Hi Vince, I too have a 550 Nighthawk. As Allen pointed out the most common sources for oil leaks on the 550, 650 and 700s nighthawks are the seal behind the gear shifter. This will show with oil beginning at the shifter, going back under the bike and on the side stand and main stand. The same tell tail leakage may simply be coming from the dip stick not being tight enough or the O ring on the dip stick needing to be replaced. If you have oil on the engine fins under the cam ends (the rubber half moons, 2 on each side below the valve cover) and around those rubber cam ends, then that's where it's coming from. The gasket under that valve cover is a pretty thick rubber gasket. It can be removed, cleaned and treated with silicon and replaced. Pretty easy to do. Mine is leaking at those points. I just clean it off every now and then. It's no worry.
On Monday, February 8, 2016, Michelle Burgess <[email protected]> wrote: > Sorry! I was so busy describing the problem I never mentioned what bike I > have! da! > It is a an 83 Nighthawk 550. > Vince > > On Monday, February 8, 2016 at 12:16:43 PM UTC-5, [email protected] > <javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','[email protected]');> wrote: >> >> Ok, so let me preface this by saying that I'm the furthest thing from a >> mechanic. I can drive the bike, put gas in it, check tire pressure and >> other very basic things, but that's about it. >> >> I noticed that I have a very slight oil leak somewhere, but I can't tell >> where its originating. What I'm seeing is a fine coating of oil on the >> center stand after it's been in the up position and along the top of the >> left hand exhaust pipe. Its not pouring out, but I do get like one or >> two drops on the ground after a ride and the things I mention a coated >> slightly with oil. Oddly enough when the bike sits there is no oil leak, >> only when it has been running. >> >> I thought it might have been the master cylinder, but I checked the >> reservoir and it's full. >> >> I can't have lost too much because the dip stick is still showing almost >> full. >> >> I had the oil changed in early Dec. and I've ridden about 800 miles since >> then, so I don't think it can be that the mechanic overfilled the oil >> because I just started noticing this about two weeks ago and I think I >> would have seen it right away if that had been the case. >> >> I realize it could be a multitude of things and obviously I'm going to >> need to get it looked at when weather permits. Its supposed to snow all >> this week, figures. >> >> Any thoughts? >> Thanks, >> Vince >> > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Nighthawk Motorcycle Lovers!" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected] > <javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','nighthawk_lovers%[email protected]');> > . > To post to this group, send email to [email protected] > <javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','[email protected]');>. > Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/nighthawk_lovers. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Nighthawk Motorcycle Lovers!" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/nighthawk_lovers. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
