg

I put it in the honda shop, and they replaced the stering head bearings, and break fluid plus other regular service things and i got shafted with a huge bill.

The problem is the oil drop persists, i though maybe the steering head bearings replacement would somehow stop the leak but it didn't.

Has anyone ever had this kind of leak? Can anyone tell me what this problem might be ?

I really don't want to get robbed at the shop again.

I'm beggining to thnk i may have bought a bike with a cracked frame or other very serious problem, and it gets kind annoying to throw my pants in the washer everytime i ride.

[Kymmy]

Oil?? Near the headrace???? Should only be grease there..

Are you sure it's oil?? touch some with your fingers and does it feel slippy or does it stop your fingers from slipping a bit?? The later is brake fluid...

If it is oil you might find that an oil pipe somewhere has a pin-hole leak and is squirting oil up to that area.. Or the same with a gasket.. A cracked frame will only effect a dry sump bike where the oil is stored in the frame though no idea if the SLR has this..

Give the bike a decent wash, remove all traces of oil, go for a ride and then grab a torch and go poking around and seeing exactly where the problem is coming from..


PS..welcome to the forum

[beanfeast]

Oil is stored in the frame of an SLR, I've no idea what could be wrong in this case though, sorry!

[Kymmy]

Is there a breather up in that area?? Doubt if the headrace would be bathed in the oil as that would really be a pain to seal..

I'd still like to know if it is oil or another fluid..

In the end if it is oil in that area then probably either a loose cap/plug or crack unless it's perhaps been overfilled?????

[lucu]

I doubt it has been overfilled with oil, it happened before and after going to the mechanic.

I'll check if it is oil or brake fluid when I get home, if it is a leak in the brake circuit they should have noticed when they changed the brake fluid.

Either way it seems i'm going to have to spend even more money.
Serves me right for being a cheap *******, i should have splashed for the transalp.

[beanfeast]

Originally Posted by lucu

i should have splashed for the transalp.

Nah you did the right thing, SLR's are FAR better than Transalps. They go faster, look better, carry more, last longer etc, etc, etc...



(Okay so I've never ridden a TA or know anything about them, I'm just trying to make the guy feel better!!)

[IgorVigor]

I doubt that its a cracked frame...
Cracked frames are normally from an impact...


Does it leak all the time?
I mean when its hot or cold, sitting on the sidestand?

Unscrew the oil dipstick (top of the frame between the tank and the steering)
Check the O ring is in good condition, e.g. no cracking or damage.
If it hasnt got one...thats likely the problem.

Apart from that, does it lose much oil?

[lucu]

I think i found it. Cleaned the bike and had it running for 5 mins.
Enough time to see oil running from here:

http://img34.imageshack.us/img34/43/p1060271v.jpg

The bike leaks very slowly if not running, maybe 1 drop per day maybe less. But it sprayed my pant legs a lot in my last ride, and the underside of the frame is gets a fine coating in oil.

I wish i knew what's causing this.

I'm going back to the honda mechanic and demand he fix it without charging workmanship (i'll pay only parts) as they already had the steering head disassembled when they changed the stearing head bearings and i had told them that the bike was leaking oil somewhere around there and i wanted it fixed.

They are probably going to tell me to sod off, but i'm not paying at least to them i' not.

[AlanH]

There should be no oil in the headstock tube. If it's actually coming from inside the headstock tube itself, it must be escaping from the part of the frame that is used as an oil tank. That means there is either a crack in the headstock or a crap weld somewhere that's not oil tight.

Now, if the dipstick/filler area is oil free and it's not getting out of there, it may be best to remove the forks and yokes and then start it up to see where it's coming from. Once it's tracked down, a blob of weld or even JB Weld may do the trick depending on the cause.

It's very puzzling

[lucu]

Originally Posted by AlanH

There should be no oil in the headstock tube. If it's actually coming from inside the headstock tube itself, it must be escaping from the part of the frame that is used as an oil tank. That means there is either a crack in the headstock or a crap weld somewhere that's not oil tight.

Now, if the dipstick/filler area is oil free and it's not getting out of there, it may be best to remove the forks and yokes and then start it up to see where it's coming from. Once it's tracked down, a blob of weld or even JB Weld may do the trick depending on the cause.

It's very puzzling

Are Dominator/SLR/FMX frames interchangeable ?