Oil leak from transmission

[steve644]

Hi guys could do with some advice please.
I have a slight oil leak from somewhere in my transmission. .can't really see where but after a journey upon inspection I can see oil smearing on the underside of the transmission oil pan and an oil drip from the Bell housing where the oil seepage seems to be from.
Not a lot of oil but enough to be of concern .
The oil level in the transmission sighting tube has hardly changed so I don't know that it is coming from the tranny but highly likely as oil can be seen inside the Bell housing.
No issues with the tranny gear change ok but the leak worries me .
I have covered around 400 miles since noticing the leak
Any ideas ?

[mmaupin]

Also, have a look around the output shaft. Mine leaks a little there. For the time being, I just check and add a little tranny fluid once in awhile.

Yes, it is aggravating, but not enough for me to want to split the frame to get to the leaking seal.

[Gila]

Is it coming from your shifter shaft ,,, if so just snug up the bolt ,,, need a thin wrench ,,, or did you just change the oil and over-fill ,,, that's another regular culprit ,,, Mike

[steve644]

Thanks..I have changed the tranny oil so maybe I did overfill a nudge.
I will check around the shifter shaft..is that the rod attached to the gear change ?
Also the output shaft referred to is that the same thing ?
My mechanical knowledge is pretty poor but I can tighten up bolts no problem !!!

[GordonBH]

Hi Steve,

Output shaft has the front pully hanging off it.

I don't think it's over-filling as we were prettty careful but check the brass oil plug on the top right of the trans.

Spray brake/clutch cleaner everywhere, clean everything there with kitchen towel, dry thoroughly and see if you can find the source while the engine is idling as riding in the wind can chase hot oil quite a way upwards/leftwards/rightw....etc.

A very strong light is vital for seeing the first signs of shiny stuff. Get a 'Cree' torch you won't believe how bright they are.

The shifter shaft is on the left of the trans just follow the left pegs back. Snug it, don't overtighten.

[SQ4MN]

When you say "OVERFILL" it makes me wonder. My sight tube on my trans shows it to be way OVERFULL when the bike is not running and is straight up and down. The oil level is between the two lines only when the bike is running and is in either gear and straight up and down. Once I turn it off the oil goes a half inch above the two lines in about five minutes. Maybe my torque converter leaks causing this I am not sure. There is no leaks under my bike at all after riding it.

[GordonBH]

Yes Mike,

We set it to between the lines upright engine running.

[mmaupin]

As mentioned earlier, my transmission does drip a little oil from the output shaft.

A few years back, I talked to a guy at NESCO. If I remember the conversation correctly, he told me the best way to check the transmission oil level is to have the bike level on a jack and have it idling in first gear. In gear, the oil should be between the two Red lines.

About a month ago, I did just that, making sure the oil level was between those two Red lines. Since then, I have ridden a fair amount and find those familiar small puddles on the floor along with signs of leakage coming from the output shaft.

So, after a beautiful 150 mile ride through the NC and TN mountains yesterday, I decided it was once again time to check the transmission oil level. Went through the same procedure as mentioned above. When I checked the oil level this time (after knowing I have some leakage), it was about a 1/2" above the top Red line..... Frustrating!

Any advice on the subject? What are others doing?

[SQ4MN]

Try checking it after one minute of running in first gear at maybe 1500 rpm's. Usually if its above the lines its because the torque converter is not full yet.