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Oil Leak

Alanrco

Getting there...
Location
Suffolk, UK
My new Meteor Fireball had its first service last Friday (10th Sept). 100 mile round trip to the dealer. Time I got home there was 400miles on the clock.. Did a 50 mile trip yesterday (15th). Noticed today (16th) a small oil patch on my garage floor. On inspection, the drain plug had a drop of oil hanging from it. I put the bike on the centre stand and followed the manual instructions; the result of which showed the oil level to be at the minimum level. Not good! I checked the tightness of the m6 bolts. They were tight. Returned to dealer, hoping the oil was not draining as I rode the 50 miles there. Workshop guy saw the level but couldn't understand it as the 'O' ring was intact and not squashed in any way (he had no spare for this). He refilled engine with oil, after re-fitting the the drain plug. Asked me to keep an eye on it over next few days.

I've had jap bikes over recent years and never had an oil leak. I remember the sixties (yes, I'm that old) and the oil leak problems we had with classic British bikes. I hope I've not made a mistake buying the Meteor. I love the bike but this is a bit worrying.

Any thoughts on this, people?
 

Bluestrom13

Well travelled
Location
--'Coventry'....
I respectfully suggest that if it wasn't leaking before it's first service it doesn't sound like it's the bike or RE that's at fault.
Far too much of a coincidence - NO leak .> service.> leak.
I've had Jap bikes that leaked, and I've just parted with a 17 year old Bullet that in 22000 miles didn't.
A good friend has just traded in a Honda Rebel he bought new, with less than 500 miles covered, he was so pleased with it!
Swings bothways.
 

SamC

Getting there...
Location
Meteor53
My new Meteor Fireball had its first service last Friday (10th Sept). 100 mile round trip to the dealer. Time I got home there was 400miles on the clock.. Did a 50 mile trip yesterday (15th). Noticed today (16th) a small oil patch on my garage floor. On inspection, the drain plug had a drop of oil hanging from it. I put the bike on the centre stand and followed the manual instructions; the result of which showed the oil level to be at the minimum level. Not good! I checked the tightness of the m6 bolts. They were tight. Returned to dealer, hoping the oil was not draining as I rode the 50 miles there. Workshop guy saw the level but couldn't understand it as the 'O' ring was intact and not squashed in any way (he had no spare for this). He refilled engine with oil, after re-fitting the the drain plug. Asked me to keep an eye on it over next few days.

I've had jap bikes over recent years and never had an oil leak. I remember the sixties (yes, I'm that old) and the oil leak problems we had with classic British bikes. I hope I've not made a mistake buying the Meteor. I love the bike but this is a bit worrying.

Any thoughts on this, people?
This is why I do my own service.
 

Alanrco

Getting there...
Location
Suffolk, UK
I respectfully suggest that if it wasn't leaking before it's first service it doesn't sound like it's the bike or RE that's at fault.
Far too much of a coincidence - NO leak .> service.> leak.
I've had Jap bikes that leaked, and I've just parted with a 17 year old Bullet that in 22000 miles didn't.
A good friend has just traded in a Honda Rebel he bought new, with less than 500 miles covered, he was so pleased with it!
Swings bothways.
Don't quite understand your point. Are you blaming the dealership service dept? The dealer in question has been a RE dealership with a very long history.
I too have a Honda Rebel and decided to keep it. I have a very short inseam which I can 'flat-foot, so the Rebel is great for town riding and good on the motorways as it can keep up easily with the traffic. I'm tip-toe with the Meteor so it's a pain in town for me but I brought it because I live in the middle of rural Suffolk which makes it ideal for our lovely country roads for which you don't need so much power and the low rpm torque is just great.

AND SamC, doing your own service in the UK does void your warranty (not so in the USA)

As for the drain plug IMHO I would have preferred a large threaded plug than one that is held on by two m6 screws holding a 'O' ring in place, but time will tell. Despite a long warranty, it would be an annoying nuisance should the engine light come on miles from home :(
 

SamC

Getting there...
Location
Meteor53
Don't quite understand your point. Are you blaming the dealership service dept? The dealer in question has been a RE dealership with a very long history.
I too have a Honda Rebel and decided to keep it. I have a very short inseam which I can 'flat-foot, so the Rebel is great for town riding and good on the motorways as it can keep up easily with the traffic. I'm tip-toe with the Meteor so it's a pain in town for me but I brought it because I live in the middle of rural Suffolk which makes it ideal for our lovely country roads for which you don't need so much power and the low rpm torque is just great.

AND SamC, doing your own service in the UK does void your warranty (not so in the USA)

As for the drain plug IMHO I would have preferred a large threaded plug than one that is held on by two m6 screws holding a 'O' ring in place, but time will tell. Despite a long warranty, it would be an annoying nuisance should the engine light come on miles from home :(
Thanks, I didn't know that, about the warranty requirements 8n the UK.
There are two oil drain points. One is where the strainer lives having two bolts and the cover having an O-Ring. The second one is a rather hefty 17mm bolt that seals with a copper washer. I have read that the older Royal Enfields employed a magnetic bolt and it was important to remove any metal filings it may have collected. On the 2021 Meteor this bolt is not magnetic, at least the one in my engine is not. The RE video does not even show removal of this bolt in their tutorial. Indeed, I observed only a thimble of oil released after the oil had been drained from the two bolt strainer cover. Not sure it is worth the effort to remove the 17mm bolt.
The new RR engines are state of the art when it comes to manufacturing equipment. I found zero metal filings in the filter or the strainer. (I did find a few flecks of RTV sealant in the strainer however)
I even used a magnet to see if the filter might have tiny pieces that escaped my eye - nothing!
The YouTube "Fortnite" with over a million subscribers analyzed first service oil from over a dozen different types of bikes and Roy Enfield had by far the least metal contamination. Far better than Honda.
Here is a link to that video
 

Morgan60

Well travelled
Location
USA
My new Meteor Fireball had its first service last Friday (10th Sept). 100 mile round trip to the dealer. Time I got home there was 400miles on the clock.. Did a 50 mile trip yesterday (15th). Noticed today (16th) a small oil patch on my garage floor. On inspection, the drain plug had a drop of oil hanging from it. I put the bike on the centre stand and followed the manual instructions; the result of which showed the oil level to be at the minimum level. Not good! I checked the tightness of the m6 bolts. They were tight. Returned to dealer, hoping the oil was not draining as I rode the 50 miles there. Workshop guy saw the level but couldn't understand it as the 'O' ring was intact and not squashed in any way (he had no spare for this). He refilled engine with oil, after re-fitting the the drain plug. Asked me to keep an eye on it over next few days.

I've had jap bikes over recent years and never had an oil leak. I remember the sixties (yes, I'm that old) and the oil leak problems we had with classic British bikes. I hope I've not made a mistake buying the Meteor. I love the bike but this is a bit worrying.

Any thoughts on this, people?
Your oil level shouldn’t have dropped that much in just fifty miles if any. The tech my have put the O- ring in dry. You should put a new O-ring back in with a little grease on it never dry. Hard to really tell with out looking at it. All I can say I do my own work and never had this issue. Keep a eye on it and take it back to the dealer if this continues.
 

Alanrco

Getting there...
Location
Suffolk, UK
Been back to the dealer's. Although the workshop guy couldn't understand why this had happened, he had to use the original 'O' ring after refilling with new oil. I drove the 50 miles home and left the bike overnight. This morning there was no oil spot on the ground and the plug was dry. Good news! I followed the manual instructions to check the oil level. More good news! The level was at the max marks. I can only assume that the 'O' ring had not been seated properly first time round. Although it was 100 mile round trip, the weather was fine so was a good excuse to do more miles on this pleasurable bike. Will check over time but I'm sure it will be fine.
 

Bluestrom13

Well travelled
Location
--'Coventry'....
Don't quite understand your point. Are you blaming the dealership service dept? The dealer in question has been a RE dealership with a very long history.
The dealership isn't the mechanic.And good ones are in short supply. It's also disappointing that a long standing dealership doesn't keep basic service items on stock.
I applied pure logic.
Far too much of a coincidence - NO leak .> then service.> then leak. You would have had oil on your garage floor before you took it for it's service, surely.
Positive point is that it shows he had the "drain plug" off.

Anyways, pleased you're sorted. ENJOY...:)
 
Last edited:

Gearset807

Total noob
Location
Los Angeles CA
I recently discovered that my dealership is checking the oil level by holding the bike vertical instead of putting it on the center stand. If they check it that way then when you put it on the center stand to check the oil level the oil level will be at the bottom mark on the site glass, and on the top Mark if you just hold the bike level. I am betting the technician set the level by holding the bike vertical and not by using the center stand.
 

Viejo

Finally made it
I recently discovered that my dealership is checking the oil level by holding the bike vertical instead of putting it on the center stand. If they check it that way then when you put it on the center stand to check the oil level the oil level will be at the bottom mark on the site glass, and on the top Mark if you just hold the bike level. I am betting the technician set the level by holding the bike vertical and not by using the center stand.
 

Viejo

Finally made it
Out of curiosity, does your dealership provide a helper for each owner to hold the bike balanced on its wheels when checking the oil level? At least for me, if I try to do that without help, I just end up denting my car or being crushed by the motorcycle myself! :oops:
 
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