Mystery oil leak somebody help me out

[mitchconley]

i finally just fixed my dead battery about about a month of my ex sitting in the trailer. after i finished that it started right up but was smoking. im not an expert at working on anything but i know smoke=bad so i turned it off and checked the oil right away and it was bone dry. i didnt see it dripping anywhere but i have an engine skidplate and it doesnt make working on it easy. i only had about a half of a bottle of oil so i put that in and nothing really happened. just wondering if anybody has ever had any problems that i should know about or if i should just pour oil in and stare at it till i see some drops.

[slightlybent47]

Chances are it was low when it was put up. Just put some oil in it and start it up. Run it a minuet and check the oil. Keep an eye on it.

[mitchconley]

idk i just put oil in it about 2 months ago. i figured i would come here before buying more oil though

[jasonanderson1]

last time i changed my oil it took 3 quarts for some reason, maybe u have the same problem.

[mitchconley]

maybe. tank is onlysupposed to hold 1-3/4 quarts

[steve181]

Originally posted by mitchconley
maybe. tank is onlysupposed to hold 1-3/4 quarts

Actually, the stock tank should only hold a little over 2... i mean it will hold more but to over fill it is just as bad as having not enough

In my old 400, i would change the oil/filter
and put in a little under 2 quarts
let the bike idol for a few mins, wipe of the dip stick and look @ it

[mitchconley]

i got a shop manual and thats what it says so idk

[400exrider707]

It's supposed to be checked warm....

Why dont you just change the oil since it's been sitting. This way you can drain whatever is in there, then fill it up with your 2 fresh qts, so you know what came out and what's going in.

Cheap insurance vs. possibly running it with too little or too much oil.

[jasonanderson1]

so wat you guys are saying is that filling the tank up past the high marker is bad for it? but how if 4 strokes only let a certain amount of oil cycle thru at once.?

[310ESR]

To much oil will wind up in the crankcase overfilling the engine area. This in turn will get the crank hitting the oil with the counterweights on the crank. When that happens it puts too much oil on the cylinder walls to the point that the rings can not handle it wiping off, causing the rings not to seal. At that point the engine begins to burn oil, and the engine is now trained to burn oil even when things are right. NEVER overfill. I have seen this dozens of time from 5HP Briggs to Fully built Big Blocks.

[fishnfergie]

When you over fill the oil also has no where to expand to when it gets hot, causing what 310esr is talking about.

[rocky_mtn_honda]

just thought id throw in my .02...i had an oil leak here recently on my fresh rebuild, turns out it was the countershaft oil seal...when i'd rev it after the oil warmed up, it would glaze the whole countershaft in oil and start seeping and pooling. was an easy fix though so...:D