Oil leak - need help

[nurider]

Bought a '97 Kat 600 about a month ago.

Rode yesterday afternoon, and while parking at the end of the ride, noticed ... hey, what's this? ... damn, it's oil.

No flames please ..... I know I should have looked before going for the ride.

Anyway, there's still a decent oil level in the sightglass.

Spent a while trying to figure out where it's coming from. Looks like the leak is somewhere on the left; drips down from the front plastic under the exhaust pipes. Was able to remove 6 of the 7 screws holding the left fairing in place, but don't have all the correct size allenheads, so couldn't remove the 7th.

Have not bumped anything, so have no idea what caused the leak.

Any ideas? Help.

[Yellow]

Did you try to just remove the lower fairing? That should give you visual access to a lot of places that could leak oil...

[nurider]

Did you try to just remove the lower fairing? That should give you visual access to a lot of places that could leak oil...

As a matter of fact, no, I did not. Just started from the top ......
Actually, it may have been because I didn't have the smaller allen wrench.

Note to self: figure out what size that needs to be.

[Yellow]

Note to self: figure out what size that needs to be.

Can't help you on that one, mine are not stock but all have the same size, except from the middle ones (that are holding the bellypan together). If those are the ones giving you problems you could remove it as one piece...

I would be getting a full set of Allen keys, you'll need them sooner or later anyway.

[nurider]

I would be getting a full set of Allen keys, you'll need them sooner or later anyway.

Hi ho, hi ho, it's off for Allen wrenches I go .....

[HS2020]

It might be coming from you valve cover. I was going to replace mine myself then decided to let the shop do it. I am gald I did. There were 3 bolts stripped out. One of the shafts that the bolt goes down into was cracked and this was big problem b/c it helps hold the cam in. Thanks to Specail K for sending me that part. So when you do get the screws out look around the valve cover.
The sizes for the allen head bolts are a 6mm, 5mm and a 4mm. The siz you use on the grab bar and the 5mm you use on the rest of the fairing bolts, and the 4mm is used on the ones that hold the belly pan to upper fairing. Also you have to take your mirrors off and windscreen to get the upper fairings off. I forget that part sometimes. Use to have CBR didn't have to do that step.

[nurider]

The sizes for the allen head bolts are a 6mm, 5mm and a 4mm. The siz you use on the grab bar and the 5mm you use on the rest of the fairing bolts, and the 4mm is used on the ones that hold the belly pan to upper fairing. Also you have to take your mirrors off and windscreen to get the upper fairings off. I forget that part sometimes. Use to have CBR didn't have to do that step.

Thanks a lot. I didn't know which sizes I needed.
Also, I realized the mirrors need to come off, but couldn't see how that happens.

[zleviticus]

well i know that my bike has a tool kit with all the stuff i need.. but my other tools are better anyways.. :mrgreen:

[Yellow]

Also, I realized the mirrors need to come off, but couldn't see how that happens.

They are held by two allen head bolts... Hightsight, are the wind screen allen bolts 4mm too? You will need to take the turn signals off as well if you are removing the upper fairings, a 14 mm wrench is needed for mine...

[HS2020]

On my bike the windscreens screws the bolts are a 5 mm.... My signals are aftermarket and screw on and off. just twist the bulb out and there you have it.

[nurider]

The tools with the bike do not include any allen head wrenches. Is this normal?

Looks like a full set of metric allen head wrenches needs to be purchased ......

[Raistlin]

Hmm... I think that's odd... My bike's tool kit came with the allens to remove the fairing bolts. Also, this was brought up earlier so I don't think I'm hijacking, but how do you get the windscreen off? I've got all the allens off, but behind the parking light plastic there is a plastic screw that goes through the windscreen. I couldn't for the life of me figure out how to remove this type of screw, short of breaking it off at the shaft... I figure the engineer put it there for a reason, so I didn't break it...

[nurider]

Could be that the original owner didn't want to part with the allen wrenches .......
O(@$*)#$&%

[HS2020]

Couldn't tell you about the screw on yours. Talk to beek or one of them

[The CyberPoet]

Re: Oil leak - need help

Bought a '97 Kat 600 about a month ago ... damn, it's oil.

The oil leaks out on these engines in six basic places:

The oil filter (especially suspect with certain aftermarket filters which can't take the heat the engine gets up to without water cooling);
The valve cover gaskets (usually not seated as they should be);
The drain bolt (especially if stripped by over-torqueing, a common newbie mistake);
The signal cover gasket (usually related to damages);
The hoses going to the oil radiator/cooler (they do age and need to be replaced every 6 to 8 years under normal circumstances);
And the oil radiator/cooler itself (usually a result of impact damage).

Going after the leak is critical, as certain leaks (such as the lines to the cooler) can become causes of additional problems if left unaddressed, even with sufficient oil present in the sump.

Hmm... I think that's odd... My bike's tool kit came with the allens to remove the fairing bolts. Also, this was brought up earlier so I don't think I'm hijacking, but how do you get the windscreen off? I've got all the allens off, but behind the parking light plastic there is a plastic screw that goes through the windscreen. I couldn't for the life of me figure out how to remove this type of screw, short of breaking it off at the shaft... I figure the engineer put it there for a reason, so I didn't break it...

As for the allen keys (hex-head keys), harborfreight carries a full T-handle set of metric sizes for about $6 - $8, a worthwhile investment. Yes, the stock toolkit normally ships with those allen keys in it, but they often get lost by prior owners since they are such small items. For my own toolkit, I substituted in a metric allen-key kit where all the keys are fastened in a single container and rotate out -- no worrying about having misplaced a single key if I have problems at the side of the road (about $4, harborfreight, most auto parts stores for $7).

Cheers
=-= The CyberPoet