Need help diagnosing oil seeping!

[Dino172]

Hello Forum,

A few days ago I noticed that my bike is seeping oil around the gearbox engine crankcase. Before that, I topped engine close to max on the dipstick. I have always followed the manual when adding oil to about 2 liters in the sump. The bike has 18,400 miles on it. Could it be that I've been putting too much oil in the sump? And blew out a seal?

Dino

2017 V7 III Stone
18,000 miles

[Kev m]

Wipe it and smell it - gear fluid smells much different (more earthy) than engine oil.

[MotoG5]

How much oil are you seeing? A thin film collecting over time really only needs to be cleaned off depending on how much it bothers you. Oil running down the cases, pooling or dripping off means something is in need of fixing.

[Dino172]

No puddles or anything. Just slowly seeping through the case. What bother's me is the oil bottom of the drain plug.

[Chuck in Indiana]

First, welcome to WG. I play with antique airplane engines, and that isn't a leak.  A leak requires catch bottles and drip pans..
That said, use your favorite degreaser and really clean everything. Use some aerosol powdered athlete's foot medicine and make the whole thing white. Start it up, and maybe take if for a ride. You'll eventually see where it is coming from. Then, you get to clean up the mess  and decide if what you are seeing is worth fixing.

[Cam3512]

I think 2 liters is too much.  When I had my V7 with sump extension I still only put in 2.5 liters.  My new 2020 V85 calls for 1.75 liters.

[Dino172]

Just a quick update. I did change all the fluids. I put half a liter less engine oil about 1.5-1.6 L. And 0.5 L in the gearbox. And still, oil seeping through the crankcase!

Is the real main seal the same as the crankshaft seal?

[Sasquatch Jim]

Taste it.

[bigbikerrick]

I think 2 liters is too much.  When I had my V7 with sump extension I still only put in 2.5 liters.  My new 2020 V85 calls for 1.75 liters.

Thats incredible , Cam,that your new V 85 only holds about 2 quarts of oil. I would say that oil has a tough life in that machine. One would think it would at least hold 3 quarts for cooling and longevity. I wonder why Guzzi did that? 
Rick.

[Muzz]

If your Stone (I'm assuming that is what it is) is the same as the Breva, underneath the bell housing where it meets the donk is a small rectangular slot.  The Breva has a small casting nub by it.  This is to allow oil any oil leak from either the motor or the gearbox to drain away.  Standard practice is to put a paper towel underneath and see what drips out.  Go by smell.  Gearbox oil, being an EP oil, will tend to have an acrid smell.  You can't usually go by colour as even the clean gearbox oil comes out black with clutch dust.

The oil will creep out along the surfaces you have shown because they are not sealed, it is simple metal on metal mating surface.  As the oil gets past the seal and on to the shaft it gets flung on to that surface and, well, creeps.  Often black with the clutch dust.

It shouldn't be there.  You either have a leaking main seal on the motor or the main or pushrod seal leaking on the gearbox.  If it is still under warranty I would contact the dealer and at least log in that Houston, we have a problem.

[Kiwi Dave]

Thats incredible , Cam,that your new V 85 only holds about 2 quarts of oil. I would say that oil has a tough life in that machine. One would think it would at least hold 3 quarts for cooling and longevity. I wonder why Guzzi did that? 
Rick.

Owners manual sez 1.76 cm³ (=1.86 US quarts) when doing an engine oil and filter replacement.  I agree, it doesn't seem much considering there's no oil cooler to hide any remainder.

[Kev m]

Thats incredible , Cam,that your new V 85 only holds about 2 quarts of oil. I would say that oil has a tough life in that machine. One would think it would at least hold 3 quarts for cooling and longevity. I wonder why Guzzi did that? 
Rick.

FWIW that's basically the same on all the smallblocks for as long as I've been around them.

That was one of the many factors I considered when I added a sump extender to my 2013, but we have no plans on doing the same for the 2018. I don't get the impression it's a particularly stressed engine.

[malik]

If the III also has a rubber bung covering the inspection port (hole) on the RHS of the bell housing, take it out, stick your finger in & wiggle it around. If there's oil mixed in with the dust from the clutch friction plate, then there's a leak in there - commonly the clutch push rod seal, but possibly the main engine seal or the  seal behind the clutch shaft. Sooner or later the oil will contaminate the clutch, and you'll get clutch slip. If it's dry in there - just black dust (or sometimes reddish - depends on the friction material) - look elsewhere. The talc trick sounds the go.