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1992 K1100LT Trans Seal Leak...oops!

tourunigo

tourunigo

New member
This has a lot to do with a big mistake on my part: I incorrectly measured the level of transmission oil, over filled, and had subsequent leak out of weep hole :banghead. A friend, and excellent mechanic on these bikes, found the overfill after tearing all parts down and installing seals and new clutch parts. He adjusted the level correctly. I felt pretty dumb since everything was now back together and he did such a great job on everything else. Anyway, I tried some additive to maybe get the leak to 'roll back in place' and it helped a bit but...... I have a slight slippage on the clutch after about 10,000 miles and suspect that it's related :doh

Now, am I correct to reasonably conclude that some of this oil is making its way forward and licking the clutch plate?

It looks like the only reasonable thing to do is pull back the transmission and replace that seal. If so should I do anything on the clutch side? This slip has been quite minor and I never let the slip continue (5th gear with spirited pass it's noticed).

Could a clutch adjustment be the real problem? (I wish!)

Contact my buddy again? No, he's been such a grand help thus far that I don't want to further impose so I think that I will keep this little project to myself; pay my dues, as it were!. I have greased the splines and had success so I really don't think "digging a little deeper" will be a huge challenge.

Thanks for any thoughts on the subject. - Bob
 
Bob,
did you replace the rear seal with a BMW part? I just did the clutch & replaced a couple of bearings in my Trans. I went to a local bearing supply house and bought all my seals.
As it turns out (read this after) that the rear output seal is a directional seal (never heard of such a thing until now) and the one I put in is weeping also after a short period.
Just a thought.

On the clutch deal, I would try an adjustment first. You can always keep an eye on the transmission oil and fill when it begins to get low.

Ken
 
Bob,

The first thing you need to do is make sure you have the proper freeplay in the clutch lever. No freeplay will cause the clutch to slip.

The second thing to do is get some gear oil that you use in the transmission and some oil that you use in the engine. Smell them. You will notice that the transmission oil has a very distinct (sulphur?) odor that the engine oil does not have. Now smell the oil that is coming out of the weep hole. Is it engine oil or trans oil?

The most common source of oil coming out that weep hole is engine oil leaking past the O-ring that is behind the nut that holds on the clutch housing (flywheel). This leak drips directly onto the clutch face causing slippage. The other source of engine oil is the rear main seal. This leaks BEHIND the clutch housing and gets slung onto the intermediate housing (bellhousing) walls and drips out (more leakage than slippage).

The two sources of tranny oil leakage are; the input shaft seal which will usually cause more leakage before slippage as it leaks behind the clutch, and the clutch rod seal which will put oil right on the clutch disc. The clutch rod seal requires disassembly of the transmission to replace. Actually, there is a third source, and since you had an overfilled tranny, it is a possibility. There is a sheetmetal plug (like a freeze plug) that caps one of the shaft holes on the front of the tranny. I have seen one of those pop out (but it is not the most likely culprit).

Regardless of what is leaking, you will need to replace the clutch disc AND THE O-RING (it's just one more nut to remove while you're in there), but I would also replace the rear main seal on the engine while there. If the tranny is not leaking, you might leave it alone.



:dance:dance:dance
 
98lee said:
Bob,

The first thing you need to do is make sure you have the proper freeplay in the clutch lever. No freeplay will cause the clutch to slip.

The second thing to do is get some gear oil that you use in the transmission and some oil that you use in the engine. Smell them. You will notice that the transmission oil has a very distinct (sulphur?) odor that the engine oil does not have. Now smell the oil that is coming out of the weep hole. Is it engine oil or trans oil?

The most common source of oil coming out that weep hole is engine oil leaking past the O-ring that is behind the nut that holds on the clutch housing (flywheel). This leak drips directly onto the clutch face causing slippage. The other source of engine oil is the rear main seal. This leaks BEHIND the clutch housing and gets slung onto the intermediate housing (bellhousing) walls and drips out (more leakage than slippage).

The two sources of tranny oil leakage are; the input shaft seal which will usually cause more leakage before slippage as it leaks behind the clutch, and the clutch rod seal which will put oil right on the clutch disc. The clutch rod seal requires disassembly of the transmission to replace. Actually, there is a third source, and since you had an overfilled tranny, it is a possibility. There is a sheetmetal plug (like a freeze plug) that caps one of the shaft holes on the front of the tranny. I have seen one of those pop out (but it is not the most likely culprit).

Regardless of what is leaking, you will need to replace the clutch disc AND THE O-RING (it's just one more nut to remove while you're in there), but I would also replace the rear main seal on the engine while there. If the tranny is not leaking, you might leave it alone.



:dance:dance:dance
Click to expand...

Tranny for sure according to my smell test last Fall. All parts from rear main seal back came from same BMW supplier and I am sure that all went back together in top shape and according to spec and trans seal only one not replaced. So all of that I am certain. Once I have it back on the road I will go through all the 'easy option' stuff ie adjusting and double checking that it is absolutely trans oil (with the trans fix after market liquid added the weep became much weaker so I reason that it must be tranny). Thanks for your points. - Bob
 
Ken F said:
Bob,
did you replace the rear seal with a BMW part? I just did the clutch & replaced a couple of bearings in my Trans. I went to a local bearing supply house and bought all my seals.
As it turns out (read this after) that the rear output seal is a directional seal (never heard of such a thing until now) and the one I put in is weeping also after a short period.
Just a thought.

On the clutch deal, I would try an adjustment first. You can always keep an eye on the transmission oil and fill when it begins to get low.

Ken
Click to expand...

Ken, seal was the correct one. I remember having a discussion about that at the time as well as depth for seal. Thanks, Bob
 
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