'85 vf500f started leaking oil yesterday.

It's been ridden regularly since May, and I only noticed it yesterday, checked the oil level, added some, changed the chain, and went to ride it to work this morning to find a nice oil-slug trail leading out the garage, it has 43,847 miles on it and it came with most of them so I don't really know any of it's history. The central exhaust collector intersection thing seems to be well oiled now but I'm not sure where its coming from yet but its all over the left bottom, any one have a constructive opinion or Idea to figure this out?

 

Could be the clutch push rod seal as this is a common malady:



Good luck and let us know how you make out!

 

I had a rear valve cover and oil pan leak on my R that dripped down to the exhaust. Eventually it did leave a spot on the floor. See if you can give it a good power wash then watch for oil. It could also be a shift rod seal or oil pan gasket.

 

I've actually got that exposed already, and nothing screamed blamed me (I'm by no means an expert) What should I look for with it?

 

The front and (moreso) rear left cylinder heads have always been a bit grimey from oil seap but they've never left a mess like this before so I almost want to imagine its a problem I haven't been aware of for so long.

 

Did you remove the counter shaft sprocket when replacing the chain? Give the motor a good cleaning, this will help in finding the culprit. The left bottom is vague and since it leans left on the stand it's not a true indicator of the origin. IC's suggestion of the Clutch rod is valid for sure.

 

No, I didn't feel it needed replacing.

 

Even for an expert its extremely hard to pinpoint a oil leak unless you're actually working on the bike..as suggested clean and degrease the bike..get in there and get all the grime and build up cleaned off. Top it off with oil and fire it up..go for a ride..do whatever to get the oil flowing..you'll find where its coming from..unless its a busted case theres not many places it can be leaking from..

 

Just a swag here. On the 750 the water pump, which is below and in front of the cs sprocket, has an oil seal around the case. They leak sometimes on to the collector. Where's the 500 wp?

 

+1, need to clean it up and run it to eye ball where it is coming from.

 

I didn't get to cleaning it yesterday but I topped the oil off and let it sit on the centerstand over night and no leaks, which narrows it down a little I suppose.

 

Alright so I've put some uv dye in the oil and had it running in my garage for the better part of an hour and only had about 3 drops of oil come out and as far as me and the uv light can tell none of its been from the clutch push rod, though its been on the center stand the whole time, but its been dripping water quite steadily from the right side exhaust, I noticed it doing it before I actually bought the bike but I figured it was just a pinhole and condensation, but after 40+ mins should it still occur? On the bright side of things I know the fan works now! (never actually heard it come on before) I'm going to reassemble it and putt around a bit, then park on the side stand see how that works out.