Sight Glass Leakage [Archive]

PUDGYPAINTGUY

10-01-2005, 09:13 PM

On my '04 GSA my oil sight glass has started to weep oil from the seal...nthing tremndous though but strange after only 15.8K miles...is this normal for anyone else? It does not burn any oil so I guess this might be the engine trying to get rid of it some other way...lol

GSAnderson

10-02-2005, 08:17 AM

According to Engineering For Dummys: Seals...don't. I replaced mine this year at about 50K. It's an easy fix. I carry an extra in the took kit.

PUDGYPAINTGUY

10-02-2005, 10:27 AM

Thanks...can it be done from the outside of the bike? I am sure that warranty would take care of it although I hate the idea of them tearing apart a motor etc.

Thanks again,
Andy

breyfogle

10-02-2005, 10:54 AM

The sight glass assembly is simply press fit into an opening in the engine case. Replacement is only a matter of pulling the old one out and pushing a new one in. The hardest part is deciding how to grab and pull the old one out. There are lots of ways to do this, I screwed two self tapping machine screws into the plastic "glass" and pulled on these screws with pliers. Suprising little force is required !!

cjack

10-02-2005, 10:55 AM

Yes. Just tap one in. You will have to pull the old one out with something with a hook on it by making a hole thru the sight glass. Don't pry on the edge of the casting.

scjack

10-02-2005, 11:24 AM

A possible alternative method if you are also changing your oil:

I haven't had to replace one on my oilhead but on the K bikes, with the oil drained and the filter out, you can see the glass through the opening where the oil filter goes. Put a long screwdriver in the hole and push the glass out. Just did this on my K100 several weeks ago. Again, I don't know if this works on a Oilhead.

MarkF

10-02-2005, 02:16 PM

I don't know if this works on a Oilhead.

It don't

kbasa

10-03-2005, 11:08 AM

If it's weeping, start carrying a spare.

On a cold morning, when the oil is thick and oil pressure is high, it may blow out. You'll recognize it by a loud "whooshing" sound.

The new hexheads have a circlip that holds the sight glass in place.

MarkF

10-06-2005, 10:32 AM

The new hexheads have a circlip that holds the sight glass in place.

Wow, what an engineering advance!

username

10-06-2005, 01:14 PM

riderR1150GSAdv

10-06-2005, 02:40 PM

Wow, what an engineering advance!

My guess is that that decision went through at least three committees :fight

Montana

10-06-2005, 04:26 PM

On the R1200C and CL models, the pipes run below the site glass. I know of a bike that went up in flames when the site glass popped out.

kbasa

10-06-2005, 04:33 PM

anyone have a linky to a sightglass repair procedure?

how hard is it to do on the road? seems like one of those repairs that if youre prepared for it, it's a minor hassle, and if youre not, it totally wrecks your trip...

Well, if the old one pops out, you take the new one and stick it in there. Clean all the old goop out and just press it in.

There's no sealer or anything to hold it in, you just need to make sure it's seated.

The crucial element is to have one with you.

username

10-06-2005, 11:49 PM

Well, if the old one pops out, you take the new one and stick it in there. Clean all the old goop out and just press it in.

There's no sealer or anything to hold it in, you just need to make sure it's seated.

The crucial element is to have one with you.

so i don't need any special goop with me or anything? it's a press fit? or there's a rubber seal? i guess i'm too ignorant about this so i'm asking dopey questions. i should probably just go look at mine... (watch, i'll mess with it and dump my oil in the garage!)

PUDGYPAINTGUY

10-07-2005, 12:32 AM

Thanks folks for the tips...me thinks it is wise to buyeth one...dang quickly too...I wonder if a sealant could be used to hold tighter....hmmm

kbasa

10-07-2005, 08:41 AM

It's just a press fit. Before you stick the new one in, you'll need to get the surface clean, so be prepared to sacrifice a sock while you're standing by the side of the road.

PUDGYPAINTGUY

10-07-2005, 09:22 AM

Thanks Kbasa...I fear my sock may begin a whole new strain of corrosion to the metal...hehehehe. Thanks again,

breyfogle

10-07-2005, 02:09 PM

Thanks folks for the tips...me thinks it is wise to buyeth one...dang quickly too...I wonder if a sealant could be used to hold tighter....hmmm
Don't be messin' with sealer !! A dry pressfit is all that is needed, sealer can only lead to a mis-fit and more leaks.

PUDGYPAINTGUY

10-07-2005, 07:32 PM

Thanks breyfogle, I appreciate the heads-up on that point. A dry press fit it is then.

Thanks to all of you that responded,
Andy

FredRydr

10-08-2005, 05:31 PM

... be prepared to sacrifice a sock while you're standing by the side of the road.Kbasa, do you carry a spare? I stash a ditty bag of known "weak link" parts for my Roadster on longer rides. Perhaps I should add one of these $25 items? (I cannot allow my small bag to grow much, though.)

Fred

username

10-08-2005, 09:19 PM

fred - can you share a list of the contents of your ditty bag?

kbasa

10-09-2005, 02:29 PM

Kbasa, do you carry a spare? I stash a ditty bag of known "weak link" parts for my Roadster on longer rides. Perhaps I should add one of these $25 items? (I cannot allow my small bag to grow much, though.)

Fred

I do. I have it in a little envelope I carry on the bike.

FredRydr

10-10-2005, 03:29 PM

fred - can you share a list of the contents of your ditty bag?Sure, but it will be an unexciting list. They are all small parts, mostly rubber; the oil sight glass will qualify and fit in the bag. A few rubber-mounted nuts and several stainless washers for the fuel tank and oilcooler covers (they self-destruct with removal or disappear), two o-rings for quick-disconnect, one extra male end for the quick-disconnects (a new addition), short piece of fuel line, one oil filler cap (the weakness here is my forgetting to reinstall before I ride off), one o-ring between valve cover and oil filler, a few rubber bushings for valve cover bolts (they harden and I have split them twice when removing bolts where I had no spares - to help keep the oil in the motor), one fuel hose clamp (I used to have more, but I finally replaced all on the bike). I suppose I should carry an alternator belt, but that pushes the size of my ditty bag. Oh, and Arai faceshield vents and latches- I seem to break them often enough.

It just sort of evolves. On my prior bike, I used to carry a spare clutch cable zip-tied in place parallel to the cable in use, and never needed it!

Fred

username

10-10-2005, 04:29 PM

thanks a lot for that! that's a good list.

i figure that people carry what they've wished theyve had in the past, so seeing what you've got is educational for me.

ride well.