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Oil leak
Posted: Sat Jul 22, 2017 8:47 pm
by 450xer
I have a leak in the counter shaft area. Theres a case bolt just below it and slightly towards the back of the bike that has a drop of oil on it each day, it eventually makes its way on to the frame and then my skid plate which is how i first noticed it.
Any ideas?
Its not the cs or shifter seal, I've replaced both and not ridden the bike since and it's still there.
Sorry to add to the millions of oil leak questions, tearing my hair out trying to find this one

Re: Oil leak
Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2017 9:05 am
by JimDirt
From what i can see looking at my 06 450X all those could be is case bolts , if you have positively eliminated the counter-shaft seal and shifter seal , the only other seal in that location would be the clutch actuator seal (where your clutch cable attaches to the pivot the operates the clutch) , which is above the counter-shaft and shifter so it could be leaking down over those bolts , ......
Have you washed the engine off to eliminate any remaining oil that could have been present on the engine (pressure wash/high pressure hose nozzle ,etc) and then checked to make sure it was not residual oil that was not wiped off after you replaced the seals ??
The only other possibility (providing the chain had not worn a hole in the case for any reason) is that the case bolts under and rearwards of the counter-shaft could have possibly come loose , but i highly doubt that would happen unless they had been tampered with previously
Thats about the only things i could think of in looking at my bike
Re: Oil leak
Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2017 5:05 pm
by 450xer
Yep cleaned the motor after I did the seals. Let it sit for a couple days and no drips, went for a quick ride around the block yesterday and there was a drop hanging from the bolt later in the day.
All case bolts are tight.
Its driving me mad haha
I was thinking it might be excess chain lube, but its slippery like engine oil not tacky like the lube I use
Re: Oil leak
Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2017 9:02 pm
by JimDirt
What about the Clutch Actuator seal ?? , did you confirm its not the leak ??
Re: Oil leak
Posted: Wed Jul 26, 2017 3:49 pm
by 450xer
Yeah that's not it either, completely dry there. Looks like it only appears after the bike has been started
Re: Oil leak
Posted: Thu Jul 27, 2017 12:43 pm
by JimDirt
When you rinse/wash it off , you can't see what location its originating from , but , it should have a direction of flow to localize the origin , if the 3 seals are not leaking then it has to be from a case bolt or case gasket , that's about all that is left if the shifter and countershaft seal have been eliminated , unless by chance there is a groove in the collar for the countershaft seal and oil is getting by it , but then you would still see oil coming from the seal , or if by the rare chance you have a O-Ring chain and the countershaft sprocket was not offset and the chain possibly was rubbing and wore a hole in the case ,
So about the only way your going to trace it , is to wash it , run it , and watch closely where its originating from right after you start it , don't let it run too long , but it should only take a few seconds to start leaking , then just take a flashlight and closely look everywhere , if you find nothing , then run it slightly longer , maybe putting a fan in front of the radiators to keep airflow and cooling while running
Re: Oil leak
Posted: Thu Jul 27, 2017 4:52 pm
by 450xer
Yep that's the plan, ill wait til it stops raining then wheel it outside, wash it and check. There was some residue on the cases and I'm beginning to think its coming from between them. Really don't want to have to split them to replace the gasket
Re: Oil leak
Posted: Thu Jul 27, 2017 5:47 pm
by JimDirt
Yea that would suck , but at least then you would know where the leak is and be able to fix it , if that's any consolation
