A Leak or Not?

[hudson]

Hey wise gents - on my 71 R75/5, the oil catch (if that's what you call it) on the bottom of the block seems to get quite a bit of oil laying in it. Seems like a lot IMO. If not normal, what may be the culprit? A seal? A breather problem? The clutch works fine, no slippage, at least not yet, so maybe not the real seal? Thanks... Hudson

[Kurt in S.A.]

Not normal. Try to get a sample of the oil on your figure and smell it. Then go smell gear oil and engine oil. You'll figure which one it is.

There's some debate on this, but if engine oil, that's a rear main seal and it's likely not to get on your clutch...unless real, real bad. If tranny input seal, that could migrate forward on the clutch pushrod and eventually get slung to the clutch disk.

Input tranny seal is the easiest to deal with...only the transmission has to come out...a few other things along the way. But if the RMS, then everything to the engine block has to come out. There's the RMS but there's also an oil pump cover o-ring. If you head for the RMS, be sure and block the crankshaft so it doesn't move forward when you remove the flywheel. If it does, then you have more stuff to remove!! Not fun.

Kurt in S.A.

[montmil]

Do the easy stuff first...

Grab a flashlight and inspect the neutral indicator switch that's screwed into the bottom of the transmission. Notorious leakers. Sort of a PITA to R&R due to access. I've replaced my "dribble" switch with an Italian-made repop from Motobins. No more spotting.

[Ray from Indiana]

in addition to the comments by Kurt and Montmil, if its engine oil another possible leak source could be the gasket from the breather housing by the starter. That was the source of a leak I found on my '82 but I'm not familiar with the details of a slash 5 so take that into account.

In my case I jumped into RMS replacement and oil pump cover o-ring only to find that after cleaning the oil stain was sourced above the shaft centerline and traced to a bad gasket. Funny thing is I didn't see any oil dribbling from teh little weep hole on the left side of the case.

Good hunting

[hudson]

Thanks guys. I will check out all your suggestions. I fear the worst (RMSl). I am sort of familiar with the procedure for replacing the RMS, as I have done on my 1975 moto guzzi - so I imagine it is somewhat similar. Will start with easier stuff and go from there. If I have any further questions, I will be sure to bounce it off you guys. Sincerely appreciate it...

[Ray from Indiana]

Not as involved as a seal replacement on a Tonti framed Guzzi. No "frame crabbing" needed.

[enigmaT120]

Mine is oily there from push rod tube seals seeping, then getting blown back around.

[hudson]

Ray - Gotcha. Yeah, guzzis are beasts when you need to get to the RMS or clutch, so good to know. Enigma - will add the pushrod seals to check on the list. Great responses.

[boocephus]

the oil pump cover can leak too. i reused the bolts on mine and a head snapped off 6 months later. now, that was a leak, baby.

[ME 109]

the oil pump cover can leak too. i reused the bolts on mine and a head snapped off 6 months later. now, that was a leak, baby.

The oil pump cover can leak, as opposed to the oil pump cover o ring leaking.
I once found a very small crack in the metal oil pump cover. That was one sob of a leak to track down.
(Thanks GSPD)