1994 xj600s Seca 2 Oil Drip

Seems my bike started dripping a little oil the other night... not sure if its been doing this for a while or if it is a new thing.

I did for the first time recently run the bike to the red line however I did not think that was related (although i suppose it could be)

I did look and see that this is not the view finder, dip stick, or filter that the leak comes from.

It seems to build up at the bottom of the engine, near the drain plug however it doesnt seem like the plug leaks, more that the leak comes from somewhere above and runs down...


The leak is about 1-2 drips every 5 seconds for 10-15 minutes after running and warming up (but shut off...) - I am not sure if it leaks while its running.


Any common issues? Could it be related to the clutch? Another issue I have is occasionally I shift the shifter up or down, and the gear seems to engage while I am releasing the clutch not when i am putting it in to the actual gear- I found that preloading the shifts and timing them properly helps but this is still awkward.

THANKS!

 

Can't comment about the shifting. However, I had a similar problem with the oil leak. It did the same thing for a few weeks, then started leaking even when cold. Clean everything real well and it will help to find the source. Mine ended up being a bad clutch cover gasket.

 

Common place for a "mystery" oil leak is the cam chain tensioner body gasket where it bolts to the back of the cylinder block; but it could be coming from anywhere and "migrating" down, as you said.

You need to get the motor all nice and clean, and then run it and watch for the source of the leak.

Use a citris-based engine degreaser from the auto parts; read the can to be sure the one you choose says you can use it on COLD engines. Work into all the nooks and crannies with a stiff brush; rinse with lots of LOW PRESSURE water from your garden hose.

DO NOT use a coin-op high pressure car wash to clean the motor. The various seals were designed to keep oil and other fluids IN, not to keep water out, especially high-pressure water. You can drive moisture into your engine/transmission and cause problems.

 

Found this leak after a good clean... went for a ride, bike warmed up- and I started searching...

Within seconds i noticed oil seepin out of the bottom of the clutch case...

Drained oil- popped off the case, sure enough the gasket was as hard as a rock, brittle and broken into pieces...

Cleaned the surfaces, polished them a bit so they were smooth, gooped it all in some high temp silicone and now its riding like the champ.

Clutch even works better, I suppose because things are sealed properly there is more oil pressure in the right places...

Putting the case back on was a PITA though- had a bit of trouble finding the exact position for it to sit... but once in place all was well...

Thank you everyone for the suggestions! Good call on the high pressure washer too- we were going to do that but put it off, and now i read that... i wont do it at all

 

I have that '94 too, my leak came from the neutral switch plate

 

I kinda wonder about a couple other areas- the sensor in the bottom of the oil pan (assuming oil pressure sensor tied to the indicator in the cluster.) - it looks a bit rough, like someone caked it in silicone or glue.. perhaps it was leaking.

Also my neutral switch is a bit strange... it flickers a bit... doesnt always come on... sometimes it just requires that i wiggle the shifter and sometimes just revving the bike a little fixes it...

Could this be a sign of any major issues?

 

The neutral switch is just a primitive little contact that gets touched by a pin in the trans. It can wear out, or might just need to be R & I'ed and cleaned. It's not the most robust component.

The only issue it's a sign of is you might need a new one.

(R&I=Remove and Inspect)

 

how is that done? I have the haynes- ill check when i get home... does it discuss that?

 

Possibly, I have the Clymer and factory 550 books so I don't know.

The neutral switch is mounted with three screws, and lives under your sprocket cover on the left side of the bike. You need to remove the shifter and pull that cover, it's in there.

Same part number as the 550s (Yamaha pn 1L9-82540-00-00) so chacal should have them, also still available from Yamaha for less than they charge for shipping.