Bikers help! Sportser Oil Leak.

[sfgoat]

So like many discussions on here this is not beer related but knowing there are a lot of bikers on this site I thought I'd ask this here. So I went to go and get my 2008 Sportster 1200XLC out of the storage unit where it has been all winter. Well I didn't get very far because I got there and there was probably half a quart of oil or so on the floor beneath the bike. As far as I can tell it seems to be coming from the tube that goes from the oil tank to the top of the primary/crankcase. Oil appears to be coming out right where the hose meets primary(hose seems to be able to move up and down a little easy at this spot).

Is this just gravity sumping and overflow happening or is something more wrong here?

I did check the dipstick and it shows there is still at a decent level. Help me out guys.

 

[sfgoat]

Bump

 

[blackbeer]

clean it and fire it up and let it idle a while and see where it leaks. my lowrider drips and seeps when sitting but seals up when it runs.

 

[ChefRex]

I picture would help, I'm having a hard time visualizing which hose you're talking about.
A half a quart on the floor will produce a HUGE puddle.
What types of modifications have been done to the bike, specificity intake?

 

[coldbrewnoob]

Cervelo r3.

 

[sfgoat]

I picture would help, I'm having a hard time visualizing which hose you're talking about.
A half a quart on the floor will produce a HUGE puddle.
What types of modifications have been done to the bike, specificity intake?

It is all stock with the exception of the exhaust pipes.

Once I grab it from storage this weekend I'll post a pic.

 

[Homercidal]

1/2 quart on concrete will spread out into a really large area if it's left to do it's thing.

Other than that, I am clueless about what might be happening on your motorcycle.

 

[sfgoat]

1/2 quart on concrete will spread out into a really large area if it's left to do it's thing.

Other than that, I am clueless about what might be happening on your motorcycle.

Well I'm thinking right now that either th bottom of the oil drain hose is cracked or a seal is bad somewhere and it leaked when the oil gravity sumped but I won't know for sure until I get it home and have a better look. Who knows I might just need to ride it to get everything to work out. It's never been stored this long.

 

[sfgoat]

Well it turned out to be a split in the drain line for the oil tank. Line is replaced and bike is good to go. Thank to those who tried to help.

 

[BigFloyd]

It's a Harley. Don't they all do that?

 

[ChefRex]

Did you diagnose or a shop? Inquiring minds want to know

 

[sfgoat]

Did you diagnose or a shop? Inquiring minds want to know

I diagnosed. Once I got it to the house and in good lighting it was a pretty quick spot .

 

[Yuri_Rage]

I have an '06, which has a nearly identical oil system. The rubber drain line is a bizarre engineering choice. Mine's never leaked, but I've always wondered why they chose such a strange oil drain/change scheme. My 1972 Honda's dry sump system has a far superior oil tank setup despite its age. Why Harley can't do better, I'll never know.

 

[sfgoat]

I have an '06, which has a nearly identical oil system. The rubber drain line is a bizarre engineering choice. Mine's never leaked, but I've always wondered why they chose such a strange oil drain/change scheme. My 1972 Honda's dry sump system has a far superior oil tank setup despite its age. Why Harley can't do better, I'll never know.

I definitely agree that it could be better. The good news though is that it was a very cheap fix. I spent $3 even and got enough hose to make 2 of them and it only took about 10 minutes to do the work.