water oil leak!!!!!!!!!!!!!! has me stumped

rocco · Post by **rocco** » Sat Dec 09, 2006 4:42 pm

hi guys/gals,

today went for a long ride and rode hard. Bike didnt get wet as it was a really really hot day.

i came home and went out in the garage a few mins ago and noticed a mixture of oil and water under my bike.

i took off the left side fairing on the side of the coolent resevoir.

i unscrewed the coolent resevoir and noticed what looked like dirty water in the drain hole at the base of the air filter.

why is there water here? especially on a dry day like today

it couldnt be condensation?

it has only started happening recently and has me stumped.

roc

GPX250R

Duane · Post by **Duane** » Sat Dec 09, 2006 4:47 pm

Wash your bike recently?

rocco · Post by **rocco** » Sat Dec 09, 2006 4:51 pm

Yeah,

last sunday.......but surely there couldnt be that much water sitting around....it would have evaporated during the week or during the ride.

It did this last week when i went for along ride.

it has only done it twice after a long hard riden ride

Duane · Post by **Duane** » Sat Dec 09, 2006 5:42 pm

might be that, if you got enough water in there, if you dont ride it, it will sit

rocco · Post by **rocco** » Sat Dec 09, 2006 10:35 pm

not in this hot hot weather in a hot hot garage it wont.

Strika · Post by **Strika** » Sun Dec 10, 2006 6:24 am

Exactly where is it leaking from??? Is it an oily residue? is it fuel contaminated? Is it thick, or watery? All these questions will assist in diagnosing it.

rocco · Post by **rocco** » Sun Dec 10, 2006 4:31 pm

its clear with light brown tinge to it.

viscosity isnt thick or sticky....just watery.

there are two places it could be coming from,

a- bottom hose on coolent resevoir

b- from drain hole in air filter housing.

when i had a look at the drain hole there was water there which i sponged away with a cloth.

if the bike is way way hot could perhaps a hole in the lower coolent hose cause a pressure leak which could be depositing water at the drain hole?

i just cant see where it could be coming from.

the water smells petrol/oily but with water feel to it.

Strika · Post by **Strika** » Sun Dec 10, 2006 4:54 pm

Sounds like a Fuel leak! It's mixing with dirt, Grease and oil residue as it drips out. Could be a breather hose, or a connection to a fitting! Or the overflow??????

rocco · Post by **rocco** » Sun Dec 10, 2006 4:54 pm

here are some pics

there is a close one of the drain hole which has the liquid in it and some shots of the inside of the air filter assy.

rocco · Post by **rocco** » Sun Dec 10, 2006 4:56 pm

as your gpx riders will know the drain hole is directly behind the coolent resevoir

it leaks out the hole onto the coolent resevoir then down to the left foot peg and onto the concrete floor in the garage.

the garage is damn hot i might add.....could this play an issue?

i am starting to come up with odd theories now

rocco · Post by **rocco** » Sun Dec 10, 2006 5:20 pm

wouldnt petrol also evaporate in a short time?

it smells more so oily

the images you see have been the same since yesterday arvo....if that were petrol i though it would have dried up by now?

Strika · Post by **Strika** » Sun Dec 10, 2006 5:42 pm

I reckon it looks like a little bit of blow by or Valve guide seal leakage sorry to say. Oil in an airbox is not a good sign!

Gosling1 · Post by **Gosling1** » Sun Dec 10, 2006 5:52 pm

If your oil level is too high, this can sometimes result in oil accumulating in an airbox as well......

rocco · Post by **rocco** » Sun Dec 10, 2006 8:30 pm

oil level is very close to upper limit

it does seem like oil as i left a sheet of paper under it tonight came back now and it has some drops on it

fark!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

rocco · Post by **rocco** » Sun Dec 10, 2006 10:12 pm

well i may have nailed it

it turns out its a common issue with gpx250r's

when i had it serviced last the mechanic filled it right up to the top level with oil when it was cold

after reading on ninja 250 forum many riders have experiance the same issue when riding 9000 plus revs. they have suggested to reduce oil level when cold to centre of upper/lower limits of oil window. and that fixed prob.

now last week and this week i just thrashed the fark out of the bike and was doing 10,000 -11,000 on back roads

as with last week out all day i thrashed the little bike again

then and recently on weekedn are the only times it has done this.

will try reducing oil to just above half at cold

another issue mentioned is an incorrectly fitted breather tube which i will look at if this doesnt work

thanks for the advice regardless guys

knew i could count on help in here