Drip, sizzle, puff. Oh yeah, ZAP!

[slug]

Fuh. I'm getting worried... My '03 V11 Sport is dripping tranny fluid from what I'm pretty sure is the vent near the top of the gearbox. I took the bike in for its 6000 mile service (@ Moto International) in mid August. Everything checked out fine. I think that they flushed out the gearbox and put in new fluid (the invoice isn't that clear and I forgot to ask.) Fast forward 650 dripless, smokeless miles, and all of the sudden, I'm smelling burning oil I checked around the bike and noticed the back of the gearbox was wet with oil and it was coming down the middle from what looks like the vent (M.I. confirmed that's what it is over the phone). The oil is then dripping on to the suspension doodads and then down on the crossover, hence the burning sensation I checked all the hex bolts on the gearbox that I could reach, those were fine (there were a couple of loose ones around the driveshaft opening when I first bought the bike). I've been keeping an eye on the fluid level and it doesn't look like its losing a lot...

 

So... Here's what I think is causing it:

 

1. My wife got a job where I work, so now we're commuting on the bike together. Coincidentally, the oil drip/smoke started around the same time. We work in Downtown Seattle, and on the ride home, we go up some of the steepest hills in Seattle. So, with the extra weight on the rear of the bike, the engine/gearbox sits at a lower angle. Combine that with starting up a very steep hill and the possibility of an overfilled gearbox, would this be a receipe for the tranny fluid to slosh high enough to come out the vent at the top? Also, at a stop light right after getting off the freeway after a "spirited" ride tonight, I saw a big puff of smoke wafting up from the front of the left muffler . The off ramp was also facing uphill...

 

Does this seem plausible? Has anyone else experienced anything like this?

 

OR

 

2. I'm on crack...

 

It'll be two weeks before M.I. will be able to look at it, and I have vacation days I need to burn (hoping to go for a long ride on Monday...) so do any of you think its safe? (The guys at M.I. said it should be fine, but I'm a paranoid person and like second opinions)

 

Thanks for your help!

 

-Slug

 

Oh yeah, for a week or so the bike was eating fuses when I was starting the bike. I'd hear the starter solenoid "click", and then two seconds later, the electrical system would die... Does this sound like a sticky starter solenoid, or the beginning of "the battle of the relays?"

[twhitaker]

Some drips out the back when you've got 850cc in there should not be a problem. I had some drippage after I changed the fluid the first time. I let the bike drain overnight. Next day I put in a measured 850cc and it came to the top of the sight glass. There must have been some fluid leftover in there when I refilled. I had some serious drippage for a week or so. I drained and refilled to the BOTTOM of the sight glass and it's been fine ever since.