Changed the tranny oil and leaky, leaky...

[cgocifer]

So, I changed the tranny oil. When I filled it back up, i stopped when a little oil came out the level tube on the inner plug. Ok, fine. Now however, when I come back from a short ride (around the block as I tune the effin' carbs), the bottom of the motor is covered in tranny oil. Also, it leaves blood stains on the garage floor. I think most of it is coming from the inner side of the gear box near the engine oil line tubes. Not sure why changing the oil created this leak. Yes, there was plenty of oil when I drained it, but it didn't leak.

[concrete guy]

So what wt. did you put back in it?

[keithb]

Did you switch to a synthetic oil?
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THIRD-GENERATION CAMARO

[cgocifer]

No synthetic. Used 80/90 gear oil.

[cgocifer]

Ok, so, I still have this leak as well as the drain plug on the primary case. I plan on using a very small amount of Permatex "Right Stuff" on the plug, but I think there might be a crack. I can feel something with my finger nail on the bottom of the drain plug protrusion on the case. I looked with a light, but I'm not sure if it's crappy casting marks, a scrape, or a crack. Only way to tell is to use some dye penetrant. If it is cracked, it's very minor. I just don't want it to spread. To truly fix, I'd have to pull the motor, split the cases, clean, drill holes in the end, and tig. PITA!! I'm hoping it's just a crappy seal due to the huge screw threads on that bolt. I put a new crush washer on there to no avail.

[govmule84]

Alright, I'm dragging up a dead one, I guess.

I have a Revtech tranny in my heap - Evo in a hardtail frame with what appears to be Revtech's direct copy of a five speed, about 700 miles.

I changed trans fluid to get the break-in fluid out, and replaced it with Mobil 1 V-twin 20w50 syn.

Lately I've had the garage puddle, too - not bad, just a piss stain on the floor. I believe the leak to be coming from the drain plug itself.

The plug, when removed, had Teflon tape on it. I did nothing to prep it, which in hindsight was probably a poor idea. Should I re-apply and reinstall? For some reason, I was under the impression that pipe dope is not to be used in applications like this, where there is heat and submersion. Is that shit dangerous to a trans, or will it chew right through it if any comes loose?

I really expected to find a gasket or sealing O-ring there, but no dice. I have O-rings for a Harley drain plug, do I just use one of those?

I know this seems like a stupid question, but I'm stuck at work, and wanted to go ride tonight without going through the rigmarole of dyeing the oil and trying eighteen types of halfass ways to get the thing to quit pissing on my floor.

I'm trying to run the synth in there, and I will switch back to 80w90 if I must, but I would prefer to keep one fluid on my shelf and in my bike, if at all possible - makes it easier when I travel, only one bottle comes with me.

-L.

[Blue Collar Moto]

Originally Posted by govmule84

Alright, I'm dragging up a dead one, I guess.

I have a Revtech tranny in my heap - Evo in a hardtail frame with what appears to be Revtech's direct copy of a five speed, about 700 miles.

I changed trans fluid to get the break-in fluid out, and replaced it with Mobil 1 V-twin 20w50 syn.

Lately I've head the garage puddle, too - not bad, just a piss stain on the floor. I believe the leak to be coming from the drain plug itself.

The plug, when removed, had Teflon tape on it. I did nothing to prep it, which in hindsight was probably a poor idea. Should I re-apply and reinstall? For some reason, I was under the impression that pipe dope is not to be used in applications like this, where there is heat and submersion. Is that shit dangerous to a trans, or will it chew right through it if any comes loose?

I really expected to find a gasket or sealing O-ring there, but no dice. I have O-rings for a Harley drain plug, do I just use one of those?

I know this seems like a stupid question, but I'm stuck at work, and wanted to go ride tonight without going through the rigmarole of dyeing the oil and trying eighteen types of halfass ways to get the thing to quit pissing on my floor.

I'm trying to run the synth in there, and I will switch back to 80w90 if I must, but I would prefer to keep one fluid on my shelf and in my bike, if at all possible - makes it easier when I travel, only one bottle comes with me.

-L.

You can use dope and or tephlon, but dont get any in the trans. Figure out if the plug protrudes into the box at all, and dont put any on the plug threads where it would be exposed inside the trans. And don't even think about putting any on the hole threads! I would try making a paper washer out of gasket material. Fuck Rev Tec

[govmule84]

Fuck Rev Tec

Now we're talking.

The plug has no head; it's a threaded plug with a hex slot in the end, and I don't recall a gap for an O-ring to ride in, which I think sort pf precludes that possibility (or a gasket), I wasn't thinking about it before.

I always thought sealant goes on tapered threads, I'm hoping these threads are tapered.


I guess that narrows down my options!
-L.

[govmule84]

Okay, fuck this thing.

I teflon-taped it, refilled, and voila! ...

Still leaking.

Tried again with Loctite Thread Sealant on two or three turns of thread. Allowed it some time to cure, dried the case side threads up real well before I re-installed. Refilled. Same deal.

It's not stripped, it definitely gets tight... but the fucking fluid keeps coming out.

I don't think I have the room to tap and install a larger plug. Anyone have any ideas? I'll Helicoil this thing if I must, but I feel like I'm missing something.

Am I supposed to be using 80w90? Is that my problem here? Am I totally retarded?

And to make matter worse, I cannot get one last air bubble out of the brake line in front. Going to gravity bleed those for a bit tonight, but man, that's another story...

-L.

[govmule84]

I think I finally beat this gremlin. I'm posting just in case this thread comes up in a search for someone else, it might give them one little thing to check and maybe save them some of the headache I suffered.

I figured, in desperation, that I'd replace the plug to see if I could stem this leak. Off I went to the Harley rape shop (which actually wasn't bad - three plugs and a quart of Redline Shockproof for under thirty bucks. And the parts guys were all smart AND friendly!)

I yanked the drain plug, and refilled, threw some tape on the threads, and threw the new one in.

Buttoned it up, went for a ride, and no leaky. The Redline is pink, so it's easy to see. Two days later I had a spot the size of a dime (much smaller than it was), and it was golden, the color of the old fluid. I think I didn't clean up the frame and trans and shit when I replaced the plug, so I did it then, and vowed to keep watching. Two days after that (today) I have a nice, dry shop floor under that trans.

Keep reading, the interesting part is coming up...

Here's the thing I found. I couldn't believe the drain plug was to blame. So I was looking at it. It looks like the magnet in the plug sort of backs up to the spot you'd put an Allen key in to turn it, and it's sort of staked in there. My magnet, on the end of the plug, is noticeably bent. Not bad, but if you're looking for it, you see it. I know I never dropped it, so it had to be made wrong, or suffered damage at the factory. The oil was getting in behind the magnet, and then out the staked spot in the Allen key slot. Never thought in all my days I'd see something weird like that.

So, a boring solution for a slight inconvenience of a problem, I guess.

-L.

[Destralo Roach]

You need 80w/90 Gear Oil and not that light weight stuff, pluss the tephlone tape........

[shovithead]

Some people swear by Revtec, I swear at them. There are some quality control problems with their stuff, and that is my personal opinion. Some run forever. But I have seen so many break, I don't trust em. But then, that is just my 02 Best part, is you repaired it with a HD part.

[Destralo Roach]

Ya know "REVTECH" is Korean for Garbage!!!!

[govmule84]

Ya know "REVTECH" is Korean for Garbage!!!!

Yah, yah. I'm not thrilled about it either, but it is a direct copy of the Harley 5-speed, and supposedly all parts interchange. I'm not wild about it, but I was running out of money to spend on Le Heap! The engine is real-deal MoCo, and that was important to me, but I cheaped out on the trans because the engine is mostly stock.

I just thought I'd follow up in case some poor schlep like me can't fix his junk!

Some people swear by Revtec, I swear at them. There are some quality control problems with their stuff, and that is my personal opinion. Some run forever. But I have seen so many break, I don't trust em. But then, that is just my 02 Best part, is you repaired it with a HD part.

No argument with you there. When I get rich I'll put a Baker kicker in it. For now, the chrome junker moves the power to the back... :-)

[Destralo Roach]

^^^

[BigDawg]

20w50? You might as well run soapy water in it.

I use 75w140 Spectro in mine.

You need gear oil, not motor oil.

[govmule84]

I don't want to get into a pissing match over fluids here, but Mobil 1 V-twin is supposed to be made for 'all 3 holes' use, like Harley's Syn 3.

Weights of gear lube and oil care calculated differently - pick up a bottle of 80w80 and 20w50, and you'll feel that they're actually of a very similar viscosity.

Even if I did put 0w20 in the thing, I expect it not to leak out. Solid parts aren't supposed to weep :-) Gaskets, now that's a different story.

That said, I was nervous about it too, but now have the Shockproof pink shit in there, so it's a moot point.

[Destralo Roach]

Yeah well that Syn3 crap cuases problems with the new trans as well, the Stawbeary Miklshake stuff IS the shiznick!!!

[govmule84]

Like I said, I'm not a petroleum engineer. Harley is one of the few companies in the world that has the uniquely strange property of selling a fluid that is not always very great for the product they sell. Most OEM fluids are fine and dandy in the auto and cycle world.

I was focusing mostly on the mechanical problem. Most folks said jsut that - 20w50 is the problem. My thinking was more along the lines of, "Well, if I can get the primary to seal up with that shit in it, surely the tranny should seal up, too, right?"

Like I said - use whatever fluid you think works well for you. I just wanted to keep whatever the fuck I was using OFF my garage floor!

-L.

[Destralo Roach]

Oh, ya mean my Harley is not suposed to mark its spot!?

Damm, well up here in WA state a oily Harley is "Not" a rusty Harley...