Oil seepage at front of engine casing

[DirtFlier]

Getting the rubber gasket for the front cyl head cover seated correctly can be can be a problem so two things have helped me:

1) I always check/adjust valve clearances on the rear cyl first since it's so easy to get at its cover then do the front cyl, which is backwards from the sequence in the service manual but it doesn't matter. When the front cyl is done, it means the crank is at "FT" so ex rockers are UP. Turn the crank past "FT" so the ex rockers move DOWN and this will provide more room to get the cover in place with knocking the gasket askew.

2) When the front cyl head cover is bolted back down but before all the other parts are reinstalled, I check the front portion of that gasket using a dental mirror and flashlight. It's impossible to see otherwise!

Nick - the cyl head covers are the highest point of the engine so I doubt if an overfilled crankcase would cause an oil leak from the top.

 

[rc_heli_nut]

I purchased my 2010 NT700 at the beginning of June with just under 7000 mi. It currently has 8500 mi. Getting
set up to do my 8000 mi. maintenance. Notice some oil seepage at the front of the engine casing. (see picture).
Thought I got a fair price on the bike ($3600). Now I'm starting to worry I was sold a problem. How worried should
I be? Thanks in advance.

These notches shown in the picture are pry points, with the engine removed and all the bolts out, you would pry in these notches to break the RTV seal between the case halves.

Manufacturers like Honda put these notches outside the oil exposed area of the engine, so in actual practice a leak out of one of these would mean the leak is farther in on the case halves. The leak would most likely be a void in the RTV. Notice how the notches are near the engine mounting bosses, there's another wall of aluminum that separates these notches from the actual engine's insides.

I can't imagine why someone would have the case halves apart on the NT, this engine is so reliable it's ridiculous. Notice how the top pry point in the picture looks used the metal in the slot is deformed? It would not come from the factory like that. If the front VC gasket isn't it, I'm not sure what to say.

 

[blueridge]

These notches shown in the picture are pry points, with the engine removed and all the bolts out, you would pry in these notches to break the RTV seal between the case halves.

Manufacturers like Honda put these notches outside the oil exposed area of the engine, so in actual practice a leak out of one of these would mean the leak is farther in on the case halves. The leak would most likely be a void in the RTV. Notice how the notches are near the engine mounting bosses, there's another wall of aluminum that separates these notches from the actual engine's insides.

I can't imagine why someone would have the case halves apart on the NT, this engine is so reliable it's ridiculous. Notice how the top pry point in the picture looks used the metal in the slot is deformed? It would not come from the factory like that. If the front VC gasket isn't it, I'm not sure what to say.

I feel confident that it was the VC gasket. Performed my valve inspection at 9500 mi. Currently at 11,300 with no leaking. Don't know what to say about the pry point, except that I acquired shop records from Honda shop the previous owner frequented and there was no mention of engine work.

 

[DirtFlier]

It would be extremely unusual for someone or a shop need to split the crankcases on a NT700V.

Here is my NT's odometer after yesterday's ride. And no oil leaks.

 

[Phil Tarman]

When I traded my first NT in for my current one, I had 139,000 on the odometer and the only oil leak I had was from the water pump.