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View Full Version : Oil leak question for an 85 atc250es!!



Lambo200s
05-07-2014, 03:00 PM
Hopefully the attachments can be viewed from this post. I have been a member for a while now but I am still learning the most efficient way to communicate and navigate through the website. So, here we go. For the experts who have the experience and advice...I need it! In one picture you will see me pointing to a vent tube that releases/attaches from the top of the motor case below the carb. I had removed the clip and hose to remove starter for repairs. Before finishing the starter repairs I tightened down the starter bolts and took it riding using just the kick start. No big deal. Only I did not press the tube back on to the 3 way vent adapter joining the 3 tubes under carb. So, I rode for about 4 hours straight toward the end of an afternoon and toward the end of the ride the trike got really hot. We had periodically stopped to cool them but mostly all trail rides with enough wind to cool the bikes down. Only, as mentioned earlier toward the end of the ride we finished at a downhill ride using the low gear to slowly walk the trikes down safely. My big red started smoking from oil that had hit the header pipe just beneath the burn guard. Just near the idle screw. The bottom of my air box has spillage. The back of the motor case, back of skid plate, and most of the air box hardware is all covered in a coat of oil. There are drips of oil at bottom of motor to. I have swabbed the motor clean looking for the leak as well as inspected everything but no conclusive evidence has revealed itself as to where the leak is exactly. So, questions present themselves. Any advice is greatly appreciated and thank you in advance for sharing knowledge and expert advice. First question. If the bike is hot and I had not thoroughly pushed the vent tube back on the fitted connector. Could oil have sprayed out bc the motor temp was high and the bike was riding up and down hills? Second, If the vent is only to release air and can not allow oil to escape what is the best place to start searching for the leak. I can replace simple seals but I am not sure that I am capable of splitting the case if this is a necessary repair. For the main gasket between motor case. I had a 110 that I rode hot or cold all the time. These produce more power so I am hoping that my 4 hour ride did not run the bike too hot and destroy a 25 year old gasket. Advice and support needed!

pipeline triker
05-07-2014, 06:07 PM
Did the starter have the o ring on it. if not that would leak some oil.

Flyingw
05-07-2014, 07:35 PM
Inside of the motor at the top is the chamber the case vent tube hooks to. That chamber has a baffle to keep oil blow by from entering the vent hose. If its blowing oil from the vent hose then the internal air pressure is too high. get a segment of hose and put it on the engine vent nipple and blow in to it. It should blow free. The only other thing I can suggest is to power wash the engine and get all that oil off and run it again. In fact, remove the OEM vent hose assembly and leave the segment on that you blew threw and run it with that. That should tell you if oil is coming out of the vent.

Lambo200s
05-08-2014, 09:12 AM
Ok. So by design oil should not push out of the vent tube bc of parts you described. So, leaving me to believe the oil either splattered out from the section of motor the starter seals or i have a potential gasket problem. I will disconnect this vent tube and try to push air through it. If there's blockage i can trouble shoot from there. Others have told me to NOT run machine without a starter bc it seals up the section where the flywheel and starter gears are exposed and oil could potentially leak. Not to mention it exposes the tranny and gears to the element. Dust, water, and oil..no bueno! I will change oil/filter/etc, wipe it down and my new starter gets here today. After it's all sealed off and clean i will check that the vent tube is working (like you suggested) then run it to make sure it is not pushing oil from and gaskets. This should be my problem solver. Thanks for the help!

tri again
05-09-2014, 05:10 PM
Blast it with some babypowder or white flour after you get it clean?
Usually makes oil tracks easier to see.
Flour may toast a little and make you hungry however,
and is my personal choice.

barnett468
05-09-2014, 05:19 PM
hello;

heat will not cause it to blow more oil out.

of you put your finger close to the end of the vent tubes and you feel much air then your rings might be weak. i might do s compression test also.

does it smoke?

rubber gaskets get burnt/dry/ crispy after exposure to heat over the years.

atc007
05-09-2014, 05:29 PM
Soak the entire engine w purple degreaser. let soak a few minutes. Pressure wash,if you don't have a pressure washer. Car wash. Lay her on her side,Blast the bottom. Lay her on the other side. Blast her. top,, bottom. Clean. Let her run. See precisely WHERE the oil is seeping from. Then worry about repairs. Most likely you will not be splitting her :)All great advice above ^

DohcBikes
05-09-2014, 05:47 PM
Lay her on her side,Blast the bottom. Lay her on the other side. Blast her. top,, bottom.

This is the best advice I've ever heard.