where is this leak coming from??

After replacing the oil level sensor on sat, there is no longer a leak at the sensor. Now there is oil coming down the larger wire that the sensor wire plugs into. I can't figure out where it is starting at. There is a bolt on the side cover that has a little metal thing that holds the wires tucked back under the cover. I had to remove this to access the bullet plug to the sensor. Did I do something bad by removing that to cause a leak? The oil runs out along the wire and then down onto the frame. When I check around the cover, I do not see any oil leaking but yet fresh oil keeps appearing on that wire. HELP I am about to pull my hair out. That wiring is jammed so tight up between the frame and the cover I don't know how I am supposed to see what is going on anyway...I thought maybe the oil pan was leaking but I simply can't see well enough to figure it out.

 

No.
You probably got bit by a real common bug ...

The wires under the shield have been "Baked" to form the path they take around the cover.
When you put the cover back on ... you probably "Pinched" the wire between the cases.
If it's only "Pinched" ... the bike runs and leaks like a sieve.

If you trapped it ... the wires will sever and the bike wouldn't start.

If it's just pinched ... and that's all ... you won't need to do a tricky soldering maneuver.

Let us know!

 

I never took the cover off... the just the one bolt with the shield on it. There was no way to pinch the wire, and it is still loose as I can pull the wire out between the frame and the cover...

 

Oh ... a "Guide" ... a "Wire Loop" that keeps the wire from flapping around?

Try this experiment:

Using card-board ... like from a cereal box ... trace a couple of card board gaskets ... the size of a flat washer that fits snug on the shaft of that bolt you pulled-out.

Use the two gaskets you made, along with the washer ... and bolt it up with the card board gaskets over the bolt hole, the flat washer, the wire guide and bolt. It that stops the leak ... make a permanent gasket from gasket material.

 

Well I went out and looked again, jammed the trouble light up under there and it almost seems as if it is leaking out of the gasket area of the case behind the bolt I removed. This an allen head that holds the cover on as well as having a shield on it to keep the wires tucked under. It is about 1" above and in the middle of the shift lever. There are no washers on these bolts. I cleaned it all off and re-tightened it. Will take a look in the morning and see if the leak is still there and let you know whats up.
Thanks for your help.

 

I hope the wires didn't get pinched. Check for that, anyway. That's a pretty common thing to have happen under there.

 

I thought I had the leak on my black xj fixed after a test ride, but after sitting for a week, it leaked maybe 10 drops out. The other XJ ( the red one in my sig) is leaking even worse in the same area. Do you think I need a new crankcase gaskets on them? they are leaking somewhere in that area, around the kickstand. I figured since I have two bikes leaking in the same spot, maybe it is common problem? It is not the oil level sensor. It's up in between the frame and the crankcase cover.

 

Are you 100% sure? Mine looked like it must be leaking up there too. After a thorough clean up and then letting it sit for a couple days (hard to do now with the nice weather I admit) it was obvious that it was leaking from the drain plug.

A new copper gasket was the solution.

 

I am sure its not the drain plug. The area around the drain plug is perfectly clean and dry and there is oil everywhere up where the wire from the oil level sensor wire run into, on the red bike. On the black bike, just a few drops at a time leak out and fall off the FRAME in that area. No way for the oil to run over there from the drain plugs with the bikes sitting still. Could it run over there from the middle drain plugs>I will have to investigate that. It is hard as heck to see what is going on up there. I don't have a bike lift :x

 

Possibly the the alternator seal is shot? It would follow that path down to the frame.

 

Could my bike be leaking around the neutral safety switch? I think I have traced the oil to be running down this wire and onto the frame. I have never heard anyone mention a leak there and turned up nothing in a search...

Also on the other bike, leak in same area but I think it is the crankcase cover? Can I make a new gasket or do I have to buy a whole gasket set?

 

I've been plagued by my neutral switch leaking down through the center of it forever. Years ago I'd changed it with another and it leaks too. It runs down the wire that screws to the tip, and I've never been able to get it to stop.

I've pulled it from the engine case and put thread tape on it, several times before I realized it leaks out through the center of that switch, and 2 for me leaking tells me they are a faulty design. Lately I've thought I'd just silicone over the screw head and spade of that wire over the tip of the switch and see if that would stop it. If I attach a motorcycle tiedown to the handlebar and hook it to my car to hold the bike leaned way over to get the oil to the other side of the engine, you can pull that switch out, without draining the oil, so I may spray it clean with brake parts cleaner and silicone it up.

I've had to consistantly clean that area, I've even kept a blue shop paper towel jammed up in their, and just change it out every 2 months. But it is something I'm sick of too, would just like it fixed, recently now my chain tensioner on the front of the engine has starting an occasional drip too off it's tip. Sometimes these little drips drive ya nuts.

 

HMM. How do you get the switch assembly out of the case? My Haynes didn't offer too much info. Thanks for the tip about leaning the bike over. I don't want to drain the oil again, I have a 4-1 exhaust and I have to pull it to drain the oil. :-(

 

Mine is hexed, you just need that size deep socket, but you have to take off the wire attached, but check it first to confirm you even have a leak at the threads because you may not, it could be out the tip. I would spray it all clean, put it on the center stand, start it and lay under their watching it, if it comes out the tip, you'll know. It may take awhile to develop a drip appearing, so run it, shut it off and let the bike sit their awhile, go run it again for awhile, then let it sit again, keep checking until you start to see if a drip or oil moisture starts developing on that wire.

Oh, if you do the bike lean over deal with a tiedown, make sure it can't roll much or block a wheel or leave it in a gear, and make sure the tires are on clean driveway with no sand, you'd hate for it to slide out and fall over.