OIL LEAK??

[Joshua Johnson]

Hey im 17,
My first bike is an 82 yamaha Vision 550. the other day i noticed a few spots on the ground when i parked it. I checked closer an it looks like the oil is coming down somewhere from underneath gas tank down fuel line to the fuel shut off an reserve switch, then it drips down to ground. Any ideas at what it could be??

[Lucky]

Possably a valve cover leak. try this: get some cleaner (spray carb cleaner or spray brake cleaner)  clean off the whole area on the engine where you suspect the leak. do this with the engine cold.  clean as much of the oil off as possable, rinse the engine off with a hose ( but don't use high pressure water on any motorcycle, it can penitrate certain seals on the bike. Dry the bike well.

Next get a bottle of baby powder and squirt it on the engine in the general area of the leak. Start the engine and look for areas where the white powder turns black. that will be the source of the oil leak

--Lucky

[Rick G]

I'm not sure I understand  exactly where the "oil" is comming from , it sounds like it could be a leaky gas tank.

[Lucky]

or blow-by from a hose not hooked to the air box

[Joshua Johnson]

ok so yea not sure now. before when i started it an ran it put it back in my basement i used the small kick stand the one to make it lean thats when i say the small puddle of oil, i recently started using the center kick stand an now there are no more traces of leaking..............just a yamaha??? or any spill ways or anything i dont know about???

[Rick G]

When you put it on the side stand , the oil level was shifted to the left side of the engine , you may have a bad shift shaft seal.