clutch contamination and co-dependancy

[Guest d.starling]

i took out 2000 sport yesterday and it seems i my be in for another round of problems. i recently posted concerning a leak at the back of my oil pan where the return line enters. i have continued to ride while i wait for a replacement line. it drips pretty slowly. well at he end of my ride yesterday i started to notice an abrupt grabbyness with my clutch, not unlike the feel i experienced before i replaced it (clutch) last fall, during the ride yesterday i was having difficulty ridding smoothly, no noise as of yet, if it is oil contamination on the clutch is there a way of cleaning the plates, or will clutch friction take care of problem? that is assuming somehow oil slowly dripping at the back of the pan is making its' way up and into the bell housing. i have not noticed any slipping. please advise, i may be going through another phase that starts to look like co-dependancy, i want to love my bike, but she makes it all so very difficult. what other symptoms for oil contamiation? thanks in advance, david

[Steve G.]

A buddy of mine just had a warranty fix on a brand new 1200gt beemer, the fix being a slipping clutch as a result of oil contamination from the rear main seal of the engine. It had been damp with oil for a while, but the clutch slip made it difficult to ride two up, slipping up hills and such.

If the clutch does not slip, I say ride the bike. There may be oil in there by now, but if you can get another season out of it, do it.

Bear in mind that oil contamination will permanently bugger the friction plates, but as long as you do not let it slip alot, extraordinary overheating of the pressure plates will not result, avoiding warpage, and when you fix the seal [hopfully in the off season if you live in an area that has one] you will be able to just clean up the components in the varsol tank.

I know it's crappy, but engine seals are not exclusive to Moto Guzzi machines. By buddys bike is an '03 GT, which cost over double the cost of my V11. And, while you need an electrical engineers degree to fix those types of bikes, a guy with a shop manual and basic tools, and common sense, can fix a Guzzi.

Ciao, Steve G.

[Baldini]

If you got oil in bellhousing it would show at small rectangular hole underneath housing & weeping around timing inspection hole, or check thru that hole for oil mist on inside of housing. Can't see that it would migrate into housing from external lines. You sure it's the line that's leaking, not oil seeping from bellhousing ?

 

Good luck. KB.

[Guest davidb]

I noticed a oil leak on my 2002 1/2 v11 last night. It looked as if it was coming from the upper pan gasket. I pulled the lower pan and checked the tightness of the upper bolts, they have a sealant on the bolt threads from the factory. (mines new) They seemed to have missed sealing one bolt in the area of the leak. I hope this is the problem, as the only other place would be the rear main.Then I will have to bring it in for warrenty. I also have a BMW, I don't want to discourage you, but chances are that the oil would not work UP into and through a mated surface such as the trans/engine section.

[jrt]

I had the rear main seal replaced on my sport- it had leaked and contaminated the clutch, then the clutch slipped much like what you describe. It wasn't even enough of a leak to weep out the drain. If the bike is under warranty, have this checked.

To decontaminate the clutch, plug up the drain hole, then spray a metric buttload of brake cleaner into the inspection hole and let it get all over the clutch (turn the motor over a couple times). Drain, then put the front wheel on a chock, put the bike in first, and burn a little off the clutch. It's not a long-term fix, but it does work.

Good luck,

Jason

[Guest davidb]

Well.... I just made my first payment, got 1005 miles on the clock, and my rear main seal is out. I guess I will contact a dealer on tuesday. I will have to back pack it to work on the beemer until I get it fixed.

[TX REDNECK (R.I.P.)]

Yep, I'd feel your pain, but I can't reach that far That's a real shitty view from your front porch too!

[Guest davidb]

What kind of drug store limp red neck are you? everyone knows that view is from the BACK porch. The fridgerator and washer is on the Front porch.

[TX REDNECK (R.I.P.)]

What kind of drug store limp red neck are you? everyone knows that view is from the BACK porch. The fridgerator and washer is on the Front porch.

I pity the FOOL, that dont know the back porch is the FRONT porch. It's always the one closest to the shop ( in my case a 10x10 metal shed )

[Guest davidb]

I wonder if the horses would mind if I borrowed thier trailer to take the Guzzi to the shop. S.F. is about 150 miles.