ST1300 oil leak - Gino to the red phone

[SteveM]

The ST1300 I picked up in October and am prepping for a cross country trip just returned from Bettencourts where, among other tihngs, they did a valve check and adjustment.

Now I have an oil leak. A Honda leaking oil? unheard of...

It seems to be coming from a little "hole" on the lower right side of the engine.

Gino!!!!

[TIMMYDUCK]

Pin dowel missing ?

Number 12 of the microfiche .

https://www.bikebandit.com/oem-parts...8411#sch611151

I had to guess on the year .

[SteveM]

Pin dowel missing ?

Number 12 of the microfiche .

https://www.bikebandit.com/oem-parts...8411#sch611151

I had to guess on the year .

Thanks, it's a 2004. #9 is an o-ring on my diagram. I will check it.

The valve cover gaskets are all dry.

[02redhawk]

So the dealer did adjustment and didn't notice the gaskets were shot? I'd have thought they would have prompted you for a new set just because given the age of the bike.

[SteveM]

So the dealer did adjustment and didn't notice the gaskets were shot? I'd have thought they would have prompted you for a new set just because given the age of the bike.

They replaced them. There's apparently a pretty common issue with not putting some part of the center side gaskets in properly.

It's Bettencourt's, they're good folks. I'd be shocked if they don't square it away.

[02redhawk]

No experience with Bettencourts since the mid 90's. Good to hear there's confidence they'll make it right. Some of these small parts are a bit quirky to get in right.

[nt650hawk]

https://www.st-owners.com/forums/thr...-source.83589/

"There are two seals in the water pump. an oil seal and a coolant seal. My coolant seal is leaking a bit after sitting this cold winter. Just coolant. However if there is oil mix than the oil seal is leaking. If you replace one , you replace the other. I will be ordering the parts later this summer to rebuild my water pump. About 120 dollars in parts from Direct Honda. At the same time I am going to change the thermostat just because. My 03 ST has 76k on it. If you are getting leakage out of the square hole below the round water pump Weep hole, than you have a leak top side between the V of the heads."

2 holes in the area:
1 small one is the water pump tattle tale.
2 The other one bigger one is a drain from the upper part of the motor in the V part. i had coolant coming from that hole. it turned out to be a loose hose clamp on the coolant line. i tightened them all up and now no more coolant leak.

If Bettencourt's had to get into the V area and spill some oil it could be that. else it may be a gasket. That is a pretty good leak not to investigate. that is the water pump area.

[SteveM]

https://www.st-owners.com/forums/thr...-source.83589/

"There are two seals in the water pump. an oil seal and a coolant seal. My coolant seal is leaking a bit after sitting this cold winter. Just coolant. However if there is oil mix than the oil seal is leaking. If you replace one , you replace the other. I will be ordering the parts later this summer to rebuild my water pump. About 120 dollars in parts from Direct Honda. At the same time I am going to change the thermostat just because. My 03 ST has 76k on it. If you are getting leakage out of the square hole below the round water pump Weep hole, than you have a leak top side between the V of the heads."

2 holes in the area:
1 small one is the water pump tattle tale.
2 The other one bigger one is a drain from the upper part of the motor in the V part. i had coolant coming from that hole. it turned out to be a loose hose clamp on the coolant line. i tightened them all up and now no more coolant leak.

If Bettencourt's had to get into the V area and spill some oil it could be that. else it may be a gasket. That is a pretty good leak not to investigate. that is the water pump area.

Thanks! I actually spoke to Larry “igofar” on that board yesterday. We think it’s most likely the inboard side of the valve cover gasket is pinched. Should be an easy correction for Bettencourts.

[SteveM]

Dropped the bike back at Bettencourts this morning. They will get it right, but when they checked the valves and adjusted one, they did not put in new gaskets....

I’ve never tried to reuse a gasket...

[nt650hawk]

yea. something was not put back correctly.

[SteveM]

Bonus that I get half of may garage spaced freed up while they work on it!

[TheIglu]

At least those valve covers are fairly well exposed. Should be a quick fix.

[nt650hawk]

Bonus that I get half of may garage spaced freed up while they work on it!

I know the feeling.

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[OreoGaborio]

Bonus that I get half of may garage spaced freed up while they work on it!

Only half?

Damn... that's gotta be a huge ass garage.

[SteveM]

“There’s this mat near the throttle bodies, and I didn’t clear it from the valve covers when I put them back on and it got pinched.” The tech who did it, and fixed it, came out as soon as I pulled around.

Occam’s razor, the most frequently cited and common issue.

All set, and any snug in the garage again...

[FriskyDingo]

That's a rarity these days, someone actually taking responsibility, I'd ask for that tech next time.

[nt650hawk]

“There’s this mat near the throttle bodies, and I didn’t clear it from the valve covers when I put them back on and it got pinched.” The tech who did it, and fixed it, came out as soon as I pulled around.

Occam’s razor, the most frequently cited and common issue.

All set, and any snug in the garage again...

I figured it was in the top side somewhere. The mat is pretty obnoxious and the whole FI and coolant hoses are all packed tightly in the V anything is possible.

[number9]

That's a rarity these days, someone actually taking responsibility, I'd ask for that tech next time.

Not only that, I would find a way to tip him somehow (sneaky $20 bill? 6-pack of beer?). It'd be nice to have someone like that on your side...

[nt650hawk]

Not only that, I would find a way to tip him somehow (sneaky $20 bill? 6-pack of beer?). It'd be nice to have someone like that on your side...

good on them for saying it was my bad.


so let me get this right we are looking to reward someone for wasting Steve't time, anguish and our collective diagnostic efforts when it should have been done correctly the first time. Hell if that's the case i'll work on anything you want me to

[number9]

good on them for saying it was my bad.


so let me get this right we are looking to reward someone for wasting Steve't time, anguish and our collective diagnostic efforts when it should have been done correctly the first time. Hell if that's the case i'll work on anything you want me to

In a perfect world, you'd be right. Unfortunately, we live in a world where dealers are dealers...

[SteveM]

Bettencourts has been swamped with shop work for months.

My work was scheduled in October for December 9.

Everybody makes mistakes, how they deal with it is what really matters.

Dealers may be dealers, but I dealt with Weymouth Honda for 20+ years and they closed, we really do need to support local when we can, especially when they are long standing and locally owned, not just pieces of national dealer groups.

[GearHd6]

Exactly, people/dealers make mistakes, it's how they deal with that mistake that matters. It's the dead of winter, the mechanic isn't taking that bike on a long ride and then letting it sit to check for leaks. For all he knew, it was done right and ready to be shipped out the door. They owned it and made it right, I'd go back to them for that reason alone.

[nt650hawk]

I give my business to Bettencourts. To me they are a mom and pop shop.

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