oil leak repaired/chain replacement

[Steve Rawls]

Hey gang, Just wanted to update the list on a little problem that I recently had with an oil leak and to ask advice on chain replacement. First the oil leak: Two or three weeks ago I posted a question about an oil leak I had coming from the oil filter cover. I received lots of really great replies with suggestions on what might have been causing the leak. I replaced the "O" ring but that didn't help, I used a silicon sealant around the oil filter cover, that too failed, was getting ready to replace the cover with a new one when I decided to change the oil from Mobil 1 15w50 synthetic to Spectro 4 20w50 non synthetic motorcycle oil. Whatta ya know, no more oil leak !! Humm, makes me wonder. The oil leak started after switching to the Mobil 1. I don't even want to start a thread on oils cause we've been there but just wanted to let everyone know that the problem has been solved. Now to my chain question and please forgive me if this is a stupid question as I've been riding shaft drive sport touring bikes until recently and haven't replaced a chain since I was a youngster. I bought a new chain for the KLR today and remembered the replacement process as being somewhat quick and easy. Put the bike on the center stand, loosened the adjustments, removed the front sprocket cover and started turning the back tire slowly while searching for the master link. No master link on the outside of the chain, humm that's odd, started looking on the inside of the chain. Still no master link to be found.The new chain has a master link and all of the chains that I replaced way back when I was riding dirt bikes and trail bikes when I was a kid had master links..... Could this be the original chain on the bike and did it not have a master link when originally installed ? It's a 95' and I bought the bike used. It now has 13,000 miles on it. I thought the chain would have been replaced before now. The sprockets still look ok. What's up ?? Any suggestions from the wise ones on the best way to remove the old chain ?? Am I missing something here ?? Tom, if you're reading this, hope all is going well with Tina. Our hopes and prayers go out to you both. Best wishes to all, Steve Rawls A9 Blanco Texas "somewhere between Austin & San Antonio Texas"