oil leaking

[chiz]

Happy holiday to all in Ontario Canada or is it nation wide?
  Anyway hoping someone can tell me about oil leaks while I have been tinkering with bike starting running and setting pilot screws an oil leak appeared left side bottom of motor the oil had escaped over the collector box it was quite substantial.
I sprayed the whole area with cleaner I suspect 4 areas oil cooler union at front left,weird oilsender thing with wire coming out of it, oil pan gasket and oil filter union area.. any of these sound like a likely culprit?
  After cleaning yesterday oil seems to have come out from the oil filter fitting at the union of cover and engine run down and along forward to pan screw and the down.
  Because I cracked the oil filter open slightly yesterday and about 1/8 cup came out(don't ask why) I am not convinced that the oil coming from this area is not residual oil still seeping down any opinions?
Lez 

[ribbert]

3 of the 4 areas you mention as possible suspects are not common.
What is REALLY common is pinching the wire under the back of the oil filter housing and it doesn't seat properly.
The way I read your post, the leak started after you cracked the oil filter. If so, that will be it.
Noel

[chiz]

No the leak was prior to me 'cracking open" the oil filter bolt ... but that does not mean it was not done prior to me buying the bike.
Lez

[davrenn]

Have the same oil drip(same location) on a 91.  Also have not been able to determine source because I first had to turn my attention to the Main FJ common problem...carb rebuilds.

Frustrating bikes....maybe new bikes aren't so bad after all.

I know it's not the "pinched wire behind the filter housing" .  I always thought it was strange that the filter housing 0-ring really doesn't stick up much above the "housing groove lip" where it fits (in other words, a "thicker" 0-ring might be called for). Am kind of wondering if this is where oil weep is coming from.

If  anyone zeros in on it before I do...please post.

[Sabre093]

Sounds like wire getting pinched under housing for oil filter

[chiz]

P robably not a wire pinching issue. My BIKE has bee parked on drive way for weeks it is weeping but not dripping all in area of sump gasket(not 100%confirmed) left side would love to tighten sump screws but collector seems to be in the way this side. A good idea I guess is an automotive spin on and the proper adaptor from RPM or friendly machinist to make one. This would eliminate your o ring concerns for sure.
Chiz

[Sabre093]

Go to mods and I took pictures of us doing this mod.

[The General]

Have the same oil drip(same location) on a 91.  Also have not been able to determine source because I first had to turn my attention to the Main FJ common problem...carb rebuilds.

Frustrating bikes....maybe new bikes aren't so bad after all.

I know it's not the "pinched wire behind the filter housing" .  I always thought it was strange that the filter housing 0-ring really doesn't stick up much above the "housing groove lip" where it fits (in other words, a "thicker" 0-ring might be called for). Am kind of wondering if this is where oil weep is coming from.

If  anyone zeros in on it before I do...please post.

G`day Dave  Hope we can eventually help with the oil seep. I see it`s your first post though ya joined April 1st 2009. We Aussies are pretty shy like that,  so thought I`d ask where ya from? If ya within a thousand kilometres of Brisbane, we got a manshed day coming up if ya wanta duck in on the FJ. (I wouldn`t bring a new bike - without a support vehicle) 

[movenon]

Not saying where the oil leak is coming from but as I understand it the early FJ alternators that are held on with 2 bolts. One of the small bolt can break and allowing some small amount of oil leak/seep out around where the alternator slides into the engine. I don't own an early FJ but it's something to put in your data bank of left side oil leaks.

Most of the time it is the oil filter O ring that was damaged by the kick stand interlock wires being pinched under it. Even if the wire was cleared out the o ring can still be damaged to the point it leaks. Been there.... Converted to a spin on filter..... 
George

[davrenn]

[/quote]
G`day Dave  Hope we can eventually help with the oil seep. I see it`s your first post though ya joined April 1st 2009. We Aussies are pretty shy like that,  so thought I`d ask where ya from? If ya within a thousand kilometres of Brisbane, we got a manshed day coming up if ya wanta duck in on the FJ. (I wouldn`t bring a new bike - without a support vehicle) 
[/quote]


Many thanks for the invite General, but I would get a bit wet getting there.  I'm up in the Land of the (formally) Free.

You all are a bunch of very helpful, knowledgeable guys.  Salute you all.

[chiz]

Not saying where the oil leak is coming from but as I understand it the early FJ alternators that are held on with 2 bolts. One of the small bolt can break and allowing some small amount of oil leak/seep out around where the alternator slides into the engine. I don't own an early FJ but it's something to put in your data bank of left side oil leaks.

Most of the time it is the oil filter O ring that was damaged by the kick stand interlock wires being pinched under it. Even if the wire was cleared out the o ring can still be damaged to the point it leaks. Been there.... Converted to a spin on filter..... 
George

I like this idea .As I have my alternator off for broken bolt I realized this could be a point of oil seepage and it would be really hard to tell once everything is back together.
Chiz

[movenon]

Let us know what you find out. Fix the bolt. clean and inspect everything in the area while you are there. It might not hurt to replace your oil filter large O ring. I know it is sort of shot gunning things but its cheap. There are a few other areas oil can leak from on that side but I don't think it is to common. Let us know. Follow on information helps others.
George