Oil leak

[Bob spruce]

I have a 05 Rocket and there is a leak behind the oil tank, its seems like a lot. Could it be from the head. Or an o ring in the oil tank connections? Anybody seen this?

 

[1K9]

I have a 05 Rocket and there is a leak behind the oil tank, its seems like a lot. Could it be from the head. Or an o ring in the oil tank connections? Anybody seen this?

The head has small breather holes from the gasket at the plug holes. Check this first. If its coming from there, you need to change the head gasket. If not, it might be one of the Orings from the oil reservoir.

 

[Joesmoe]

And of course the obvious -- didn't by chance change oil recently and have some run over ?

 

[Jallen3.14]

Mine was doing the same - it was the O ring gaskets.

 

[Bob spruce]

And of course the obvious -- didn't by chance change oil recently and have some run over ?

I did just add oil but did not spill a drop. That makes me wonder if it's not the o rings.

 

[scot in exile]

More than likely the oil tank o-rings, now over the years my 2005 has leaked (although not as bad as yours) a few times then cleared up

 

[warp9.9]

The head has small breather holes from the gasket at the plug holes. Check this first. If its coming from there, you need to change the head gasket. If not, it might be one of the Orings from the oil reservoir.

Rick the breather holes are from the spark plug wells so if they take on moisture they drain. Now if the cam cover gasket leaks in the area surrounding the sparkbplug wells the oil will drain out the drain holes . This has nothing to do with the head gasket. First thing I'd try especially if its been sitting a while is loosen the two tank bolts give the tank a wiggle and torque them back down. I think there is a reason the update kit has new fittings and O-rings. Taking the tank off is quite easy if you figure out you can hang the throttle bodies from the handle bar grip. A lot less to remove. Although easy either way. Before removing I'd look around with a scope and verify tank leak if nothing else by verifying the cam cover gasket, and the tank to breather hose are not leaking. I'm betting it is the tank to engine fittings. Front is gravity pressure rear is the return from the two scavenger pumps.

 

[Bob spruce]

Rick the breather holes are from the spark plug wells so if they take on moisture they drain. Now if the cam cover gasket leaks in the area surrounding the sparkbplug wells the oil will drain out the drain holes . This has nothing to do with the head gasket. First thing I'd try especially if its been sitting a while is loosen the two tank bolts give the tank a wiggle and torque them back down. I think there is a reason the update kit has new fittings and O-rings. Taking the tank off is quite easy if you figure out you can hang the throttle bodies from the handle bar grip. A lot less to remove. Although easy either way. Before removing I'd look around with a scope and verify tank leak if nothing else by verifying the cam cover gasket, and the tank to breather hose are not leaking. I'm betting it is the tank to engine fittings. Front is gravity pressure rear is the return from the two scavenger pumps.

Thank you for the info. Thanks for helping with the clutch we left two days after and rode all over Colorado 3000mile trip and we are leaving again for another 3000 mile towards DC. Blue ridge parkway. I saw this leak on our colorado ride, but I thought it was run off from me spraying the pods with K&N oil while on the bike like a dumb ass. I super cleaned it and no leak until my wife and rode yesterday. I also had just topped off the oil. But did not spill a drop. I have looked at the connectors under the oil tank they seem fine. The head gasket on that side seems to be dark the other side looks perfect. I just cant imagine that much leaking out the seal that was perfect when I had the engine off the frame. In hind site I should have replaced the gasket, but I could not figure out a way to invert the engine. I will tonight loosen the oil tank and fiddle with it. Would a gasket leak let out that much oil It also seems to leak under load. The head gasket needing replacing does that require me to take the engine off again? And if it is the head gasket, how bad to leave on a 3000 mile trip?

 

[1K9]

Rick the breather holes are from the spark plug wells so if they take on moisture they drain. Now if the cam cover gasket leaks in the area surrounding the sparkbplug wells the oil will drain out the drain holes . This has nothing to do with the head gasket. First thing I'd try especially if its been sitting a while is loosen the two tank bolts give the tank a wiggle and torque them back down. I think there is a reason the update kit has new fittings and O-rings. Taking the tank off is quite easy if you figure out you can hang the throttle bodies from the handle bar grip. A lot less to remove. Although easy either way. Before removing I'd look around with a scope and verify tank leak if nothing else by verifying the cam cover gasket, and the tank to breather hose are not leaking. I'm betting it is the tank to engine fittings. Front is gravity pressure rear is the return from the two scavenger pumps.

Yeahh, that's what I said or meant. We'r talking about the rubber gasket that goes around the top of the engine held down by the chrome cover. I wonder if just giving the valve cover bolts a few pounds of pressure would also fix the problem.

 

[Joesmoe]

Or, go through the motions -- lift the tank -- lift the throttle bodies (all cables still attached) -- remove the valve cover -- carefully remove the gasket and inspect -- thoroughly clean the head mating surface to all shiny -- clean the gasket (if good, put back -- if damaged, order new) -- practice measuring your valve clearances (knowledge is power -- adjust if necessary with an @Bedifferent spring depressor) -- then reassemble carefully following the star sequence in the manual incrementally tightening the bolts. You will need a little sealant in the four half moons. And I recommend following @Claviger 's practice of tightening the valve cover bolts to 10 nM (the manual calls for 12, and on my bike at least, the bolts have bottomed before that and I'm concerned that more is not better and may lead to deformation of some sort).