Developed an oil leak**Repaired**

[Cajunrider]

When we arrived in Antlers this past Wednesday, Vic (Nightmare) spotted a light film of oil on my left side engine cover, and also on the left side plastic side cover and on the front of the rear saddlebag. We thought it might have been some of the K&N filter oil that had dripped because we did find some red on the towel. No leakage during the 540 miles of riding in OK and AR. On the way home North of Shreveport, we noticed oil in the same place and on the front of the left shin on Darlene's chaps. We stopped 3 times and wiped it up. It isn't much oil but the wind from riding makes it look like plenty. It appears to be dripping from the back side of the left dog bowl backing plate where the original air filter resides. It makes a small puddle on the black engine cover and runs down the side of the left chrome engine cover. The wind blows it everywhere. I'll try to locate it tomorrow and bring it to the dealer whether I find it or not. It appears to be coming from the area of the front cylinder cam chain tensioner assembly or higher such as from one of the valve covers between the jugs. The extended warranty should cover the repairs.

[macmac]

More or less there is only 3 places on the left you can find engine oil that far forward and as high. Valve cover gaskets and plugs and the cam tensioner.

Lower and back more would be the slave seal.

There coul be one more possible. The hose from the rigt side dog bowl ending just under the left side dog bowl, and should be plugged with a factory plug. It is a drain for water and oil fumes from the engine breather. If the tubing is dead and or the plug is gone it might do this.

[Cajunrider]

Yeah mac, I'm hoping my crankcase vent hose isn't restricted with the air intake mod. I don't think that's the problem but if it is, would freeing it up stop the leak or would the valve cover gaskets need to be replaced?

[macmac]

There is the very smallest tubing coming off the right side dog bowl, running under the black intake cross over tube. It ends in a plug on the left side. Every so often i guess it should be drained, but you don't see it in the books. It collects crudlings that are sealed in on a stock dog bowl set up.

If that hose tubing died it would make this sort of mess assuming you and no one else who still has one ever drained it. This is not any part of the real breather.
Ths little tubing exists the right side at 6:00, and dead ends under the left side.

I think it just lays there, but I haven't seen one in a long time.

[Cajunrider]

That little tubing you are speaking of came out with the intake mod. There is no place on the new right side plate to connect it. It was dry as a bone when I pulled it out. I was wondering what its purpose was.

[macmac]

What are you running for backing plates? Chucksters 7 inch?

If so i would think the breather is fine, and the vc gaskets or the chain tensioner gaskets can be the only leaks where they are.

[Cajunrider]

Correct.

[macmac]

If you did a set of coasters it might be worth a look at the other end of the engine breather left ft as seated, in behind the stock horn location. If that end of the breather came off it might blow vapor on the left side too. Kinda a long shot, but I think it might do that if it popped off the fitting.

[Cajunrider]

No coasters but I'll take a look there too. It's always kind of hard to find a leak on the road. In the morning I'll pull the left side plate and take a look at the front jug cam chain tensioner assembly. I'll pull the right side dog bowl and feel the end of the case vent for positive pressure when the engine is idling. I'll wipe everything clean and go for a short ride. I just can't figure why it leaked on the way up and back pulling the trailer at 70 mph and didn't leak while riding over 500 miles while up there.

[AlabamaNomadRider]

That is a puzzle Mitch why you could put that many miles on and it not leak. It may just be a simple thing that can easily be prepared. It could have something to do with that tube you removed, who knows.

[cajun2wheels]

Sorry to hear about the leak Mitch.I just wanted to welcome you back.I hope it turns out to be a very minor problem.

[Cajunrider]

Thanks Steve......I'm about to head out there and start looking.

[macmac]

I can't see how a trailer would make any difference. I pulled on 2 up on my 01 nomad from NH to cal. cal to fla, fla to Ar (arkansas) Never pulled that trailer again, but i still have it.

The big breather hose begins on the ft left of the engine, goes straight up, crosses the chrome valve cover cover on a angle, turns down to the right side backing plate on a stock bike, and I assume to a fitting on chucksters backing plate unless you have a early chuckster plate where the idea was you didn't breath oil fumes and capped off the breather with another aftermarket filter to keep out bugs.

The breather does not have to re-breath oil fumes, but mostly they do these days. They can not be plug air tight however. The breather must vent both ways, or there will indeed be oil leak problems.

[Cajunrider]

Found the leak after pulling the left side air filter backing plate. It was oozing from around the front cylinder cam chain tensioner flange. Both bolts were tight. Looks like the old paper gasket just gave up. It was still intact and in very good shape but was oil soaked on the top side where the leak originated. Had gaskets and o-rings on hand from the extender job. Replaced both and no more leaking. I had 14 clicks of travel remaining on the tensioner 4,000 miles after installing the extender. I didn't feel it was necessary to check the easy one on the back jug.

[macmac]

Ah..... that did it, the oem gaskets were somehow damage slightly. Or the surfaces were not scraped clean enuff....

Happy Camper again I assume.