Oil leak?

Walking out past the bike at lunch just now, I spotted that something had been leaking out, and I'm fairly sure it's engine oil.

Not coming from an overflow tube this time, but dripping down from the side stand spring, and appears to be coming from somewhere just in front and below the front sprocket casing.

There looks to be a little wire from a sensor or something in there, and the whole area is a bit mucky, but can't see definitively where it's coming from. Owner's manual isn't any help identifying it.

Stood the bike up and checked the dipstick, and oil level looks ok, but it's definitely not just water. Before throwing it back at the dealer to test their gold-plated RAC warranty, any ideas what it might be?

It could be a number of things!

Chain lube?

Output shaft seal

gear shift seal

To find out you ideally need to clean the whole area up so its oil free and keep an eye on it

Or just go back to the dealer and let them take care of it

It could be a number of things!

Chain lube?

Output shaft seal

gear shift seal

To find out you ideally need to clean the whole area up so its oil free and keep an eye on it

Or just go back to the dealer and let them take care of it

Won't be chain lube as I use WD40 chain wax, but was going to clean it up this evening. Unless there's an simple thing which just needs tightening then it'll need to go back to the dealer regardless, but wanted to ask if there's anything obvious before calling them.

So that just leaves any seals then

I'm not sure what your sensor is! it could be neutral switch or oil pressure that could also be the cause and thats the only thing that would need to be tightened in the area

You can see the gear shift and seal and that looks clean enough and away from the area which leave the output shaft!

Hopefully its just a simple seal on either that switch or the output shaft

I have never worked on one of these but I don't thing there will be anything else in that area

Back to the dealer, don't want to feck around with an oil leak like that. If it's dripping when stationary how much is pissing out when the engine is running and under pressure? Pissing out, blowing backwards and ending up on your rear tyre, with you ending up in an accident. Check oil level before riding obviously.

That switch is the neutral switch

It does have a sealing washer too so check that out

if its not that then it must be the output shaft seal

Thanks both. I'll call them now, and give them a heads up as to what it might be.

Thanks both. I'll call them now, and give them a heads up as to what it might be.

I wouldn't even do that , just point to the oil leak and let them figure it out otherwise they might suspect that you have been fiddling with something that you shouldn't have been fiddling with .

Well I got home fine. Stopped to check a couple of times, but no obvious splatters of oil anywhere, so it's clearly not gushing out when going along. Will check levels again in the morning, before riding it to the shop where they're looking at it tomorrow.

Will see which demo bike I can get them to lend me while they fix it too!

Thanks both. I'll call them now, and give them a heads up as to what it might be.

 

I wouldn't even do that , just point to the oil leak and let them figure it out otherwise they might suspect that you have been fiddling with something that you shouldn't have been fiddling with .

Exactly. Play dumb until they try to fob you off with some stupid answers, then show them you're actually more clued up mechanically than they gave you credit for..

Mechanic quickly confirmed an oil leak (there was also a build up of chain wax, which one of the others tried to fob me off with as being the source - my photo of the pooling oil yesterday immediately dismissed that), and just had a call to say it's sorted. Apparently one of the two core plugs was leaking, whatever that is!

Mechanic used to work for Triumph, so said he had an idea of what to look for anyway, and he's looked at both plugs even though only one was currently leaking.

Now just need to time my collection to miss the rain and thunder! Z900 isn't the best bike for a motorway journey, let alone one in the rain!

Glad it's all sorted! No surprises that one of them tried to be a lazy toerag and fob you off

Glad it's all sorted! No surprises that one of them tried to be a lazy toerag and fob you off

Indeed - I might not be a mechanic, but I'm not an idiot either. The actual mechanic took it seriously though, and came across as being both competent and actually wanting to find and fix the issue, which is nice.

Don't get me wrong - the chain definitely does need some attention, but that wouldn't cause a puddle of [strikeout]mudd[/strikeout] oil to be dripping down bits which aren't meant to get oily!

Also - if it's the chain, it'd be sticky. If it's the engine, it'd be slippery. Doesn't get easier to diagnose than that!

Also - if it's the chain, it'd be sticky. If it's the engine, it'd be slippery. Doesn't get easier to diagnose than that!

That's exactly what I was saying to the first idiot when he was smugly pointing to the sticky stuff, whilst I was describing the runny slippy stuff which had pooled under the bike. Was just showing him the photo when the mechanic came out - took one look at the picture, said "engine oil” and started rolling it to his ramp.

Excellent - hope you took a moment to throw a smug grin at the other guy

Hopefully thats it sorted and reliable for your france trip

Hopefully thats it sorted and reliable for your france trip

It is all sorted, and I had a similar thought about the trip! Was two small plugging screw things, one of which had worked a bit loose, which is apparently a reasonably common thing with Triumphs. Both were removed, cleaned and reinstalled with Loctite. With the exception of the one idiot, the others in the shop have all been really good.

Thanks all for the help/reassurance!

Glad its all sorted. I think that as much as we all love bikes it is sometimes a good idea to take a step back and regard them as just another consumer product. I have seen too many posts especially from new riders where they have been treated badly by dealers just because it is a bike that has gone wrong. If were a fridge that wasn't cold or a toaster that didn't make toast or a washing machine that leaked you would get an instant replacement. If its a bike on the other hand , you get fobbed off with all kinds of nonsense and can be made to feel responsible for it going wrong. I think they play on your strong feelings of attachment to the bike .

Glad its sorted Lat its not often you get a decent mechanic these days!

Never known core plugs to leak though! so its a new one to me

Never known core plugs to leak though! so its a new one to me

What I thought too. Core plugs normally in the water jacket too..

Glad its sorted Lat its not often you get a decent mechanic these days!

Never known core plugs to leak though! so its a new one to me

Apparently most manufacturers use brass plugs, which expand quicker than the casing and therefore don't budge, but Triumph are unusual in using threaded ones.

What I thought too. Core plugs normally in the water jacket too..

They took a photo to show me - both plugs were below/in front of the front sprocket. Don't have it to share, and can't tell you any more than that!

Glad its sorted Lat its not often you get a decent mechanic these days!

Never known core plugs to leak though! so its a new one to me

 

Apparently most manufacturers use brass plugs, which expand quicker than the casing and therefore don't budge, but Triumph are unusual in using threaded ones.

Yup seen both types plenty of times but never known them to leak

Update on new oil leak: the dealer has no mechanics in on a Monday.

However, from where I cleaned it up yesterday, there's currently very little evidence of a leak, and the levels are ok, so I think it's very slow. They're going to look at it first thing tomorrow, meaning starting my trip by heading half an hour in the wrong direction, but I'll have up to 2 hours before I need to get on the road again. An excellent way to start off.

I'll also be taking a bottle of oil with me and checking levels regularly, so combined with them checking it over, that should be sufficient. By which I mean it has to be sufficient.

Worst case scenario, I have breakdown cover and travel insurance, but I will be exceptionally unhappy if I need to use either of them.

Well there was nothing obviously leaking, so the mechanic's best guess was the oil getting round or through the neutral switch bolt, which did need some tightening and was suspiciously dirty/wet. Apparently triumph use cheap crap ones. He cleaned it all up, and said to pop it back after my trip for him to check again, but no concerns for my trip.

Accordingly, I'm now halfway to Portsmouth, and very excited to be properly on my way!