TOPIC:

I've been trying to find a similar posting online here, but perhaps ya'll can help a newbie... I can't seem to find an answer yet..

Well, I've noticed little drips here and there of oil after a ride since I've had this since about June. Now tonight after work I went to an appointment (I didn't ride my bike to work just the app.) I even went on a 2 hr drive this past Sunday no hick ups what so ever, smoothest ride I've had since getting it serviced a month ago... But maybe this long ride did something to cause this issue tonight?... I didn't see any oil puddles Sunday after the ride, nor before leaving tonight...

Now 1/2 way to my app. tonight it stalled at every stop light there after when I shifted down and barely wanted to start up each time and the oil light came on-which it hasn't since I've had it. I pulled into a gas station down the road-at least it made it there. The gage was empty-bit left at bottom of case, I put two bottles in and it seemed fine. I get through my appointment-it was now around 50 deg. out here in MN tonight going home at least it wasn't deathly busy- and start having the same issues about 7 blocks away.
So as I was leaving-oil light still came on, seemed to start fine - I didn't think to look underneath for any puddles at the lot before leaving. I'm getting major smoke now and it's stalling every light again - I just want to get home at this point being so @#%(* cold! You get the idea-stop, stall...stop, stall... seems to take off just fine once I have to start it each time...

So as I get home now, I stop in front of my garage doors and just push it in now on the final stall. It's still leaking - I put a pan under and open up the cap - case is completely empty, but the gage is full??! I have a nice size puddle in front my garage though too-and I'm sure it left a nice one at each light I was at and a drip line down the highway...

Well, it's too late for me right now tonight - I'm going to try tomorrow night to change the filter out and such. But anyone have any thoughts if this is something more major than just the pan/filter? I just had it serviced about a month ago with carb clean and they didn't mention anything I needed...


Is all this trouble worth it - being my FIRST bike?! I love the older bikes, but completely frustrated - probably not the best to learn on either

Yes,it IS all worth it.
Like You said...You love the old bikes.
Take a break from it,and get a fresh look at it again tomorrow.
Take Your time,and look CLOSELY at any and all areas for oil leaks.Don't get fooled by oil that has travelled from the leak SOURCE,and has collected elsewhere.
Check the filter(and bolt,obviously).
Make sure there's an o-ring on the filter cover,etc.
It DOES sound like a pretty good leak,and hopefully You didn't do any damage,Bud...hopefully it's going to be something obvious,and it should be with that much oil leaking.
Drain bolt and filter cover bolt...check them for sure.

ok, now I KNOW this can't be good -check photos - this is what came out with the drain bolt.... I then tried to see if it would go back in - I can't turn it by hand back in - I have to use a socket wrench, but I don't want to strip the hole any more than it is, what to do????? Would I have to replace the oil pan entirely? What other options?! I think this is the main source of the leak currently, I can't see it any where else, and it's definely coming from underneath- the oil filter bolt seemed fine.. I don't want to put this in yet until I hear some ideas???!! Also, is the bolt supposed to be seperate or is it supposed to have this ring around near the head as well? The book doens't show the bolt removed anywhere, so I can't figure that out. The bolt threads seem fine, I think it's the casing... HELP! Would some sort of thread tape be sufficient to hold or something similar? Or would the oil eat that apart?

2nd photo