GSX-R Oil Leak

DUX · 07-07-2008, 08:00 PM

Just posting this in case anyone has a similar issue. A very simple fix got me a good deal on my bike (mostly b/c the seller thought he was sticking me.) Skip to the last paragraph if you just want the fix.

When I went to pick up the 750, there was a small drop of oil on the bottom of the pan/drain plug.

The owner insisted that it didn't have a leak and we wiped it off before I took it out for a test ride. When I got back there was no oil, so I assumed it was sloppy maintenance b/c he had recently changed the oil and filter.

I took the bike home and let it sit on the side stand. The next morning, there was a tiny drop of oil again. I emailed the seller asking AGAIN for a description of any maintenance he'd done and since he already had my money to come clean so that I could save more time and money troubleshooting. His response was basically that the bike was sold "as is" and I've become convinced that he dumped the bike b/c he thought it had a big problem (he was the second owner in 2yrs and 4k miles.)

I tightened the pan bolts and the drain plug a little and took it out for a ride. Again, a tiny bit of oil. Not enough to call a leak, but still unacceptable to me.

A little bit of research led me to an O-ring around the part of the water pump housing that goes into the motor. I took it up to the local shop and we pulled it. Sure enough, the ring had been installed incorrectly from the factory and had a small twist in it that caused a flat spot. Oil would weep around the O-ring, collect on the bottom of the water pump, and then run down the oil pan to the drain plug.

In the end I spent $20 for fresh oil, an o-ring, and labor...and I was out the door. There has been no oil since Friday. This bike is now "cherry"

.

Let me know if anyone has a similar issue...glad to help if I can.

DUX · 07-08-2008, 05:37 PM

Wow...39 views and no comments!

I usually kill threads, not start dead ones.

ND4SPD · 07-08-2008, 05:38 PM

If you bought a Honda you wouldn't have had a leak to begin with. Better?

DUX · 07-08-2008, 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ND4SPD

If you bought a Honda you wouldn't have had a leak to begin with. Better?

I'd argue, except that I feel the same way.

At least it was fixable, quickly and on the cheap...unlike some other brand that I won't name (no, not BMW!)

seamus · 07-08-2008, 06:48 PM

It'd be different if you'd done the work yourself, took lots of pics and posted it as a tech article.

DUX · 07-08-2008, 07:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seamus

It'd be different if you'd done the work yourself, took lots of pics and posted it as a tech article.

Yeah, I started to do the work myself but when the water pump didn't slide out easily, I didn't want to force it. As it turns out, another few pounds of pressure and she would have slid right out. It was a good excuse to visit the shop and BS for a while anyway. Besides, I'd just changed the oil and filter. Pulling the pump dumped the new oil and the shop gave me a fill-up for free. She now has Honda blood (Respsol

.)

Here's the link to the article that helped me, with pictures:

Oil leak from water pump? - Sportbikes.net

I just wanted the info out there in case someone has a similar issue on ANY bike. It can be fixed in about .5hrs of your own time + the cost of the O-ring.

SomeStrangeGuy · 07-08-2008, 07:38 PM

Getting to the o-ring is never cheap, just remember that.

DUX · 07-08-2008, 07:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SomeStrangeGuy

Getting to the o-ring is never cheap, just remember that.

I put it to my wife like this:

The used 2006 GSX-R and a few track days is a hell of a lot cheaper than that cute little 20-something that I REALLY can't afford!

I think I scored some points that night.

maxib · 07-08-2008, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DUX

I put it to my wife like this:

The used 2006 GSX-R and a few track days is a hell of a lot cheaper than those cute little 24-something spinners that I REALLY can't afford!

I think I scored some points that night.

Fixed it for you. Man, if I had used your original phrase, I would have waked up in the morgue!

DUX · 07-08-2008, 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by maxib

Fixed it for you. Man, if I had used your original phrase, I would have waked up in the morgue!

Mojave954 · 07-09-2008, 07:23 AM

Happy?

Man, have somoene ELSE swap an o-ring and you want praises. SHEESH...

OBTW, I am out of that humid bug infested swamp you call DE. Nice sunny, dry, SOCAL. Temps in the 105-115 range... sweet... humidity 5%.

DUX · 07-15-2008, 02:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mojave954

Man, have somoene ELSE swap an o-ring and you want praises. SHEESH...

Where did I ask for praise?

Simply passing on knowledge to help someone else who may run into the same problem.

phobe · 09-17-2008, 02:46 PM

Glad I found this thread... think I might have the same problem.

I bought an 07 GSXR600 recently... it's a wreck with light damage that I plan to fix and re-sell. Like you, I didn't find out until after I bought it that there is some oil "seepage". On first inspection, it looked like it was coming down out of the oil filter, so yesterday I changed the oil and filter and popped a new crush washer on the drain plug. I wiped everything down and was surprised to come back to the bike an hour or so later and see a single drop had collected on the bottom of the pan. The amount is so small that I can't see where it's running from, but my next strategy was to change the oil cooler o-ring.... I'm thinking now I'll try the water pump route. Seems to make sense.

Now... If I lay the bike on its right side can I perform the switch without spilling out all my new oil?

DUX · 09-17-2008, 08:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phobiaphobe

Now... If I lay the bike on its right side can I perform the switch without spilling out all my new oil?

Can't answer that one, lol.

Before you pull anything apart, check up on the bottom part of the pump. The oil collects there before dripping onto the pan.

DUX · 09-17-2008, 08:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SomeStrangeGuy

Getting to the o-ring is never cheap, just remember that.

Why did it take me this long to get the joke?

SomeStrangeGuy · 09-17-2008, 11:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DUX

Why did it take me this long to get the joke?

Cause you bought the adventure

phobe · 09-23-2008, 11:13 AM

Number 8 or number 9?

TIA!

SheepOfBlue · 09-23-2008, 11:26 AM

Hope you got a good deal and the other dude got a message on what the problem was so he can have a whole plate of crow

phobe · 09-23-2008, 11:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SheepOfBlue

Hope you got a good deal and the other dude got a message on what the problem was so he can have a whole plate of crow

I bought it from a socialist government insurance monopoly salvage operation, and I was able to pull back a $700 refund for my troubles.

evl_twn · 09-23-2008, 12:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phobiaphobe

Number 8 or number 9?

TIA!

8 seals water, 9 seals oil

phobe · 09-23-2008, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by evl_twn

8 seals water, 9 seals oil

Ok good so I pull the whole thing out without splitting the pump.

evl_twn · 09-23-2008, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phobiaphobe

Ok good so I pull the whole thing out without splitting the pump.

If there's enough play in the hoses, you might not even have to drain the coolant.

DUX · 09-23-2008, 06:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by evl_twn

8 seals water, 9 seals oil

Yep. #9 was my issue.

phobe · 09-23-2008, 06:57 PM

Well I found the real issue, and it ain't the water pump.

I pulled the water pump... o-ring looked fine. I think the previous squid owner enjoyed burnouts as there was gobs of rubber residue to clean up.

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I initally suspected that the oil cooler was leaking, so I pulled that apart to change the o-ring. Doesn't seem that this was the problem either.

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On closer inspection of the oilpan I noticed an impression on the one side. I pulled the rad and headers to get at it.

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Seems that when the bike went down the muffler pushed the exhaust into the pan, and the axle housing for the butterfly valve banged into it and cracked it slightly. That's where the oil's been oozing out of.

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So now I've got to decide how to fix it. Can it be JB-welded together? Do I need a new pan?

DUX · 09-23-2008, 07:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phobiaphobe

So now I've got to decide how to fix it. Can it be JB-welded together? Do I need a new pan?

How much can a new or salvage pan be?

Why risk it when the oil leak is right in front of your rear tire?

DUX · 09-23-2008, 07:10 PM

eBay Motors: Suzuki GSXR 600 750 07 06 Oil Pan cover strainer clean (item 220285257292 end time Oct-23-08 10:42:10 PDT)

07-07-2008, 08:00 PM	#1
DUX Join Date: 12-28-2006 Age: 37 Bike(s): '07 R1200 GSadv,'04 RC-51 Posts: 656	GSX-R Oil Leak Just posting this in case anyone has a similar issue. A very simple fix got me a good deal on my bike (mostly b/c the seller thought he was sticking me.) Skip to the last paragraph if you just want the fix. When I went to pick up the 750, there was a small drop of oil on the bottom of the pan/drain plug. The owner insisted that it didn't have a leak and we wiped it off before I took it out for a test ride. When I got back there was no oil, so I assumed it was sloppy maintenance b/c he had recently changed the oil and filter. I took the bike home and let it sit on the side stand. The next morning, there was a tiny drop of oil again. I emailed the seller asking AGAIN for a description of any maintenance he'd done and since he already had my money to come clean so that I could save more time and money troubleshooting. His response was basically that the bike was sold "as is" and I've become convinced that he dumped the bike b/c he thought it had a big problem (he was the second owner in 2yrs and 4k miles.) I tightened the pan bolts and the drain plug a little and took it out for a ride. Again, a tiny bit of oil. Not enough to call a leak, but still unacceptable to me. A little bit of research led me to an O-ring around the part of the water pump housing that goes into the motor. I took it up to the local shop and we pulled it. Sure enough, the ring had been installed incorrectly from the factory and had a small twist in it that caused a flat spot. Oil would weep around the O-ring, collect on the bottom of the water pump, and then run down the oil pan to the drain plug. In the end I spent $20 for fresh oil, an o-ring, and labor...and I was out the door. There has been no oil since Friday. This bike is now "cherry" . Let me know if anyone has a similar issue...glad to help if I can. __________________ Success is not the result of spontaneous combustion. You must set yourself on fire. -Reggie Leach Last edited by DUX; 07-07-2008 at 10:18 PM.

07-08-2008, 05:37 PM	#2
DUX Join Date: 12-28-2006 Age: 37 Bike(s): '07 R1200 GSadv,'04 RC-51 Posts: 656	Wow...39 views and no comments! I usually kill threads, not start dead ones. __________________ Success is not the result of spontaneous combustion. You must set yourself on fire. -Reggie Leach

07-08-2008, 05:38 PM	#3
ND4SPD I'm BATMAN!!! Join Date: 12-12-2006 Bike(s): Trek Posts: 8,024 Images: 25	If you bought a Honda you wouldn't have had a leak to begin with. Better? __________________ "This is your life - are you who you want to be?" Learn all you need to know about Mac OS X

07-08-2008, 06:48 PM	#5
seamus is feelin alright Join Date: 12-13-2006 Location: Rocket City Age: 34 Bike(s): 1KRR; VFR; FMX650 Posts: 5,451	It'd be different if you'd done the work yourself, took lots of pics and posted it as a tech article. __________________ Ducit Amor Patriae Richard Herald, The Gentle Giant The nation that makes a great distinction between its scholars and its warriors will have its thinking done by cowards and its fighting done by fools. --- Thucydides

07-08-2008, 07:38 PM	#7
SomeStrangeGuy no longer ready to mingle. Join Date: 12-13-2006 Location: Debt, where else? Bike(s): GS / KLR Posts: 3,802	Getting to the o-ring is never cheap, just remember that. __________________ GPS Discussion Forums Time is the ultimate currency.

07-09-2008, 07:23 AM	#11
Mojave954 GONE PLAID! Join Date: 12-18-2006 Bike(s): 08 FJR, 08 R 1200 GS Posts: 902	Happy? Man, have somoene ELSE swap an o-ring and you want praises. SHEESH... OBTW, I am out of that humid bug infested swamp you call DE. Nice sunny, dry, SOCAL. Temps in the 105-115 range... sweet... humidity 5%.

09-17-2008, 02:46 PM	#13
phobe circa 1960 Join Date: 12-17-2006 Age: 26 Bike(s): 600RR, 125R Posts: 4,629	Glad I found this thread... think I might have the same problem. I bought an 07 GSXR600 recently... it's a wreck with light damage that I plan to fix and re-sell. Like you, I didn't find out until after I bought it that there is some oil "seepage". On first inspection, it looked like it was coming down out of the oil filter, so yesterday I changed the oil and filter and popped a new crush washer on the drain plug. I wiped everything down and was surprised to come back to the bike an hour or so later and see a single drop had collected on the bottom of the pan. The amount is so small that I can't see where it's running from, but my next strategy was to change the oil cooler o-ring.... I'm thinking now I'll try the water pump route. Seems to make sense. Now... If I lay the bike on its right side can I perform the switch without spilling out all my new oil? __________________ Cum hoc, ergo propter hoc

09-23-2008, 11:13 AM	#17
phobe circa 1960 Join Date: 12-17-2006 Age: 26 Bike(s): 600RR, 125R Posts: 4,629	Number 8 or number 9? TIA! Attached Thumbnails __________________ Cum hoc, ergo propter hoc

09-23-2008, 11:26 AM	#18
SheepOfBlue SRA President Join Date: 12-18-2006 Location: Huntsville, AL Age: 46 Bike(s): CBR1000RR, RC51, VT500FT Posts: 6,374	Hope you got a good deal and the other dude got a message on what the problem was so he can have a whole plate of crow __________________ A man who carries a cat by the tail learns something he can learn in no other way

09-23-2008, 06:57 PM	#24
phobe circa 1960 Join Date: 12-17-2006 Age: 26 Bike(s): 600RR, 125R Posts: 4,629	Well I found the real issue, and it ain't the water pump. I pulled the water pump... o-ring looked fine. I think the previous squid owner enjoyed burnouts as there was gobs of rubber residue to clean up. I initally suspected that the oil cooler was leaking, so I pulled that apart to change the o-ring. Doesn't seem that this was the problem either. On closer inspection of the oilpan I noticed an impression on the one side. I pulled the rad and headers to get at it. Seems that when the bike went down the muffler pushed the exhaust into the pan, and the axle housing for the butterfly valve banged into it and cracked it slightly. That's where the oil's been oozing out of. So now I've got to decide how to fix it. Can it be JB-welded together? Do I need a new pan? __________________ Cum hoc, ergo propter hoc

09-23-2008, 07:10 PM	#26
DUX Join Date: 12-28-2006 Age: 37 Bike(s): '07 R1200 GSadv,'04 RC-51 Posts: 656	eBay Motors: Suzuki GSXR 600 750 07 06 Oil Pan cover strainer clean (item 220285257292 end time Oct-23-08 10:42:10 PDT) __________________ Success is not the result of spontaneous combustion. You must set yourself on fire. -Reggie Leach