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Photo by Andy Miller, UK,
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Jokulsarlon, Iceland



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  #1  
Old 11 Jan 2006
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Oil leak
¨89GS/PD...on the left side of the engine directly behind the frame spar, just below the oil preasure sensore is a small drain-plug. This plug appears to be used incase you put too much oil in the engine? I´ve been having problems sealing it. At high RPM´s oil passes by and leaks all over the bike. Today i did a roadside repair with teflon tape, hope it will work. My question is, is this plug part of a preasurised oil galery? I´ve already turned it in deeper than i think it should go, but the thread doesn´t get any tighter like a pipe-thread would. Is it possible to seal off the oil galery if i turn the plug in too deep? What if i permanently seal the plug into place with JB Weld? Would this create a bigger problem in the future? ie. what is this plug for excactly??
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  #2  
Old 11 Jan 2006
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I've never played with that plug. Never leaked.

Check the oil pressure switch! Check it is tight then check for leaking around the insulator. If you need to replace it air colled VWs use the same sensor.
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  #3  
Old 13 Jan 2006
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Thanx Frank. Its not the oil-preasure sensor, its the plug underneath.
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  #4  
Old 13 Jan 2006
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The oil leak may actually be from the oil pressure sensor. My '94 R100 ,same engine, also showed a weeping nagging persistant oil leak there which turned out to be emanating from the spade connector of the sensor. The resin had aged ,shrunk and was letting oil out.I knew it could n't be the pushrod tube bungs which I had replaced a year earlier.
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Old 14 Jan 2006
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...guys, you have to trust me on this one, it is the plug underneath the oil preasure sensor. The sensor was replaced prior to this trip, and at great expense i might ad! I´ve checked and have confirmed it is the plug underneath. The plug doesnot actually tighten into its thread like a pipethread should. I´ve used teflon tape, and have slowed the leak to a minor trickle. What i really need to know is if the plug seals off an oil galery that is under preasure from the oil pump? If i premanently seal off this leak using JB Weld, will this cause me a problem in the future? Whats the damn plug for anyways? I´m also afraid that if some tape gets into the engine it may clog a vital oil gallery. Any relevant info would be greatly apreciated.
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  #6  
Old 14 Jan 2006
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So far as I know it is never opened for anything, it was only to drill an oil passageway. I would get a NEW plug - special order I'm sure - and install it with a good sealing compound on it. SHOULD stop it. After all, it's gone how many miles without leaking until now, and you haven't touched it, so shouldn't take much to solve.

If it doesn't tighten, you may want to stake it to make sure it doesn't just back out.

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Old 14 Jan 2006
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Hi Ron, I called Scott and he said it is under pressure and it is not easy to get out.
Older years ? had a slight taper. later they were an allen head. Then a bolt with a crush ring.
If you take it out you will lose your oil.
If it is tight and you can live with a small leak leave it alone until you can get to a shop. If you do take it out clean it well and Lock-Tight it in.
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Old 15 Jan 2006
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Thanx guys, thats the info i needed. Being under preasure, the leak makes more sense to me now..The teflon tape is holding for now, but if it gets worse i{ll try wrapping more teflon on it. If all else fails, i{ll glue the bastard in place and forget it ever existed!
BTW...the plug is easy to remove with a ball-head allen key, just in case some curious fool wishes to remove it and open Pandoras Box!
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Old 31 Jan 2006
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I am not sure about this but I think the plug is just to cover machining ports at the time of manufacture and is not supposed to be open ever again.
If you realy need to know e-mail me and I will put you in contact with the engineers that worked with these motors.
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Old 31 Jan 2006
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Thanx GS, this is the conclusion i´ve come too and will be sealing off the plug permanently, just wanted to make sure i wasn´t opening another pandoras box when i seal things up. Thanx to everyone for their help.
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Old 1 Feb 2006
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Suggest high temp silicone would be a better choice than J.B. Weld. Get some electrical contact cleaner and clean the area so thoroughly you could eat off it. Apply the high temp silicone and let cure for 18 hours.

Not sure how well J.B. Weld handles heat, but the high temp silicon is made for it.
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  #12  
Old 1 Feb 2006
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..tried that, it failed. This is a tough one because it is under preasure. Also, a steel plug in an aluminum hole acts wierd when things get hot. I found most of the leaking occuring durring high speed/revs, when the oil fump is at its peak. I think i´ll try locktite before i try the JB Weld.
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Old 2 Feb 2006
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Had the same issue. I cut down an allen wrench to get past the frame. Drain the engine oil, remove the plug. Use some Acetone to get all the wee bits clean. Then use some Loctite. Been ok for the last 6 years.

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  #14  
Old 2 Feb 2006
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Now thats what i like to hear! Did you use red or blue?
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  #15  
Old 2 Feb 2006
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The strongest stuff. You don't need to take it apart. Red.
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