Strange tar like substance

BKtje

I'm after finding a strange tar like substance under my seat near the kick stand (beside the oil reservoir) and am wondering where it has come from?
(check attachments below, they are 3mb and 2mb)

I've never seen it before (I semi regularly give the bike a once over looking for anything "different" to my untrained eye). There is also a tube that is not attached to anything near by though I don't know if that was always like that or not. I can't seem to find anywhere that it would need to be plugged into though. Any ideas what this could be and could it be serious? The bikes only done just short of 5k km and is coming up on its first birthday and next full service is due at 7k km. I have also noticed that the kickstand no longer makes a "clunk" when pulled up. Not sticking or anything just no longer making that clanging sound like the spring isn't pulling it up like before, probably not a big deal or related though.


I only thing that I've done differently is to top up the oil recently (I was very surprised to find that it was basically empty after my last once over when a few weeks before it all seemed fine). In topping up the oil I put about 400ml into it and the reservoir indicator was still empty (when bike held upright) so I thought **** it and put the rest of the bottle in (750ml in total, the bike needs a little over 2l in total). This of course was stupid and I realised that I had over filled it slightly. I took it for a spin and checked the oil level again and it was a bit higher than where the manual said it should be when warm. Decided to leave it and have had no issues since with loss of power or anything so I don't know if this is related. That was a couple of weeks ago and have probably done 150km or so since with some motorway speeds.

Any ideas? Should I take it to the garage for them to have a look at (keep in mind I know pretty much nothing about bike maintenance) or am I worrying about nothing?
Thanks for any insight!

scorn

What do you use to lube your chain? (Assuming you do keep it regularly lubricated... )

BKtje

I do give it a good lubing regularly and a cleaning whenever I feel it needs it (probably last done about 3 weeks ago). Using Motorex but dont't recall the exact product. What the garage gave me when I bought the bike. It leaves a white coating on the chain though if that helps

I think it's this stuff:
http://www.revzilla.com/product/motorex-road-chain-lube

Can run downstairs and confirm if it's important.

scorn

Not too important, though I have had a tar-like substance form when I was using a certain lube product (can't remember the exact brand). But from the sound of yours it seems more like a wax than a grease-type lube.

It used to gather in the chain guard (have a look up there if you can) and every now and then some would drop off onto the ground. The number of times I got a boIIocking from the missus for walking it into the house and onto the carpet...

Worth a check in case that's all it is.

BKtje

Alright will have a look though I've never seen it before on this bike. I'll also grab a photo of that tube that's hanging down and we can see if anyone has any idea what it is

Cheers for the input.

Wossack

looks like old chain oil/grease build up to me, nothing to worry about - doesnt look like it could flow down a pipe anyway :P

unconnected pipe is probably a drain tube and is also ok (could be to get rid of water from the airbox, or excess petrol from around the filler cap etc)

kickstand probably needs a bit of an oil to get its snap back

over filling with oil can be an issue though.. depending on how much, it can over pressure the crankcase and cause seals to fail (also cause loss of power).
/edit, but a little overfill is prob nout to worry about really. Can get it back out the way you put it in with a bit of hose. Hose in filler hole, thumb over open end, hose removed, repeat etc

The missing oil would also have me wondering where it went however... is it smokey?

whats the bike btw?

BKtje

Wossack wrote: »

looks like old chain oil/grease build up to me, nothing to worry about - doesnt look like it could flow down a pipe anyway :P

Much too viscus to drain down a pipe alright. Just wondered if it had come down the pipe then solidified or something

unconnected pipe is probably a drain tube and is also ok (could be to get rid of water from the airbox, or excess petrol from around the filler cap etc)

Figured it might be a drain tube but having never noticed it before and the tar like substance got me wondering. Have done a quick google just there and the 250 and 600 versions of this bike have a drainage tube from the airbox so it's possible.

kickstand probably needs a bit of an oil to get its snap back

Seems simple enough to do, will have to give the bike a thorough clean come Spring and then get the oil can out. That said have put aside funds for a full service in a couple of months anyway so may just ask the garage to do it. I can be a right lazy fecker.

over filling with oil can be an issue though.. depending on how much, it can over pressure the crankcase and cause seals to fail (also cause loss of power).
/edit, but a little overfill is prob nout to worry about really. Can get it back out the way you put it in with a bit of hose. Hose in filler hole, thumb over open end, hose removed, repeat etc

I read that overfilling can be an issue (worse than under filling according to some) due to pressure build up. I figured it was alright though as when bike on its stand the indicator window is nearly empty and plenty of "empty space" to be seen when I took the oil cap off. After 150km I imagine I'm in the clear though or can it still be a problem? I haven't done any long distance rides since, maybe a 40km was the longest. I dunno how long it takes for pressure to build to its maximum at motorway speeds.

Might try to drain some oil using a straw/hose. Weird that I'd never considered that seeing as I use the same principle for tasting cocktails before serving! When I did it I was wondering if I'd have to learn to drain the oil there and then (not too difficult I understand).

The missing oil would also have me wondering where it went however... is it smokey?

Not smokey as far as I can tell. Everything seems as normal when I start her up. Some light "smoke" in cold conditions but it's always done that ever since I bought her.

I was surprised too that it suddenly was "empty" (ie viewing window was bone dry). I don't know how much oil a bike goes through on a normal basis though. The oil filter and oil was changed after the break in period of 1k km and that was the first time I had to top it up since. Basically had to add 750ml (minus my overfill) of a 2l+ max for 4k km. Sound high to you on a new bike?

whats the bike btw?

Kawasaki Ninja 300.

Thanks for the replies!

Alfonzito

Hi,

Not familiar with your bike, but could be crankcase breather pipe which is sometimes routed through the air-box. If the bike is used for short-ish runs in cold conditions, you might get some oil vapour gunge building-up around pipe outlet. I see this on my own 80's 2 valve BMW.

Similarly, I think oil consumption on a relatively new bike would be higher when used on short-ish runs, with oil consumption reducing as the km's build up on the bike.



Alf.

BKtje

Cheers folks, guessing most people don't feel that it's a major issue so I'll stop worrying. Will keep an eye on it all the same.

Thanks again!