Help! Got a leak.

[PA Chopper]

Hey guys, need some help. I changed my tranny and primary oil over the weekend in my 2009 K9. Never started the bike or took in down off the jack. Tonight I wanted to go for a ride, took bike down off jack and noticed some type of oil dripping from under the primary. Got to looking underneath and found oil running off of the cross member where it is welded to the frame. This is the cross member the tranny bolts to. Started looking with a mirror and can't see an obvious leak but it appears to be coming from where the tranny meets the inner primary. The oil looks and smells like the primary oil I put in. Can't understand it. Didn't start the bike since the oil changes. Now with it sitting on the side stand, it has a slow leak that keeps wetting the cross member and frame. I get my finger up in to run it along the seam between the primary and tranny and my fingertip isn't wet but there is fresh oil on the frame. Not coming from the starter either because I got my mirror under it and all was dry. Not from the drain plug or between outer and inner primary. Anyone got any ideas? Thanks.

 

[Bobby Schulz]

Are you sure it was not leaking before? I suggest cleaning it up good and then taking a short ride. You may find it is nothing. If it is leaking check to make sure all your bolts are tight. Then check gaskets/o-rings to the inner/outter primary.

 

[PA Chopper]

Are you sure it was not leaking before? I suggest cleaning it up good and then taking a short ride. You may find it is nothing. If it is leaking check to make sure all your bolts are tight. Then check gaskets/o-rings to the inner/outter primary.

Thanks for the suggestion. Possible it was leaking prior to the change but this is fresh oil that is running and dripping off the frame. Thought of taking if for a spin to see what would happen but it was dripping pretty good so I wanted to check out what was going on first...then it got late. I did take brake cleaner on a rag and wipe as much as I could get to but still can't see where it is coming from. I know for sure it is not coming from the inner/outer primary or drain plug or inspection cover. It seems to be from where the tranny meets the primary on the backside. I was thinking I would get tranny fluid if it was one of those seals but this isn't tranny fluid leaking. I put in the red Spectro this time and this isn't red fluid. I'm confused.

 

[bruce]

are you sure you didn't over service, I no I have over serviced before and had leaking, it would leak for a little until it got to proper level and stop. just a thought

 

[B RADDD]

x2 , clean it up and take it for a ride :up:

 

[PA Chopper]

I left the fluids drain overnight to be sure all the old was out and measured the new fluid in my handy dandy measuring cup. 32 oz in primary, 20 oz in tranny. I'll clean it up real good this evening but the rain will keep me from riding today. Just seems weird to me that something would be leaking before even starting it up and riding after changing these fluids. It almost seems like the oil is underneath the tranny and seeping out where it bolts down to the frame...then running down the short piece of curved frame to the bottom frame rail. I'll get it cleaned up and take it for a ride and go from there. Thanks everyone for the help.

 

[BadBrad]

There is an inner primary gasket very similar to the outer primary gasket, but if it were leaking, it would be your primary fluid. Clean/dry the drain plug from the tranny just to make sure it's not leaking from there. If it were, it would run the course you described, on the frame to the primary side and drip at the lowest point.

 

[PA Chopper]

Brad, I'm thinking that might be my issue...tranny fluid that leaked and spread acorss the mount. The first time I changed my tranny fluid two years ago the drain plug in the 45 degree elbow would not come out. I ended up snapping the elbow off inside the trap door. Luckily I was able to get it out. I used a straight brass nipple and cap to make a new drain plug that was leaking a bit. Noticed it when I changed the fluid this past weekend. The old fluid may have been leaking enough to get under the tranny and run across the plate and run out by the primary. I did do a good 125+ mile ride prior to changing the fluids. My plan is to spray some brake cleaner around and under the tranny to try and flush out any fluid if it is there and then see if may dripping stops. As I said in previous post, the dripping started once I took the bike off my lift and put it on the side stand...so it makes sense that any fluid would run to the primary side. Hope this is the case because I don't want to have to rip apart everything to try and fix a leak. Plus the seals, gaskets, etc may be hard to find now a days.

 

[BadBrad]

The seals and gaskets are still easy to get, but you're right about the pain in the ass changing them out, especially the inner primary. I'm not sure if you can just loosen the bolts and slip the gasket (O-ring style) over the inner primary and seat it in the groove behind it or if you'll have to pull the clutch. I'm betting you'll have to pull the clutch/basket/primary chain/inner primary to replace it.