2016 V7 FINAL DRIVE LEAK - HELP! ON THE ROAD!!

[BLU 8 FITTY]

the wife and i are 6 days into a 3 week multi-state moto trip, starting in los angeles on the 28th....we made it to the coast today, currently on the 101 couple hours north of eureka, in cresent city.

today I discovered a sizeable oil  discharge from the final drive of my wifes 2016 V7II Special, with about 4000 miles, regular service (im on a new V85) her V7 throwing oil on the wheel and the tire. seems like it does it more when it's hot as it appears to have stopped or slowed now that we're on the coast and its 55ﾟ .... (spent the last 6 days in +100° heat out of LA into the sierras/lassen/shasta)

....any thoughts on what's causing us?

It did it once before, i had my guys look at it and they replaced a washer on the drain plug but I don't think it's coming from there.... been calling all around portland (and all of Oregon) to try to find somebody to diagnose it...work on it, but no one will touch it...got a lead on two chaps in Eugene who might look at it...odd that precious portland will not bite on this one.

were headed to Portland tomorrow any thoughts on what this could be? Is this a chronic problem with these models? any referrals?

thanks yall! [emoji1308][emoji173][ATTACH=full]2521359[/ATTACH]

[Muzz]

Check that the vent on the top[ is not blocked first.

[lucky phil]

the wife and i are 6 days into a 3 week multi-state moto trip, starting in los angeles on the 28th....we made it to the coast today, currently on the 101 couple hours north of eureka, in cresent city.

today I discovered a sizeable oil  discharge from the final drive of my wifes 2016 V7II Special, (im on a new V85) her V7 throwing oil on the wheel and the tire. seems like it does it more when it's hot as it appears to have stopped or slowed now that we're on the coast and its 55ﾟ .... (spent the last 6 days in +100° heat out of LA into the sierras/lassen/shasta)

....any thoughts on what's causing us?

It did it once before, i had my guys look at it and they replaced a washer on the drain plug but I don't think it's coming from there.... been calling all around portland (and all of Oregon) to try to find somebody to diagnose it...work on it, but no one will touch it...got a lead on two chaps in Eugene who might look at it...odd that precious portland will not bite on this one.

were headed to Portland tomorrow any thoughts on what this could be? Is this a chronic problem with these models? any referrals?

thanks yall! [emoji1308][emoji173][ATTACH=full]2521359[/ATTACH]

Without knowing the history of the bike its mileage or service history if I was in your shoes i'd put it on the ctr stand and pull the fill plug and see if you get any overflow. It may be a little overfull. If it is let it drain to the fill plug level and put the plug back in clean it up and continue riding and see if it continues to leak. It could be a blocked breather but the bike looks very clean so I'm inclined to think over filled esp if it's just had a service etc.
It will look a lot worse than it really is, the oil loss with be negligible by whats in the image so as long as its not lubricating the back tyre tread continuing probably isnt an issue

Ciao

[Rolf Halvorsen]

If you do not see where the oil comes from - then it it probably comming from one of the two sealing rings. It is a workshop job. Be sure that the oil level is ok - and have a nice tour. BUT if the oil leak comes to the tire - then you should fix the leak before driving further. Oil film on the rear tire can be dangerous.

Rolf

[Vagrant]

the V7 vents suck. literally! they pull water in during a rain. did you ride in the rain? if so it might be overfull and anything over 5.6 ounces will come out. see if you can touch oil through the level hole assuming it doesn't come running out as stated in the above posts. a bit below that level is fine. clean it up and ride it. if milky stop at wally world get a wrench and some cheap 85/140 gear lube and change it out. no big deal.

[BLU 8 FITTY]

wholly pop-ups adman!!(lots of ads on this site, and can't use tspatslk worth it) I think I'm replying to the end of the thread!!

thanks for the replies....how do I check the level? its pretty wet on the wheel and sidewall of the tire....

[BLU 8 FITTY]

Check that the vent on the top[ is not blocked first.

how do I do that?

[Mayor_of_BBQ]

wholly pop-ups adman!!(lots of ads on this site, and can't use tspatslk worth it) I think I'm replying to the end of the thread!!

thanks for the replies....how do I check the level? its pretty wet on the wheel and sidewall of the tire....

check the level by removing the bolt on the rear of the drive, it should not dribble out. you should be able to stick your finger in and feel the oil just below the threads. If oil runs out when you open it, it's overfilled. let it run out and find it's level just to the bottom of the hole.

As for the vent, thats the mushroom bolt on top of the rear drive.take it out, see if you can blow thru it with lungs or compressed air. if not, it's clogged up.  Best fix would be a barbed bolt or a banjo bolt with a hose on it run along the swing arm and then upward. I *think* it's a M10 bolt, you may be able to find a banjo bolt setup to vent it acceptably for your trip at a brake shop, that's what I'd check if I was on the road- I dont think youre likely to find a mushroom bolt of the correct size on the road, although a specialty place like Fastenall might have it.

[Mayor_of_BBQ]

and nah, this site doesnt work well on TapaTalk, just log in thru your web browser and look at the site that way

[Mayor_of_BBQ]

it doesnt look like very much oil has leaked, perhaps you will find it has already pushed out all that it's going to and found its own level...  if you had a catastrophic seal failure, it would be pouring out and the tire covered. Clean it as well as you can and monitor it

[malik]

When we rode both V7's around Australia (30,000km and 140 days) it happened to both bikes on a few occasions. No particular rhyme or reason we could determine. Just sprayed the rim & final drive with degreaser & hosed it off. Clean for 5,000km or more. Just did it a few times that trip but rarely, if at all, since. Could well have been a trifle overfilled, perhaps.

[Muzz]

how do I do that?

It's that top hat looking nut on the top of the rear drive casing.

Undo it just like a normal nut, flush it with a degreaser and then make sure you can blow through it.  If you can't blow through it one way or 'tother redo with degreaser until you can.

If this thing is blocked it will pressurise the rear drive as it warms up and can force the oil past the seals.  My Breva one was blocked almost from new.  I do it every service interval.

[greer]

Here you go TallV85:





I borrowed the picture from pyoungbl's post a few months back.

Sarah

[Rhodan]

You might try calling Optimum Performance  Motorsports in Seattle (Kirkland).  They're a Guzzi dealer and may know of some mechanics on the Portland area; I believe they worked with the Portland dealer before it closed.  If not, they might be able to take a look if you don't mind a 4 hour detour from Portland.

[BLU 8 FITTY]

wiw gents!!!! thanks for the love and wealth of info! yall....KICK ASS!!! 

here's where I'm at.....

yesterday morning I checked for tightness -

the filler plug/bolt (this was a visual as i do not have a hex wrench big enough)

the drain plug/bolt (snugged with crescent wrench)

the vent plug/bolt (pulled off, and blew thru to check for clear, all good, snugged with crescent wrench)

after that i wiped the plugs clean to see if they would leak while riding the coming segments of the 101....pulling over frequently i was satisfied that they were dry....except the vent....a little spatter, not much at all....then it occurred to me....

1)  The last 6 days it has been +100ﾟ when riding

2)  we have been riding pretty quickly, with spirit in the twistys banking turning and such

3)  We've seen a lot of altitude changes within our journey thru the sierras thus far

4)  ....and this has just occurred to me as I'm typing this, #ItalianMistressNo1 (wife) has laid down her V7 3 times so far, simple parking lot tip overs, (hey, she is loaded with gear!) no damage other than a broken clutch lever, which is now back to a Pazzo shorty!!!

all this to say, that I feel very strongly that it's a combination of temperature, pressure, possible over filling and being laid down, culminating in the fluid is coming out of the top vent!! im 99% confident of this.

Today I'm going find an auto parts store, buy a few rags, some good degreaser, rubber gloves and clean that area to factory spec - the tire, the wheel, the spokes, the swingarm and everything around it back to brand new condition.

I would like to find a hex wrench to fit the fill plug and check the level just to make sure that she has plenty of fluid in there as well.... I can do this stuff myself today, so i don't need to continue down the rabbit hole of finding the non-existent Guzzi mechanic in Oregon.....as he/she is kinda like Bigfoot.

my mechanic on Los Angeles referred me to a mechanic in Eugene and i spoke to him 2 days ago (Eugene is only a few miles east from where I am now in Yachats) but I think I'll pass on him as  I have good faith that its a simple breather leak from a combo of any/all of the factors cited above  .....if anything comes up there's always a Guzzi mechanic hookup that I made in Boise when I was burrowing down the

"Impossible To Find, Oregon Bigfoot Guzzi Mechanic" 

rabbit hole while having a delightful hot dog (2 actually) at Bigfoot Burgers in the middle of Shasta Trinity river valley on the 299, great road btw.

thanks again everyone for all of your kind, helpful thoughts and assistance, this dogs on me!! love yall!

[RinkRat II]

   If you come across an O'reilly's or  Auto Zone parts house and buy your degreaser and a couple shop towels from them,  they'll loan you the wrench you need.

   Paul B 

[egschade]

Inspired me to check my V7 III drive vent - clogged but freed up with come carb cleaner. As others have suggested I ordered a 10mmx1.5mm banjo bolt kit to replace the mushroom. Will route the tubing to a dry place. May even be available at a local auto parts store - this one is for a Subaru turbo.

 https://www.ebay.com/itm/Turbo-Oil-Feed-Banjo-Bolt-Kit-M10x1-5mm-for-SUBARU-IHI-VF30-VF35-VF37-1-5mm-Hole/153450384580?hash=item23ba5b0cc4:g:QZ4AAMXQnYJRBJ1-

[SmithSwede]

Remove the vent plug on top, the thing that looks like a top hat.     Squirt some cleaner or WD40 in there.  See if you can blow through it and it’s not clogged. 

If you have been riding a lot at high speed and hot weather, the oil can seep out if it was overfilled a bit.  It may have reached the level it wants and not leak any more.   So good idea to clean it up and see if it leaks again.

The people saying remove the level bolt on the side are assuming the final drive is level.  Don’t do that if it is not level because you will drain out too much oil. 

Frankly, if you are even tempted to mess with the level plug, I’d take a different path.  Just go to a parts store, get a container, and drain all the old oil out by removing the drain plug on the bottom.  Then add the correct amount of new DINO gear oil.   Super easy job.  You would then know how much came out, how much has leaked, and you would know you drained out any water and it has the correct amount of fresh oil. 

I’d use non-synthetic gear old because a lot of knowledgeable Guzzi people say that these final drives often leak with synthetic oil.   

 Now if it keeps leaking and makes the rear tire oily, that’s a serious safety issue.  And if you lose all the oil and the final drive blows up, that could lock up the rear wheel, another safety issue. 

So use good judgment here !

[malik]

Tall, that's the way to do it - degreaser & water, then see what happens.

If you're tempted to buy a set of allen keys for the road, choose a set with a 7mm in it as well (for the front brake caliper), and don't be tempted to get a short set that will fit in the luggage easier, the longer sets are of more utility, particularly for the sidecover screws (which are removed quite often) - the short ones don't provide enough purchase. Also note that a good quality set is more likely to provide a better fit, especially for the rocker cover screws (which are made of cheese & have a tendency to round out easily). On the road you may not have much choice, so you do the best you can.

Besides fitting the hand better, I've found that short levers have an added advantage - they are no longer the first bit to hit the ground when the bike goes over. Good thinking 99.

Other than the odd hiccough, I trust you're both enjoying the trip. It's great being out there on the road. Also, keep in mind the modern adage - if there's no photos, it didn't happen.

PS - +1 on the Swede's advice - if you do change the oil in there, use MINERAL 85x140 - synthetic 140 does leak through the rear seal, it did on mine - the hypothesis is that the molecules in synthetic are smaller.

[Muzz]

Besides fitting the hand better, I've found that short levers have an added advantage - they are no longer the first bit to hit the ground when the bike goes over. Good thinking 99.

PS - +1 on the Swede's advice - if you do change the oil in there, use MINERAL 85x140 - synthetic 140 does leak through the rear seal, it did on mine - the hypothesis is that the molecules in synthetic are smaller.

As far as the levers go, I bought a pair of coloured adjustable, foldable and extendable levers from AliExpress for less than a replacement clutch lever.  Look good as the blck/red colour combo match the bike and they are actually nicer to use and work better than the originals.  The folding part has already paid for itself, and being able to adjust the lever back for my short fingers and widen them for my wide palm has been brilliant.  They attracted a lot of positive comments on the last Guzzi rally I was on.

[Kiwi_Roy]

Im going through a similar issue with my V7iii at the moment 18,000 km, when I drained the oil from the rear end it was emulsified and well over the level of the rear plug 10mm Hex wrench BTW
I put it down to washing with the hose on full blast. It might have also leaked into the drive tunnel, apparently there is no seal on that shaft.
I drained it out and filled to the correct level (bottom of the rear plug) and still it leaked out all over the tire.
I pulled the vent plug apart and made sure the ball was loose, next step is to do the remote vent up under the side cover, I don't thing I will re-use that ball valve.

On a recent trip I removed the level plug again thinking it might be low, again it was way over the correct level, I haven't ridden in the rain or washed it since the last fill.

Anyway, as long as you have some oil in the rear I wouldn't let it ruin your trip, a teaspoon full of oil goes a long way, mine looks much worse than yours.
I'm going to do the remote vent ASAP
I think you are right lots of high speed riding can see the rear end almost too hot to hold your hand on, your V85 should be similar temperature.
I think under some circumstances the oil gets aireated increasing the volume quite significantly.

[Chuck in Indiana]

Also, keep in mind the modern adage - if there's no photos, it didn't happen.

Yep. We need pictures. That's part of the price of admission.. you are on a great trip with things to do, places to see.
That's not much of a leak, by the way. Clean it up, watch it, don't worry, be happy. 

[BLU 8 FITTY]

Yep. We need pictures. That's part of the price of admission.. you are on a great trip with things to do, places to see.
That's not much of a leak, by the way. Clean it up, watch it, don't worry, be happy. 

i didnt post up here the last 4 weeks because -

1) this forum isnt tapatalk friendly (and thats what i use, work it out amongst yourselves)
2) its an absolute SHITSHOW of ads on a phone (thats what i use, work it out amongst yourselves)

so....no pix for you until i get to a desktop computer.....its all so....1998, this.

bust into the pix and the 22nd  century here gents

https://www.instagram.com/p/CFKcaWWlM-5/?igshid=ssl363g015bo

right. back from an "amazing, interesting" trip.....you want pix? ive got tons....even some of the daily (morning, noon and night) cleaning of the wheel, tire from this leak.....way back at the beginning, in Oregon (this was a 3 week, 7 state, +4500 mile journey, yall) i posted a pic of FD leak....it never stopped, it got worse.....all 3 holes dry (i love saying that)....so i got into maintenance mode with a roll of shop towels, can of engine degreaser, and rubber gloves.....and every morning, midday, eve i would clean her up....real nicelike....and every next day.....she would soil herself again....this went on for the whole trip.....now we are home, ive cleaned 3 weeks/4500 mile of bugs and grime off her......shes pretty, showroom.....but leaky....

my theory on this one is as follows.....

put her to bed at night, seal inside leaks, weeps, drips into the hub,.....not enought to spill out and over....just pools up in there.....kickstand s up at 1030am....she throws all that snot over the wheel and tire....this happens at every stop....all....thru ....the.....day.... everyday.....for 3 weeks....never stopped.

how much oil in in that f***ing thing? 7 gallons? christ on crutches.

anyway, this my theory and im running with it....friday oct 9th GP in san diego will confirm....along with an almost impossible to pull clutch lever (yes, serviced/replaced cable and lever).....more will be revealed.....till then.....enjoy....

[Wildroamer]

Holy fug, that sucks, and I would be madder than Hell ready to smash some stuff! Kudos for keeping your cool. I'm sure you at least have invented a few new cuss combos.

[BLU 8 FITTY]

Holy fug, that sucks, and I would be madder than Hell ready to smash some stuff! Kudos for keeping your cool. I'm sure you at least have invented a few new cuss combos.

actually....the most frustrainting thing of all this is this forum....no tapatalk....not mobile friendly....more ad popups than pimples on my face as a kid. christalmighty. 

all good....once i got into the rythm of cleaning, monitoring....its was simply management....hopin g that the FD didnt freeze up before we got home as it seems i had every tool and could not locate THE tool to open the fill plug to check...now im home i can top her off and ride her down to SD on oct 8th for a Dr.s appointment at GP on the 9th.....get all these little leaky, squeaky things fixst!

how do you like my cigbuttscrew™? 

[malik]

With that much oil, it seems to me that the seals, at least the big outer one, are not working as they should. Replacing the outer one is not so bad, but the inner one is a bit of a bear to get at. When it gets taken apart, have them meticulously check the surfaces the seals rest on for imperfections. Then just hope the casing's machining is not out of round. If it is (unusual, but it has happened) it will promptly leak again. The solution to this is to try a new (secondhand) casing. So, hopefully, it's just the seals. Best of luck.

[Kiwi_Roy]

You will want to check the oil for water content. the boot at the gearbox end of the drive shaft was leaking on mine, water runs down the shaft tunnel and ends up in the drive overfilling it.

[BLU 8 FITTY]

You will want to check the oil for water content. the boot at the gearbox end of the drive shaft was leaking on mine, water runs down the shaft tunnel and ends up in the drive overfilling it.

ill look into that thanks!

if so, i wonder where is the water coming from? this thing has not seen a drop of water (other than being washed a handful of times)....and not a drop on the trip.....

[usedtobefast]

actually....the most frustrainting thing of all this is this forum....no tapatalk....not mobile friendly....more ad popups than pimples on my face as a kid. christalmighty. 

I have an android phone and use chrome browser to access wildguzzi as a normal website, works fine with that combo.  What mobile device are you using?

Any sorry about you rear drive leaking woes. 

[BLU 8 FITTY]

I have an android phone and use chrome browser to access wildguzzi as a normal website, works fine with that combo.  What mobile device are you using?

Any sorry about you rear drive leaking woes.

thank man....just part of the deal.

im on an galaxy 10, android....just too many, crazy amount of popups! never seen so many.