[greencountry]

I was riding on a dirt road yesterday with a bunch of dried-out mudholes and one of them caused me to blip the throttle and flip my Wee as I ran it off the road. It landed upside down. All of the oil seems to have leaked out, and some gasoline leaked out too. The left mirror glass shattered, and the left sidecase frame bent in enough that it needs to be bent back out (tool tube rubbing against the tire). But overall it wasn't that hard a fall cuz none of the fairing is cracked and the crash bars barely took any damage.

It was sitting like this for about 5 minutes:

I got the bike towed to a small repair place in Blanding, UT, but they're not open until Tuesday so it's just parked in their lot and I left them a voicemail. I was told that the guy there doesn't necessarily know about V-Stroms but he's a "Mr. Fixer" who knows everything about fixing anything. I'd much rather have someone who knows about the Stroms (or at least modern, fuel-injected bikes generally).

So, two questions:

1. What could cause the oil to leak out when the bike was upside down? Given the rest of the bike didn't suffer that much damage, is it possible just being upside down could cause the oil to leak out? (or am I just being hopeful about that?)

2. Anyone know of any good motorcycle repair places in southeastern Utah?

Thanks!
Jay

 

[vegashotwheeler]

There is a Suzuki Dealer in St. George, but no input on how good they are.
Mike

 

[honest bob]

If the bike falls like that the oil can leak into the air box. I doubt that all of it leaked out, just enough that you don't see it in the sight glass. Check the air box for oil and clean or replace the filter as required. The oil will find it's way back into the engine but check the level before running it. I would do this myself at the spill/crash point, and be on my way in less than an hour, so any fixer should be able to help you get her going again armed with this info.

 

[garvinzoom]

Just being upside down would make the oil run out of the crankcase, through the crankcase vent into the airbox more than likely. Hope it didn't suffer any major damage. Did it run any while laying that way? Hopefully it was shut down.

 

[garvinzoom]

Beat me to it honest bob. :fineprint:

 

[greencountry]

Thanks honestbob and garvinzoom! The tip-over sensor killed it right away, so no, it wasn't running much/any once it flipped. I'll try and get over to where it is to look at the sight glass again. Hopefully the oil did run back down to the crankcase and I hope the air filter isn't soaked. I don't know how long it would take to get a replacement part out here.

 

[garvinzoom]

Thanks honestbob and garvinzoom! The tip-over sensor killed it right away, so no, it wasn't running much/any once it flipped. I'll try and get over to where it is to look at the sight glass again. Hopefully the oil did run back down to the crankcase and I hope the air filter isn't soaked. I don't know how long it would take to get a replacement part out here.

The filter most likely will be wet and needing replaced and the airbox itself will need cleaned out. Glad I could help you a little but, forgot about the tip over sensor, all my past bike have been carb.

 

[greencountry]

Btw, the oil was leaking out of the left side of the bike (the bike was lying on its left) out from near the radiator. That's consistent with it leaking out of the airbox, right?

 

[happypuppy]

yes. Make sure you clean it out as noted above or it stinks from oil as you ride if its hot

 

[honest bob]

If you are stuck for a filter and you have compressed air you should be able to carefully blow enough oil out of the filter to make it serviceable. Any 4 cycle motor oil will do for topping up for short term use too.

 

[nvr2old]

Might try some brake cleaner on the filter. That should make it usable enough until a Suzuki dealer is found for a new one.
As for the oil just add enough to bring it back up to the full mark. Last summer we had a similar deal on a group ride, except that a mechanic hadn't reconnected the vent tube. 2 quarts drained out in about a minute. After refilling the oil, all was well.
Good luck.

 

[greencountry]

Update:

Thanks for all the replies! I got to a garage with tools in Moab. We've found exactly what everyone said- an airbox that was leaking oil while the bike was inverted. Air filter was about 15-20% covered with oil. We washed the filter with soap and water, blasted compressed air thru it (in the correct, backflow direction) and are letting it air dry.

Is this doable for about 2-3k miles, till I get home to change the filter? Or did washing it with water really destroy the filtering ability? The filter had been cleaned w compressed air just 3 weeks ago.

What say u all?

 

[nvr2old]

Should be fine until you get home. I've washed them and as long as your careful they're good for a second use..

 

[greencountry]

Well, just took her for a ride around the block of Moab. It *seems* like the blue smoke is clearing slowly. Up to 25-30 pretty good. No bent front end either, AFAICT.

Thanks again everyone!!

 

[janiceclanfield]

Do not turn the bike upside down.