[connormay]

Bike - 2009 EX500 with almost 7,000 miles. I replaced the coolant and oil basically right after I picked her up (she had 4,000, when I purchased it).

I was out riding and stopped for some food, when I was looking over the bike and noticed the "gunk" behind the shift lever. I also saw some sort of fluid (if you see attached Youtube video, I'm referring to the fluid near the bolt, but it doesn't appear to be coming from that bolt, but potentially higher up.

Youtube Link - EX500 Weird Goo

I've taken the lower fairing off before and never noticed any goo besides road grime, but not as much as you see in the photo (near the bolt hole on the lower fairing and on the lower fairing bolt bracket). I asked a friend and neither of us believe it smells like oil... However, I will say when I went to wash it off my hands, it did kind of "smear" like an oily substance would (photo attached)

Any help would be greatly appreciated, fingers crossed it's not something bad... that would make me a very sad panda 😢🤢

 

[connormay]

I might as well also ask this here, should I be worried about this bolt? This is on the right side of the bike, so opposite of the "goo".

 

[bpe]

The "goo" is chain fling.

And do not touch that bolt!
The bolt that shall not be removed

 

[connormay]

The "goo" is chain fling.

And do not touch that bolt!
The bolt that shall not be removed

I was almost positive that's what this was, but I overthink everything and wanted to verify with the forum, Thaaaaank god. My heart sank a little when I first saw it, not gonna lie.


I also had heard about that bolt, I made sure to not mess up when changing the oil. I will just leave it alone, for now!

Thanks for replying, appreciate your time.

 

[e10_muppet]

If you hate the chain fling, try using a dry lube - there's less to fling. Don't use 'chain wax' though, it's rubbish.

 

[NOTHING]

Dry lube? What would be the best kind of that to use and does it work as good as any other...not dry lube...

I too have a mystery goo but mine is same side but further forward. Unable to provide pics at this time but it is very oil like grim almost muddy in appearance. I'm only relatively sure its not chain fling because of it being much more under and forward then where i have seen actual chain fling. I can try to get pictures tomorrow if I have time. It also had dripped all over my lower fairing in the middle. Pretty sure only when running...or only after being shot off after being ran but not confident in either of those situations being true. Does not appear to come from very high up. And don't have much better description until i can peek again.

 

[FlipFlop]

Chain goo can drip down and wind from the air flow suck it forward and up and all over. Best thing is to clean everything and inspect everything on every trip. Know your machine. There is nothing else on the bike to be of a goo consistency and if it was oil it would be oil in very very bad shape and probly followed by engine failure, so relax clean it up and lube that chain.

 

[NOTHING]

When I get home from work im going to try and snag a picture of my location of goo and check it out a bit better.

But what kind of dry lube would be recommended? Like specific brand you would suggest. I like to make sure that anything that should be quality is absolutely quality.

 

[FlipFlop]

I do not use dry lube. In fact I use chain lube oil after using chain cleaner, which in all honesty is actually WD40 I believe. E10-muppet might respond not sure when the last time they even logged in.

edit: they logged in march 5th so they might reply...

 

[NOTHING]

I didn't even think about cleaning and lubing chain for winter storage. But when I checked it out it looked ok. Do you use some sort of chain clean tool? If so which style?

 

[bpe]

An old toothbrush works good.

 

[e10_muppet]

I've only used dry lube a few times, the pricey Wurth one. Was nice, I used to use it on a sports bike that was mainly for looking at and less for riding. My GPZ is a working bike, it goes everywhere any time, so that means wet lube - which goes everywhere too including over the chain guard and lower fairing brackets. I only really think about dry lube when I see posers with nice bikes in the city, and wonder how they keep it clean.

In my mind whatever you're getting hung up about can only really be, in rough order of likelihood: chain lube (from the chain); oil (possibly from a filter that isn't tight, or from some other leak); coolant; battery acid (unlikely). As above, give the whole thing a clean and either don't re-lube the chain or use dry lube. Stick paper/cardboard under the bike and monitor the sight glass for the oil level once you've parked it up. If it's leaking oil you will likely see it whilst the bike's stood. Right, then it's not oil.

If you want to be really good stick flour on the areas where you are seeing this goo. Then start the bike up and let it idle for a bit. If the goo is there then hey maybe it's oil or coolant. If not, re-lube your chain and go for a ride..... if the goo is back then quel surprise.

 

[NOTHING]

Lmfao. Well dry lube is out the question then for every day rider. I didn't get a chance to get out and peek at it. The main issue of locating where its coming from is I'm in the tail end of winter still so i dont a way of riding to force it to happen. And even idle is out the question cause the bike is ripped apart for a bit still. I know battery is out the question. Coolant in pretty sure too unless maybe someone used a sort of stop leak which also leaked. But its not that I'm overly worried about it. But if it's something i can rectify and there was someone with a horrible explanation that could still have a reasonable right away answer than I could easily check for it. As soon as I'm able to grab pictures of it and put them up i will so it doesn't continue on with guesses.

 

[yorkie]

just for information. there are many causes and complications (can't think of a better word) that makes the engine area mucky, sticky, grimy, not just chain fling, for instance a slight leak somewhere will find it's way to lowest part of the engine and therefore lower frame. then is gets covered in road dirt and turns into gunge. also the airbox has a drain, the airbox not only supplies air to the carbs but has a breather connected to the crankcase. oil (from the breather) collects in the btm of the air box and runs out all over the sump pan and lower frame through the drain,
then there is coolant spill from filling and also the overflow, all discharge goes to the same general area, mix oil from the airbox with coolant from the system and you get. grey sludge.
surprising how much muck is there inside the lower fairing and engine case after a while. and yes most clean the bikes well but how many remove the belly pan and clean the underside of the sump.
before trying to pinpoint one cause just consider all the other possibilities. because there are many.

 

[NOTHING]

That right there is what it reminds me of....watery coolant oil with dirt. I've seen that consistency and everything on vehicles at work but couldn't think of what it reminded me of. Im not saying thats what it is for sure. But definitely the likeliest possibly based on memory

 

[bpe]

You can check for consistency of texture and "stickiness" inside the chain guard or behind the front sprocket cover to confirm chain fling.

 

[NOTHING]

So now that I looked again it is around middle and could be chain fling. What ya's think?

 

[yorkie]

what do I think, well to me it looks like the underside of a bike that hasn't been cleaned/pressure washed in a very long time. like in years.

 

[NOTHING]

That could be. I haven't since i got it. Didn't want to remove until i had a possibility. But I will do as suggested. Clean and watch to see where it comes from during the season start.

 

[bpe]

What ya's think?

Chain fling.