CalVin Oil leak and ??

[robertllr]

I'm relatively new to Guzzi's and am not well-versed in their engine anatomy.

Therefore, I don't know where the pictured oil leak (rear of pan? some joint above the pan?) is coming from or how to address its repair.

Also it looks like something broke off the lower back right corner of the pan--or is it supposed to look like that?

Thanks!

 

[john zibell]

Where the red arrow is pointing is OK. The pan is drilled through there for an oil passage then plugged. As for the leak, probability low to high, pan gasket, gearbox input seal, rear main seal of engine. You will need to take it to a shop and the bike split to find the actual cause. If you have over 40 to 50 K miles, I would consider replacing the clutch plates and gearbox clutch hub plus seal/o-rings at the same time, you have already done (paid for) the labor to do that.

 

[Trout]

Agree with John.
Get a little oil drip on your finger & give it a smell test.
Engine oil smells different from trans/gear oil so you can determine where it is coming from.

If you don't know the difference then keep checking engine oil to see if it loses any.

Either way you can continue to ride the bike but do want to start saving to either fix it yourself or pay a shop.
The biggest "danger" is that eventually it will get the clutch disc oily & then the bike will become hard to shift +/or get into gear.

 

[john zibell]

Trout, the clutch disks will only get oily if it is the front seal of the gear box or failed seals on the clutch push rod. Engine oil can't get to the clutch plates. They are protected from engine oil inside the flywheel.

 

[Trout]

Thanks John.
I had always "assumed" that a rear seal leak would dump oil into the bell housing & find it's way onto the clutch pack.

 

[robertllr]

Agree with John.
Get a little oil drip on your finger & give it a smell test.
Engine oil smells different from trans/gear oil so you can determine where it is coming from.

If you don't know the difference then keep checking engine oil to see if it loses any..

No question that it's engine oil. I've just come back from a 4000 mile trip around the Canadian Atlantic maritimes, and I'd been adding engine oil, while the tranny is as full as it was when I checked it before leaving.

I've got it up on the stand and the mufflers off pending a tire change (those Metzlers suck--the brand new rear has cupped like crazy, so I'm trying Battlax's on front and back.) I've cleaned off the area, and when I put the silencers back on I'll run it and see exactly where the oil is coming from.

My intuition tells me (and with my luck) it'll be the rear main seal. The pan bolts are tight and it wasn't leaking 4000 miles ago.

Part of the reason I got into Guzzis--rather than my stable of Meriden Triumphs, is I was hoping to be done with crankcase oil leaks in my daily riders and long-distance tourers. Seems I can't run from my destiny...

 

[V700Steve]

If you stop adding oil to keep it at the upper level, see where it stops going down on the stick. Crank case vent blows out to where it's comfortable. The vent hose is known to leak from cracks in it, then it runs into bellhousing.

 

[robertllr]

If you stop adding oil to keep it at the upper level, see where it stops going down on the stick. Crank case vent blows out to where it's comfortable. The vent hose is known to leak from cracks in it, then it runs into bellhousing.

Where do I find this vent hose? I can't see anything resembling a vent--but then it's pretty hard for me to find stuff--all jammed in as it is. Any tips as to where to look would be appreciated!

 

[V700Steve]

I was thinking an older model, yours dumps into airbox via #30, You could try dino oil & not add more than 3qts.
If you keep adding oil it will not level out w/preasure, and keep up the cycle to full.

 

[robertllr]

I was thinking an older model, yours dumps into airbox via #30, l.

Thanks, but I'm still not clear on the routing here.

It looks like, from the drawing, that 27 goes from the front of the crankcase to some unspecified and un-located fitting on a tubular part of the frame, (marked "A") then vents THROUGH (?!) the frame tube, to exit it somewhere else (but marked "A" again!) via 30, and then into the airbox?

Have I understood that even remotely anything like correct?

And where would be the oil leak path if one of these hoses were cracked? I'm afraid my addled brain can't visualize it...

 

[roundup]

Trout, the clutch disks will only get oily if it is the front seal of the gear box or failed seals on the clutch push rod. Engine oil can't get to the clutch plates. They are protected from engine oil inside the flywheel.

can engine oil get to the flywheel inspection port?

 

[john zibell]

can engine oil get to the flywheel inspection port?

Yes

 

[Mr Revhead]

I have this exact same leak with my 03 EV.
First up yes oil CAN get to the clutch if it's the rear main. It leaks on to the flywheel, gets flung all over the inside of the bell housing and drips on to the clutch. This however was not my issue.

I pulled it all apart and did the gear box seals whilst in there (and the two dodgy bearings)
What I found with mine is it was leaking from the rear main bearing carrier, out from the gasket. It would then run straight down to the drain in the bell housing.
As removing the rear bearing carrier is a whole other drama I left it. It can't get on to the clutch or flywheel from there. Unfortunatly it means I have to put up with it leaving oil where ever I go It does seem to leak less if the level is 3/4 on the dip stick.

Also, contrary to what many told me, the two lower bolt holes for that housing are NOT all the way through, they are blind so there is no leak from there.

 

[Amboman]

I have this exact same leak with my 03 EV.

Also, contrary to what many told me, the two lower bolt holes for that housing are NOT all the way through, they are blind so there is no leak from there.

On earlier engines they were all the way through, at some point the factory obviously changed this.