Oil Leak 2002 perhaps pulley shaft seal

[Aussiestar]

I'm cleaning this bike of all the dirt and grime on it, I serviced the engine and changed the oil, replacing the crush washers. filter and filled it with 2litres and ran the bike then filled the oil tank with 2 litres. 20w60. Litres are close to quarts I believe. Anyway as I said in the intro I am chasing a leak some place near the oil tank and transfer case pulley shaft. That leak dripped from the bottom pulley cover bolt and the lower frame rail back there. Pulling the cover off revealed through the pulley an oil line or drip mark coming down from the shaft seal or O ring. I have the bike level on the jacks so when I cleaned it all up no more oil has come out, and may not untill I lean it over on the side stand. So the oil in question didn't seem to smell of gear oil and then i drowned the entire bike in cleaner degreaser. wiped it all off and now before I replace the oil seal and O ring in that shaft I wondered does it pass through the oil tank? because I'll have to drain it if it does. I think I'd replace both even if it isn't that and it turns out to be the tank covering everything back here with oil. That tank also has gaskets in it maybe I should grab them as well??

[KFallsRider]

I’ve replaced the pulley Oring on my ‘04 and didn’t have to drain the oil tank

[Lug Nut]

Probably oil seal behind pulling knot. Also on the left side of the motor on the clutch cover look at the areas for the clutch shaft seal and the shift shaft seal. Those are known to leak and cheap and easy to replace

[MikeyC]

Not sure I'm reading this correctly but, engine oil is as you describe but if oil is leaking from behind the pulley nut, that would be gear oil from the middle drive. If the oil is leaking from the shift shaft or the clutch shaft on the left side then that would be engine oil and an easy seal replacement. I am not sure about the seal replacement behind the pulley nut but I will be educated on that soon

[Aussiestar]

OK thankyou for the replies, I might be better off just putting it back together and going for another ride. (I like to do that) And then when it's got some oil showing on that side I can undo the pulley cover and see if it is only on that pulley shaft oil seal. It's weird and I will go have a look at the clutch now and see if I can find any mist or oil stains that could flow back to the rear of the frame on that side. Good to know that the shaft isn't passing through the oil tank. Thanks for that.

[brianmac]

if you overfill the tank during an oil change, as most of us have B4 we learned the 2qt 2 qt thang, the oil invariably makes it may down to that area and may look like an oil leak, but its really an oil spill.

[Kevstephenson7]

hey aussiestar where the hell in oz are yer?

[Kevstephenson7]

Oh f##k it’s been a long week!
From Adelaide hills South Australia

[Aussiestar]

Kevstephenson7, I'm in the Hunter Valley NSW. Brianmac, You were, right on man. I dropped the tank oil and replaced with correct amount and then reassembled the whole bike and then took it out for a ride. Zero oil leakage. I've since ridden over to Orange and back to visit the mate who owned this. 1,200km's and not a drop anyplace. So thank you all for the help.
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