04 Ninja 250 oil leak onto lower cowl.

22R88 · September 23rd, 2015, 01:29 PM

I got my free Ninja 250 on the road finally. It runs great. Only slight issue is I have a small seep drip of oil the lands on the inside lower cowl just right center. I can't see where it is coming from without taking the cowl back off. I am going to investigate but was wondering if anyone knew what could be leaking that far up ? I am thinking valve cover maybe ??
Any tips appreciated

Pic of ride attached

Ghostt · September 23rd, 2015, 04:38 PM

Looks like your removing that lower, oil leak could be several things. Crush washer, O-rings, gaskets, etc......

22R88 · September 23rd, 2015, 06:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ghostt

Looks like your removing that lower, oil leak could be several things. Crush washer, O-rings, gaskets, etc......

Thanks for the reply, Yea what has me confused is if the plug crush washer or filter o ring leaked it looks like it would hit the ground not the cowl bottom. It is like it is coming from higher up on the front near radiator area ??
I will look and see in the next few weeks, Gonna ride a bit first.

22R

Ghostt · September 23rd, 2015, 09:50 PM

Other areas would be side covers, the external rubber oil line, and the crush washers on those banjo bolts, bad oil pressure sending unit, valve cover.

You need to pull the lower, and start looking, too many suspects without further investigation.

f0r54ken · September 25th, 2015, 01:50 AM

Hey, I ain't nobody, but What I like to do to find leaky oil is to grab a couple napkins or tissues, wipe off the visible oil, and use a fresh one holding it on the spots I think are suspect. Assuming your oil leak is a little aggressive you can probably find the source pretty quickly.

If you took off the clutch panel during your repairs YOu can probably assume that old gasket (The Rubber Guard sandwiched between the cover and the housing) Probably isn't doing it's job in keeping the oil in. So check those edges and bolts holding it on.

22R88 · September 25th, 2015, 08:24 PM

thanks for the replies guys. I will be looking into shortly.

22R

MrAtom · September 26th, 2015, 03:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by f0r54ken

Hey, I ain't nobody, but What I like to do to find leaky oil is to grab a couple napkins or tissues, wipe off the visible oil, and use a fresh one holding it on the spots I think are suspect. Assuming your oil leak is a little aggressive you can probably find the source pretty quickly.

If you took off the clutch panel during your repairs YOu can probably assume that old gasket (The Rubber Guard sandwiched between the cover and the housing) Probably isn't doing it's job in keeping the oil in. So check those edges and bolts holding it on.

fwiw it's a paper gasket. Also fwiw, I've seen dudes use permatex blue stuff and have it last forever. I'd still recommend a new paper gasket though. I marred mine up a little getting off the old gasket so I used both.

Ghostt · September 26th, 2015, 04:11 AM

Use the black RTV, it matches the engine

choneofakind · September 26th, 2015, 05:02 AM

And clean it while you're there. A clean engine is easier to follow the leaks.

f0r54ken · September 26th, 2015, 11:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrAtom

fwiw it's a paper gasket. Also fwiw, I've seen dudes use permatex blue stuff and have it last forever. I'd still recommend a new paper gasket though. I marred mine up a little getting off the old gasket so I used both.

Kind of curious to know, since you mentioned it. We don't want to put that blue stuff on right? From what I've heard. Red can be Removed but Blue is Pretty much God mode? (Can't be removed.) I'm curious Cause I'll be using the red RTV high temp 650f Gasket maker on my stator cover. (Sorry for thread jacking it's just a quick related topic.)

xorbe · September 26th, 2015, 01:12 PM

I too get drops of oil on the inside of the lower cowl. It's been like that for 2 years. It's not much so I haven't worried about it so far. I looked around but couldn't find anything obvious.

MrAtom · September 26th, 2015, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by f0r54ken

Kind of curious to know, since you mentioned it. We don't want to put that blue stuff on right? From what I've heard. Red can be Removed but Blue is Pretty much God mode? (Can't be removed.) I'm curious Cause I'll be using the red RTV high temp 650f Gasket maker on my stator cover. (Sorry for thread jacking it's just a quick related topic.)

Its pretty tacky but you can get it off.

September 23rd, 2015, 01:29 PM	#1
22R88 ninjette.org member Name: KT Location: South Louisiana Join Date: Jul 2015 Motorcycle(s): 2004 EX250R Posts: 39	04 Ninja 250 oil leak onto lower cowl. I got my free Ninja 250 on the road finally. It runs great. Only slight issue is I have a small seep drip of oil the lands on the inside lower cowl just right center. I can't see where it is coming from without taking the cowl back off. I am going to investigate but was wondering if anyone knew what could be leaking that far up ? I am thinking valve cover maybe ?? Any tips appreciated Pic of ride attached

September 23rd, 2015, 04:38 PM	#2
Ghostt in your machine Name: Scott Location: Summer Shade, Ky. Join Date: Oct 2014 Motorcycle(s): 98 Ninja 250/F12 aka ZX-2R "SERENITY", 91 Ninja 500/A5 aka ZX-5R "Phoenix", 84 Honda GL1200A "SIREN" Posts: A lot. Blog Entries: 25 MOTM - Jun '17, May '16, Mar '15	Looks like your removing that lower, oil leak could be several things. Crush washer, O-rings, gaskets, etc...... __________________________________________________ *violente et ignorantia* ZX-2R BLOG *Twitter and Instagram = Ghostt_Scott* *I'm not here to change your mind, just to inform.*

September 23rd, 2015, 09:50 PM	#4
Ghostt in your machine Name: Scott Location: Summer Shade, Ky. Join Date: Oct 2014 Motorcycle(s): 98 Ninja 250/F12 aka ZX-2R "SERENITY", 91 Ninja 500/A5 aka ZX-5R "Phoenix", 84 Honda GL1200A "SIREN" Posts: A lot. Blog Entries: 25 MOTM - Jun '17, May '16, Mar '15	Other areas would be side covers, the external rubber oil line, and the crush washers on those banjo bolts, bad oil pressure sending unit, valve cover. You need to pull the lower, and start looking, too many suspects without further investigation. __________________________________________________ *violente et ignorantia* ZX-2R BLOG *Twitter and Instagram = Ghostt_Scott* *I'm not here to change your mind, just to inform.*

September 25th, 2015, 01:50 AM	#5
f0r54ken ninjette.org member Name: Ash Location: Las Vegas Join Date: Sep 2015 Motorcycle(s): Kawasaki ninja ex250 2007 Posts: 85	Hey, I ain't nobody, but What I like to do to find leaky oil is to grab a couple napkins or tissues, wipe off the visible oil, and use a fresh one holding it on the spots I think are suspect. Assuming your oil leak is a little aggressive you can probably find the source pretty quickly. If you took off the clutch panel during your repairs YOu can probably assume that old gasket (The Rubber Guard sandwiched between the cover and the housing) Probably isn't doing it's job in keeping the oil in. So check those edges and bolts holding it on.
	1 out of 1 members found this post helpful.

September 26th, 2015, 04:11 AM	#8
Ghostt in your machine Name: Scott Location: Summer Shade, Ky. Join Date: Oct 2014 Motorcycle(s): 98 Ninja 250/F12 aka ZX-2R "SERENITY", 91 Ninja 500/A5 aka ZX-5R "Phoenix", 84 Honda GL1200A "SIREN" Posts: A lot. Blog Entries: 25 MOTM - Jun '17, May '16, Mar '15	Use the black RTV, it matches the engine __________________________________________________ *violente et ignorantia* ZX-2R BLOG *Twitter and Instagram = Ghostt_Scott* *I'm not here to change your mind, just to inform.*
	1 out of 1 members found this post helpful.

September 25th, 2015, 08:24 PM	#6
22R88 ninjette.org member Name: KT Location: South Louisiana Join Date: Jul 2015 Motorcycle(s): 2004 EX250R Posts: 39	thanks for the replies guys. I will be looking into shortly. 22R

September 26th, 2015, 05:02 AM	#9
choneofakind ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: . Location: . Join Date: Feb 2011 Motorcycle(s): . Posts: Too much. MOTM - Feb '13, Feb '14	And clean it while you're there. A clean engine is easier to follow the leaks.

September 26th, 2015, 01:12 PM	#11
xorbe ninjette.org guru Name: xorbe Location: Bay Area, CA Join Date: Jun 2013 Motorcycle(s): N650 (and others) Posts: 408	I too get drops of oil on the inside of the lower cowl. It's been like that for 2 years. It's not much so I haven't worried about it so far. I looked around but couldn't find anything obvious.