I have an oil leak

[YnotGuzzi]

I have a minor but annoying oil leak from my 2003 Cali EV1100. If I trace it backwards it looks like its dripping off the upper end of the kick stand springs. Everything else that I can see/touch seems dry. Like I said, its minor, maybe 4 drops per day. I can't find any evidence of oil behind the leak. Nothing on the rear tire or wheel or the swingarm. Signed, Flusterated.

[Dean Rose]

Check the area at the cam sensor.

Dean

[Chuck in Indiana]

Clean up the suspected area very well with solvent. Spray powdered athlete's foot medicine all over it. Start it up. You'll shortly find the leak.

[twhitaker]

As Dean says it's likely from the cam position sensor.

[pehayes]

Drip is from the lowest point, not necessarily where the leak is emanating.  Oil film moves very easily when the engine surface is hot.
Likely from the o-ring in the cam sensor.
Could be the oil pressure switch.
Could be a valve cover gasket.
Could be the o-ring from the cover plug for the top-center head bolt.
Could be the timing cover seal for the alternator.
Could be the o-ring for the alternator spacer on the crankhaft.
All of these are easy to inspect and cheap to repair.

Patrick Hayes
Fremont CA

[John A]

I would use mineral spirits in a spray bottle. About eight bucks a gallon at menards and won't hurt paint, rubber, plastics etc. like brake clean or the like.

[YnotGuzzi]

Thanks for all the input. I checked everything suggested but found nothing amiss except for one thing. There is a bolt at the bottom front of the crankcase that looks like it goes all the way through the block. It was a little loose and took about 3/4 of a turn to tighten. Could oil have been leaking past that?

[pehayes]

How about posting an annotated picture?

Your description sounds like a front motor mount bolt.  Should be very tight.  However, that bolt doesn't have any involvement with oil chambers and shouldn't be a leakage source.

But, if that bolt was substantially loose, then the engine might be vibrating around excessively.  In such case, all bets are off and the leak could propagate from anywhere.  The bolt doesn't go through the engine block itself, but through the timing chest cover.  Vibrating that cover and chamber with a loose motor mount bolt could generate a perimeter leak.

Patrick Hayes
Fremont CA

[normzone]

Clean up the suspected area very well with solvent. Spray powdered athlete's foot medicine all over it. Start it up. You'll shortly find the leak.

Hah! Done my share of NDE, must have inspected a mile of welds without ever having learned to weld, still on the bucket list.

[Mr Revhead]

Others have suggested the cam sensor.... Oil from there can trickle down the back of some ribs and along the cylinder to block join and be very very hard to see.
Happened on mine, struggled to find it, then thought it was leaking out the head gasket  But found it was from the cam sensor. Cheap and easy Oring fixed it