| Author | Message | ||
     Zenfrogmaster |
My 2001 Cyclone has developed a bad habit. When the ambient temperature gets above 90, it pukes oil out of the transmission vent hose after about 30 miles of riding. It's a *long* uphill climb from the transmission to end of the hose under the seat, and can get bad enough to make right hand turns "interesting". Everything else seems fine - transmission shifts well, using the same brand of semi-syn fluid for 15k miles, and so on. It doesn't puke when the weather is more moderate. What could be causing this, and short of installing a catch can, what can be done to fix it? Thanks! | ||
| One_finger |
Hey Zen---Had the same problem on my 2000M2. It seems that after putting a new clutch in at 14,000 miles and heading out West. Well at approx. 250 miles from home my M2 puked all over the rear wheel, hub and belt (at times I was cruising at 85 to 90 when this occurred.) It turned out to be nothing more than an over fill on the transmission fluid and when it got good and hot...it puked! Hope yours was as simple. My dealer's mechanic (not the clutch installer) said the side oiler can catch is a California EPA item and WILL NOT solve any further oil pukes. One Finger | ||
| Reepicheep |
Unless you *know* you overfilled it, it is more then likely your crank seal. It will keep getting worse, and quickly get dangerous. Mine went from hint of trickle to "bluurrrrp there went the back tire traction" in about 1000 miles. It's not a terrible job to do your self as per the manual. You don't need the special tool (but it is cheap and it does help make the job more reliable). The two "gotchas" to watch out for are tearing up the case where the seal sits (easy to do, that aluminum is soft as butter) and seating the seal too deeply (so the crank bearing cuts through it, repeating the leak 2000 miles later). You can replace the special factory tool with a customized hardwood dowel (like a tinker toy  ). | ||
| Tramp |
first, is it rans oil or motor oil? secondly- are your crank breathers flowing free? don't jump to any conclusions until you confirm the status of these two items | ||
| Ceejay |
Reep- didn't you just answer this?  http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/3842/4010.html?1119979616 | ||
| Ceejay |
worked for me, still working with about 2,000 down. What tramp speaks of is a good thing to check, as these are a day to get supplies/seal, gasket-if not the updated one, and lock bar, six pack, and then actually do the work. | ||
| Zenfrogmaster |
Thanks, gents - I don't think it's overfilled and it's definitely tranny fluid. Now I know where to start, and what to do if it's not one of the simple things.. | ||
| Reepicheep |
 And I was right then also. Tramp is right of course. When you do everything he says, and discover that it is actually the crank seal, c'mon back to this thread In my experience, green tinker toys work best. Use the yellow or blue ones at your own risk. And don't let the kids catch you... Jack (my 4 year old) was pretty miffed when he spotted it in the toolbox. | ||
| Tramp |
For me, it's not about whom, amongst our proud peanut gallery, is right...It's about actually following an analytical flow and measuring twice, as opposed to playing 'zoltar the motor clarevoyant' and patting one's self on the back when the gamble actually works. most 'crank seal' problems that have passed over my lift have shown motor oil contamination as well, aside from just the crankcase aspirant... but hey- that's just me. my customers get thoughtful, honest and analytical diagnoses while i'm still a mere mortal. when i actually graduate to 'Zoltar' status, i'll be playing the horses and not spinning wrench.....  (Message edited by tramp on July 19, 2005) | ||
| Tramp |
Ceejay opined: "Reep- didn't you just answer this?" A: maybe, but not necessarily correctly. Diagnosis is not about spouting "absolutes" at an automechanical craps table. please see my above post- -Jay | ||
| Reepicheep |
This is kind of an internal joke with myself, sorry to drag everyone else into it. I have spent my life analyzing things to death, over and over, more or less analysis paralsys, ifyaknowwhatimean. It cost me a lot of opportunities. I am now trying to lean the other direction, and find a good balance. I agree though, do the easy checks first and understand the problem. | ||
| Bomber |
classic troubleshooting techniques are becoming so classic that many don't remember them (although they are often, and well, cited here) do the easiest/cheapest check first move upwards in order of difficulty/cost until the difficulty/cost surpassed the easiest/cheapest fix I figure my time is worth minimum wage for this stuff, but also factor the "make an appointment that we will then ignore and mess your scoot up worse than it was" situation at some pro shops, and go from there | ||
| Tramp |
Reepicheep philosophised: "I have spent my life analyzing things to death, over and over, more or less analysis paralsys, ifyaknowwhatimean. It cost me a lot of opportunities. I am now trying to lean the other direction, and find a good balance." ahhhhhh...'Reep and The Divination Of Motorcycle Maintenance' Reep- it all depends on the "things" for subjective life issues, no matter how diminutive, analysis can be a self-perpetuating neurosis. "what did that guy mean" or "why am i here" or "why do we die", and even "what if i don't take a dump before I leave for work" etc... these are indefinitive , subjective 'ideas'... a mechanical system, however, is not. it was designed and manufactured (the latter for the most part) by human beings (well...maybe not the virago), who developed definitive and absolute principles (ie torque values, maintenance intervals, temp ranges) for it's optimal efficacy. they transcribed these principles and rules as a sort of 'ten thousand commandments' on a model/year by model/year basis. no hocus pocus, no crystal balls... and so it follows,a flow chart approach to diagnositic provides a comprehensive, nothing overlooked archetype for figuring problems out. definitively. absolutely. and correctly the first time. it's the (typically human) deviation from this flow chart that causes tech jobs to boomerang, customers to fume, service managers to resign and take a job at the university lie-berry (trust me on that one), and vehicle brand chatroom/boards to create overnight experts and manufacture nebulous mechanical defects overnight. these are merely 'machines' built and designed by human beings, so there is an endgame to all analysis as such in relationship to them. and it always, when followed to the letter, ends with "fixed"  (Message edited by tramp on July 19, 2005) | ||
| Ceejay |
"fixed" it works for me, I'm a shade tree mech, open up that book mostly for torque values and electrical gremlins come here for everything else. The green ones work the best and damn Tramp your a smart feller. Now I must find myself a welder-aint allowed to use the ones at work and the guy I had do it for me looks like he was sitting on the tree cawing away. | ||
| Tramp |
be cool welding on yer scoot- disconnect the ignition mod, battery, any ECUs, etc... | ||
| Ceejay |
naw, I got one of those force pipes for cheap and then my bike rattled the •••• out of it and began to pull away the rear mount, I've since changed how it mounts so I got a guy to fill the "void" left from the old mount and he didn't leave a stack of dimes so to speak. Looked like a bird sat on it, I pull it off when I mess with it. When I have welded up snow plow frames we never much worried about the battery, electric, discussed it and then left it at that, I understand the theory but do you think it would cause a problem, as I have never seen it happen, and being one to shoot first ask questions later...-not trying to hiest the thread. | ||
| Tramp |
I HAVE seen it occur....esp. when the ignition module sits so close to the field of the bead, as well as the direct charge. I assume that plow was resting on the ground, right? It doesn't always fry anything, but it does happen. I've been bitten by Copperheads a few times. I had no major issues with the bites, other than horrific pain, some fever, and months of itching thereafter. Doesn't mean YOU will be as lucky... you could get very ill and possibly die from it. Good technical work is much like good health, be mindful of risk factors | ||
| Bomber |
doesn't take but a few minutes to unplug the lil dears -- knowing they will work after the welding is worth the effort, so I always do 'course, ya gotta remember to plug em back IN afterwards -- that can cause a lil gastro-intestinal distress for a moment ;-} | ||
| Ceejay |
plow was usually off, I think we came to the conclusion that the charge was getting dispersed throught the whole frame, body then finally the electrical system via the motor so we figured it aint gonna happen, scooter is a different story, less structure to absorb/disperse charge/provide resistance, but it's moot as cause I take the pipe off. I always did disconnect the ground on the battery but that never made much sense to me either as everything is still connected just not completing the curcuit which may be worse, then a welder told me not to do it. hopefully I don't have to weld any plow frame up again either, must screen employees better....but alas just as the world goes round... | ||
| Tramp |
that welder was mistaken...disconn the battery and ground the frame by leaning a tire iron against it, for dispersal... and kids, remember, when sanding or scuffing a car for paint, keep a length of chain hanging from the muffler to the floor, to avoid nasty satic charges which make every pice of jetsam in your ahop cling to the surface you're about to paint. In fact, keep the chassis grounded when tacking and spraying, as well! and when you're helicasting, remember to let go of the strut before actually touching ground/sea...avoids a nasty will o' the wisp snap on your person... | ||
| Bomber |
helicasting safety precautions like tramp outlines above will, however, deprive your fellow anglers of an entertaining show. specially if it's dusk/dawn good initiation rite, though | ||
| Tramp |
a 'rite de castage' if you will... | ||
| Bomber |
you've been waiting for a long time to use that line, aincha? | ||
| Tramp |
it's the very reason i signed on to this board to begin with..... I feel so....'lame duck', now...... |
