Hi guys

My 13 Evo 300 has a very minor leak out the base gasket. On the back left side (if you sitting on the bike) the gasket is noticeably moist.

Am I going to run into issues if I leave it?

What would the fluid be, atf/coolant?

Ps: all bolts are tight.

No the fluid will be petrol / air, it will eventually affect the engine performance. basically an air leak. If it is actually leaking you need to fix it.

If you do it yourself don't separate the head from the barrel, it will save on seals.

You need to get the correct thickness gasket too. not sure if they are colour coded.

TLTEL

Thanks. It will be a while until im able to get a new one. Considering the bike is running fine, can I keep riding untill I get a new one?

Are you sure the carb or radiator did not leak onto it? Just lookin` it seems ok. Just keep an eye on it.

Base gaskets are basically paper with some adhesive or sealant in it

It's not unusual for it to weap slightly or even just have dust stick to it

I doubt there is a problem

Yea, I agree. Looks like that bike has been ridden. Tine for a new one as the "14 bikes are out!

Haha, wish I could get a new bike every year . Still need to finish paying for this one.

The pic doesnt show it well. Its not leaking bad at all but basically, the left side and carb side of the gasket is wet.The front and right side are bone dry.

Nothing pi@@es me off more than a oil leak and due to my location, spares are not easy to get hold of at short notice. I only get to civilization every 2 months, so I try to catch potential problems before something major happens.

Try putting a heavy soap mixture around the base and look for air leaks.

I do not think it is as big a problems as you think. The cylinder down there is double walled with large water passages.

If the leak gets really bad you will notice a drop in the coolant level. The chances of an air leak are not really that serious at the base

as there is so much coolant around. If the base gasket is really leaking then it is also leaking water from one port to another and maybe into the crank case? I would be more concerned about water going into the crankcase than air getting in the crank/piston area.

But right now I don't think there is really anything to be concerned about. I do know that riding in dry dusty places like the desert attract

dust and make it stick to the slightest damp areas such as the base, clutch cover, etc. What may have been a slight leak and then you tightened up the nuts (witnessed by the marks on the nuts in the pictures) yet the area was still a little damp attracting dust?

Go ride, keep your eye the coolant level and pay attention to erratic idle RPM's.

Cheers

BillyT

Hi Dylan, just a concern about your previous post on white smoke ! ! ! True that it is most likely to be unburnt oil in the exhaust - BUT it can also be coolant converted to steam under combustion.

Keep an eye on your coolant level. Get a new base gasket ordered just incase.

Cheers

Dave