Kawasaki Motorcycle Forums - View Single Post - Problem with '82 GPZ 550 leaking odd liquid

reinhart_menken · 07-03-2009

Hiya,

I've just recently acquired an '82 GPZ 550 a month ago. I've noticed this problem not long after I got it - it was leaking something; but my friend who was helping me to fix it up (since I'm not a mechanic and is a new rider) just sort of....shall we say, gave me the impression that it wasn't a big problem, so I didn't pay much attention to it.

After a while I show it to him again, and we took a better look at it. It seems to be leaking from somewhere around the transmission - a bolt on the side of the transmission (left) seems drenched in the liquid. The liquid is brownish, and yet it had the consistency of gas or water (flows easily and unlike consistency of oil).

He's worried that it might be a problem with the gas and oil mixing together, although he admits that the problem is out of his league (he's more familiar with other parts of a bike).

I haven't added any anti-freeze (someone told me it could be that leaking, but I haven't added any), and as far as I know, my bike is air-cooled and not liquid cooled (same person asked me about that too). Someone else told me it could be that I left it in the rain for too long and something's flooded (it rain a couple times here before I got around I getting a cover), but my friend rejected the notion because he said a bike doing 60 MPH in the rain would take more abuse than a bike just sitting.

I'd prefer it if we could get some advice on figuring out what's causing the leak and how to fix it, than taking it to a mechanic (here in NY it's expensive and I'm not rich). So, anyone with experience with these bikes have any ideas on what's wrong and how to fix it? (or how to figure out what's wrong)

I'm would really like not have to sell it and get another bike.

Thanks!

07-03-2009	#1 (permalink)
reinhart_menken Still On The Kickstand Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 25	Problem with '82 GPZ 550 leaking odd liquid Hiya, I've just recently acquired an '82 GPZ 550 a month ago. I've noticed this problem not long after I got it - it was leaking something; but my friend who was helping me to fix it up (since I'm not a mechanic and is a new rider) just sort of....shall we say, gave me the impression that it wasn't a big problem, so I didn't pay much attention to it. After a while I show it to him again, and we took a better look at it. It seems to be leaking from somewhere around the transmission - a bolt on the side of the transmission (left) seems drenched in the liquid. The liquid is brownish, and yet it had the consistency of gas or water (flows easily and unlike consistency of oil). He's worried that it might be a problem with the gas and oil mixing together, although he admits that the problem is out of his league (he's more familiar with other parts of a bike). I haven't added any anti-freeze (someone told me it could be that leaking, but I haven't added any), and as far as I know, my bike is air-cooled and not liquid cooled (same person asked me about that too). Someone else told me it could be that I left it in the rain for too long and something's flooded (it rain a couple times here before I got around I getting a cover), but my friend rejected the notion because he said a bike doing 60 MPH in the rain would take more abuse than a bike just sitting. I'd prefer it if we could get some advice on figuring out what's causing the leak and how to fix it, than taking it to a mechanic (here in NY it's expensive and I'm not rich). So, anyone with experience with these bikes have any ideas on what's wrong and how to fix it? (or how to figure out what's wrong) I'm would really like not have to sell it and get another bike. Thanks!