Oil drip from front left sump bolt.

[Grim]

Well, it really was going too well lately.  After my successfull Roper plate installation I have noticed a puddle of oil on the ground wherever I go.
After cleaning and observing, it is running out around the front left lower sump plate allen head bolt.
The actual gasket area is dry, I can see it coming down around the bolt.
I have tried coating the bolt in gasket sealer and tightening it up, I have tried a bit of silicone sealent, but still the drip persists.
Do you think the inner edge of the gasket around the bolt hole got torn? I am going to have to drain the oil and get a new gasket, bugger.

[LowRyter]

BTDT.

You might check if you're missing a washer, not that it would usually matter.  But it might. 

[Weegie]

52 minutes ago, LowRyter said:

BTDT.

You might check if you're missing a washer, not that it would usually matter.  But it might. 

It's a good point I hadn't thought of, or if any of the screws are bottoming in the holes rather than compressing the gasket. That whole area will be submerged I reckon so a good seal is essential...................Long shot I know, but other than the gasket damage you mention or a piece of old gasket on the mating faces, I can't think what would cause that type of leak

[Grim]

41 minutes ago, Weegie said:

It's a good point I hadn't thought of, or if any of the screws are bottoming in the holes rather than compressing the gasket. That whole area will be submerged I reckon so a good seal is essential...................Long shot I know, but other than the gasket damage you mention or a piece of old gasket on the mating faces, I can't think what would cause that type of leak

Cheers,

I gave everything a good scrape/clean when I did the gasket, I was actually feeling quite smug about how shiny the surfaces all looked.... pride before a fall.
I could try a shorter bolt, just in case, it's a good shout.

1 hour ago, LowRyter said:

BTDT.

You might check if you're missing a washer, not that it would usually matter.  But it might. 

Strangely, that particular bolt had 2 washers on it when I came to check it. I switched to just 1, it didn't help. I was trying to find a copper crush washer that might hold the oil back but I dodn't have one the right size. 
There's probably nothing for it but to drop the bloody oil out of it and try again!

[LowRyter]

I'm constantly missing a washer or two, sometimes they're missing when I take them off, other times I can't find on when I'm putting it back on.  It seems that the corners are most prone to leak.  

[Rox Lemans]

Gasket or a missing washer likely. I had that issue. Washer.. 

[Grim]

Well I took the sump cover off and... I really can't see the problem. I used a green Athena gasket, it had gone quite hard and glossy in only a few weeks, but that might be normal!

No rips around the bolt hole, I guess it just wasn't sealing at that point. It's annoying cos there's quite a lot of metal there, it's not like it's super thin or anything.

I used red gasket sealer on both sides, very sparingly, more to stick the gasket in place than anything else.  The red one is semi permanent and never sets hard.

I had tightened in a star pattern, I probably started at a corner, then the opposite and so on.

I'll stick a new gasket on and switch the bolts around.

[andy york]

roper plate ....did you use 2 gaskets?

one on top of the plate and one on the bottom ?

should be sump cover-gasket-roper plate - gasket- bottom of engine

[Grim]

1 hour ago, andy york said:

roper plate ....did you use 2 gaskets?

one on top of the plate and one on the bottom ?

should be sump cover-gasket-roper plate - gasket- bottom of engine

Yeah, the plate is all oil tight.. It was just the one bolt on the bottom sump plate dripping, not even around the gasket, just thought the bolt hole and around the bolt. 

 

 

[docc]

I always work my "star patterns" from the center out to the corners, in 2-3 steps. Not sure it makes any difference, but I would rather "spread to the corners than "crowd" the center.

That said, I am not the Seal Whisperer that Andy York is . . . 

[LowRyter]

I've never heard anything good about RTV or gasket sealer regarding Guzzi pan gaskets.  The lore is to only use grease to paste the gasket in place.

 

jus' sayin'

[Lucky Phil]

Its almost certainly the gasket leaking between the hole and the inner engine area. So the oil leaks past the gasket and into the bolt hole. The outer edge of the gasket looks fine because it's actually sealing, it's the inner edge of the gasket that's leaking and it's leak path is through the adjacent bolt hole. Pull the sump and replace the gasket and have a good inspection of the area and apply a little sealant to the spot if necessary. You could make sure the hole face is in good shape where the cap screw head seats and install a 6mm aluminium crush washer as a temporary/ permanent fix.

Ciao  

[Lucky Phil]

2 minutes ago, LowRyter said:

I've never heard anything good about RTV or gasket sealer regarding Guzzi pan gaskets.  The lore is to inly use grease to paste the gasket in place.

 

jus' sayin'

I use a very light coat of Hylomar ( or rolls Royce compound if you like) on my sump gaskets.

Ciao

[Guzzimax]

Where did you source your Roper plate kit from?

[docc]

24 minutes ago, Guzzimax said:

Where did you source your Roper plate kit from?

Not sure where Grim got his, but this is the legit and P.Roper source:

Brought to you by @Pressureangle with @pete roper's blessing. Accept no substitutes!