OIL LEAK UNDER SEAT?????

I Rode my 1982 XJ650 a few days ago and when I came to a stop and parked, it was leaking OIL pretty bad under it, I looked and all I could see was a black plastic box type thing under the seat area BEHIND the engine, this leak isn't coming from the engine itself. Can anyone help me here? I am new to the XJ bikes and really don't know if this is something I can fix or if it is too costly to fool with???? Help PLEASE....LOL

 

Is it in the airbox?

 

Remove the Oil Filler Cap and sniff for the smell of Gas.

Take the Cover off the Air Box.
Remove the Air Filter.
Wipe the SHELF behind the Filter with a Clean Paper Towel.

Put the Bike on a LEVEL Surface.
Use the SIDE Stand.
With the Bike on the Kick Stand, ... L@@K at the Oil Level Window.
IF there is OIL visible in the WINDOW --> The Crankcase is too full.

You may have:
Too much Oil in the Sump.
Gas LEAKING Down into the Sump.
Petcock on PRI
LEAKING Petcock
STUCK Floats

TEST:
Petcock for Leaking.
Install SHUT-OFF Valve.

What Oil are you using?
What were you latest Compression Numbers?

IF, ... The Oil Window is FULL when the Bike is on the Kick Stand ...
Cut 10-Inches of Straight Wire from a Coat Hanger.
Rough-up the Wire with a File or a quick pass on the Grinder.
Chalk the Wire.
Stick the Wire down inside the Oil Filler Hole to the Bottom of the Case.
Read the Level on the Wire where the Chalk isn't wet.

If the Level is way up, ...
Drain the Oil.
Change the Filter ...
After being certain GAS is not LEAKING into Crankcase.

••• Briggs & Stratton Fuel Shut-off $12.00 ••• Installed after Petcock •••

 

Ok, thanks, that gives me somewhere to start.......Will let you know what I ind. I HAD just put oil in it and I may have over filled it, but it has done it really bad again, not just once, and I didn't add more oil the second and third time it poured out

 

This thread is in the wrong forum, but ok.

You have a carburetor float problem.

That "black box under the seat" IS your airbox.

What happens is one or more carb floats stick, and fill the engine up with gasoline, drastically raising the oil level so it will then pump out the breather into the airbox.

Open your oil filler and stick your nose in the hole.

If it smells like gasoline, problem confirmed.

YOU WILL NEED TO SERVICE THE CARBS.

This is a 30--year old bike. Believe me, this is only the beginning.

You need a service manual, some tools and a willingness to learn. A LOT.

Or wads of cash. Because there is no quick and easy solution; and if you don't fix it properly you will wreck your motor.

Sorry but it's the honest truth.

 

I will look into that, I do have to choke the bike just about everytime I start it, but it seems to run just fine. I have an oil leak at the valve cover gasket, but it isn't a bad leak, minor seepage. I have a mechanic that does any major repairs for me. I will see about getting my carbs serviced....thanks

 

You missed my point. If the carbs are dumping fuel into the oil, running the bike with gas-diluted oil will WRECK THE MOTOR.

Don't "look into it." Fix it now or bad things will happen.

 

The Carbs are Aluminum, Brass and Bronze.
Made, ... to be able to be serviced and cleaned.

But, ... they are NOT self-cleaning and the Floats might need to be replaced.
The Parts that might be needed are easily obtained.

Don't run the Bike if Gas is contaminating the Oil.
Lots of things can happen if you do that.
None of them are good.

One of them is called: "The Knock of Death"

 

Mr BigFitz.... if he keeps running his bike with gas in his oil, this thread will end up being in the right forum....

 

FIRST, NOBODY SAID I WAS RUNNING THE BIKE STILL, I WILL LOOK INTO THIS, I HAVE EVERY INTENTION OF HAVING MY MECHANIC LOOK AT IT AND THEN GO FROM THERE. SECOND, THIS IS WHERE THE FORUM PUT ME TO POST THIS, I DID NOT CHOOSE THIS SECTION. NOW, I MAY NOT KNOW ALOT ABOUT BIKES, BUT I AM NO IDIOT, I WOULDN'T EVER RUN THE BIKE IF I THINK IT'S DUMPING FUEL INTO THE ENGINE OIL. I APPRECIATE EVERYONES CONCERN AND CERTAINLY APPRECIATE ALL THE INFO. I DO LOVE MY BIKE AND TRUST ME GUYS, SHE HASN'T BEEN CRANKED AT ALL SINCE THAT HAPPENED LAST. LOL I HAVE TO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS WITH MY MECHANIC TO GET IT TO HIM AND HAVE HIM TELL ME WHAT WE ARE LOOKING AT.... I AM REALLY HOPING THIS ISN'T A MAJOR THING, I THINK I CAN HANDLE THE COSTS OF HAVING MY CARBS SERVICED, HOWEVER THERE ARE 4 OF THEM SO I AM AFRAID OF THE COSTS....LOL .....SORRY ABOUT THE CAPS, IT ONLY WORKS WHEN IT WANTS TO...

 

BTW, I DID SMELL INTO THE OIL FILLER AND DID NOT DETECT ANY ODOR OF FUEL AT ALL......ANY OTHER SUGGESTIONS ON WHAT COULD CAUSE OIL TO POUR OUT OF THE AIR BOX?

 

what type of oil are you using?

 

I'd be afraid of the costs too if I had a mechanic work on my bike. You could do it yourself for probably half the cost and learn something in the process. Not to mention know that it was done thoroughly and correctly.

I'm no mechanic but this forum has definitely helped me to do a lot of things to my bike that I never thought I'd be able to do. You just have to have the willingness to learn...or a lot of cash to pay your mechanic.

 

x2 - stick around and learn a thing or two, odds are you'll have your bike in better shape than your mechanic ever could through the extensive and easily accessible knowledge throughout this site.

theres no hurt in trying!

 

Oil pours out of the airbox (via the breather) because there's too much of it in the sump.

That happens when a carb float sticks and dumps fuel in the crankcase;

-or-

when somebody doesn't check the oil correctly and puts WAY TOO MUCH IN.

Did you (or your mechanic) recently do an oil change? "Top off" the oil?

 

Tileguy:

The whole idea behind this site is to get you running good without you needing to bring the bike to a shop.

Use the site.
Get advice from pros.
Maybe even have a pro help you.

Complete the Registration Process.

In the Signature Section display THUMBS of your Bike: (like)
___________________________________________
1983 <> Yamaha <> XJ900 <> 53,000 <> Stock

In the LOCATION Section:

Billerica, MA

There might be somebody near you who you could visit or them stop by to look-in on you.

 

All Solid advice - go with it and you can't go wrong. Doing your own work builds your knowledge as well as confidence in your ability to take on any repairs down the line (and there will be many)

 

Just to let you know, we're not doubting your mechanic or anything, but most of us have not had good experiences with paying others to work on these bikes. Older bikes need a lot of time, love and patience. Hell, I won't even let a shop take the tires off my bike to replace them...

 

@bigfitz, I did recently top off the oil, but I used the viewing window and had it standing up straight when I did it.....I would like to say THANK YOU to everyone for the advice and such, I may take a stab at cleaning my carbs, main reason I use a mechanic is he is real reasonable, thorough and I have limited time and knowledge.....but my nephew is pretty handy at stuff like this and he has agreed to help me try to do it myself...but I do appreciate everyones advice, keep it coming guys!

 

Send a PM to "chacal"
Our Parts Man.
or
Go to the YAMAHA MOTORS Parts Site.
Owners Manuals and Workshop Manuals.

Get yourself a GENUINE YAMAHA WORKSHOP Manual
Specifically for your Bike.
The Workshop Manual --> Includes <-- the Owners Manual.

There's a SECTION on Carbs.
Cleaning
Tuning
Sync-ing and Adjusting Floats.