oil leak, right side

[docc]

5 minutes ago, p6x said:

Having a black engine does not help the trouble shooting.

I did check the tightness of the hoses connections to the oil radiator.

The "spray foot powder" will help solve the mystery. It very well could be more than one source.

 

[p6x]

Photo #1

This oil droplet does not mean the leak comes from the filter access trap. This is the lowest point on the bike, so whatever oil seeps, it collects there. Correct?

Photo#2

The right side of the engine is oil wet, with no obvious source. It is like a coat. I presume it is a small seepage.

Photo#3

Whatever happens, it coats all the fins on the right hand side and underneath the engine.

Photo#4

I cleaned the engine as best as I could, with water and an industrial de-greaser. After a return trip to Beaumont, here's the verdict. The bottom of the sump seems to be dry, but close to that hole, this is wet.

Photo 5

This is where I think the seepage is occurring. It is difficult to tell. But it would explain why the right hand side only.

Photo#6

The left hose connection is dry. Sorry the photo is a bit unfocused, I was using a slow speed.

Photo#7

The right hose connection is dry.

Photo #8

You can see the beginning of a droplet forming underneath the oil filter access. The fins right after are also dirty. Need to clean them better next time.

[docc]

Getting closer. I presume the entire top of the motor is completely dry (?)

There are other culprits, otherwise. The O-rings of the oil cooler lines and the timing chest gasket. Also, I see a "P.Roper Plate" installed. The three gaskets of the plate/sump spacer/sump are also suspect.

Once you have it all cleaned, again, spray the surfaces with a commonly available dry foot powder. Start up, idle/rev, and look for discoloration. If none, then ride around the block at low speed (low wind to blow the oil away from the source).

Look for discoloration of the powder. It will be the leak source.

 

[p6x]

2 minutes ago, docc said:

Getting closer. I presume the entire top of the motor is completely dry (?)

There are a couple culprits, otherwise. The O-rings of the oil cooler lines and the timing chest gasket.

Once you have it all cleaned, again, spray the surfaces with a commonly available dry foot powder. Start up, idle/rev, and look for discoloration. If none, then ride around the block at low speed (low wind to blow the oil away from the source).

Look for discoloration of the powder. It will be the leak source.

 

I was still adding photos when I saw your answer coming. What do you think of picture #5?

 

[Tinus89]

4 hours ago, p6x said:

I was still adding photos when I saw your answer coming. What do you think of picture #5?

 

The timing chest gasket is a known weakpoint in the V11. Does your V11 have a support bracket/plate between the gearbox and the engine, connected to the frame? Should be between the throttle bodies. I can see she does have two connecting arms running from the sideplates/porkchops to the lower back of the engine (photo 3), so the other bracket should also be there. These remove some of the stress on the timing chest (thus gasket), but a leak can still occur there.

[pete roper]

I'm betting on the timing chest gasket, although they usually blow out further up.

[Lucky Phil]

39 minutes ago, Tinus89 said:

The timing chest gasket is a known weakpoint in the V11. Does your V11 have a support bracket/plate between the gearbox and the engine, connected to the frame? Should be between the throttle bodies. I can see she does have two connecting arms running from the sideplates/porkchops to the lower back of the engine (photo 3), so the other bracket should also be there. These remove some of the stress on the timing chest (thus gasket), but a leak can still occur there.

I don't believe any production V11's came out with this gearbox bracket between the frame and the gearbox engine mount studs. It was I believe a "prototype" thing that made it to the parts manual but not "production". Early V11's had the frame mounting brackets but I don't believe any production bikes had it, certainly not the later long frame bikes with the lower fore and aft supports.

Ciao

[Lucky Phil]

32 minutes ago, pete roper said:

I'm betting on the timing chest gasket, although they usually blow out further up.

Use of course the later coated metal gasket to replace it and cure the issue permanently.

Ciao  

[docc]

11 hours ago, p6x said:

I was still adding photos when I saw your answer coming. What do you think of picture #5?

 

Looks like you found it.

[p6x]

Here it is!

I used baby powder, the one you put on the parts that go inside the diaper, to prevent a rash.

So the leak comes from that gasket between the engine and the timing chest/case that seemed suspicious yesterday. Can this timing chest/case can be removed without taking the engine down completely?

@Lucky Philwhere should I order the "coated metal gasket"?

 

[Speedfrog]

@p6x Metal core timing cover gasket:

https://www.mgcycle.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=5044:996740de914ced0902e686373e319391

[Tomchri]

Or Valpolini in Mandello del Lario.

Cheers Tom.

[Lucky Phil]

9 minutes ago, Tomchri said:

Or Valpolini in Mandello del Lario.

Cheers Tom.

The MG cycle gasket is better than the valpolini in my opinion. It's a Guzzi part as well.

Ciao

[docc]

10 minutes ago, Lucky Phil said:

The MG cycle gasket is better than the valpolini in my opinion. It's a Guzzi part as well.

Ciao

I did not know they are different. Thanks for the clarification!

@p6x asked, "Can this timing chest/case can be removed without taking the engine down completely? "

The answer is, "yes." Other things have to get out of the way. Someone did this recently and posted. Maybe @andy york or @Pressureangle in one of the Timing Gears threads . . .

[docc]