I have heard, but not directly experienced, oil leaks between the primary and the main cases can be caused by a sticking oil pressure relief valve. However, if yours is leaking between the tranny and the primary, then you probably have a seal going because oil pressure shouldn't have any effect there. Sometimes those seals (again, I have read) are getting pushed out of their seat by a different set of problems with the shaft bearings in the tranny.

What I am sure of is that you will need to pull the primary cover and the clutch basket to even begin to discover what the issue is. The stuff that I previously mentioned has been discovered AFTER replacing the seal and still having the leak re-occur.

C#

 

I repeat; Loctite PST Liquid Thread Sealant should stop the leak. You should get a new plug and use the sealant with the new plug; install and torque to spec.

If there was no leak between inner primary and the case before you changed fluids, there should be a leak there now. You didn't say what year/model? The later models had rubber seals on the bolts that attache the inner primary to the cases and they don't leak. If you have an earlier model, the service manual recommends siliccone sealant be applied between the inner primary and main case. Believe me, you do not want to pull the inner primary unless you have to. If it ain't broke don't fix it.

Focus on the problem. The Loctite sealant refrenced above is available in most auto parts stores; I know Advanced Auto carries it. Follow instructions and the leak will stop. Oder a new plug and intall the next time you change fluids, use the sealant for insurance.

 

He said he was mistaken and that it wasn't the plug but was coming from between the primary and the engine cases if I'm not mistaken... at least that is what I gather from

[/QUOTE]Ok, mine apears to be dripping down from inside the primary. Did I over fill it? it looks like it is open in there. It is really hard to see, even with a mirror. I have an '05 Heritage and it started right after I change the primary, oil, and tranny fluid. Never had a leak before. Any ideas?[/QUOTE]

I would say that 'from inside the primary' wouldn't have diddly squat to do with a plug and loctite thread sealant... but hey, what do I know. You must be the expert.

 

I agree with you. The operative words in his post are "appears to be dripping from inside the primary" and not "between the primary and engine case". It can be difficult to find a pesky leak lke this as the oil can leak from one place and drip from another.

All I am saying is that it makes no sense that all the guy did was to change fluids and now he has a leak from between the inner primary and the engine case. It certainly could happen coincidentally with the fluid change but not likely.

As I understand, no leak before fluid change but leak after fluid change which leads me to beliiev that the leak is the result of something EF4 did or did not do during the fluid change. EF4 just needs to check the most likely source of the leak and see if he can stop it before he starts chasing a leak the may not exist. I have used the Loctite sealant referenced in previous posts and know it works. If he uses that sealent and still has a leak, he needs to take the bike to a car wash, clean the area where he suspects a leak, riide it a while, go home and look for the leak.

I hope for his sake that it isn't a leak between the inner primary because they are a PITA to stop.

I don't know what you know and would not classify myself as an expert but I know what I know.

 

Trouble shooting 101 says to backtrack what you last did and to keep it simple...KISS

Based on what you have said and my personal experience, I think you have the trans slightly overfilled and the j tube on top of the trans is weeping oil down the backside of the inner primary and it drips off the primary drain plug. The J tube is the vent for the transmission and I had this happen on my bike last year. Once you find the hose-(top left side of trans)- just check to see if the end is wet, I just re-routed mine a little higher.

D

 

D:

That sounds like a good likelyhood. Great catch... and I hope for his sake you are correct.

If he is positive that there wasn't a leak before he did the oil change, I would also agree with djl since he rightly pointed out that he didn't have any ('apparent' my words) problem until then. If he cross threaded any of his drain plugs (who knows) that would be a likelyhood also. Could be blowing across the bottom of the cases for all we know and the tranny plug can be a real b*tch to get in.

C#

 

You do not mention year but my 04 Softail has a 1/4 NPT (I believe or maybe 1/8 npt -its definitely not o-ring seal) pipe plug in the primary hole which takes a couple turns of pipe thread ribbon to seal. I have the MS fitting with o-ring seal on the transmission and engine oil drain. Note this MS fitting does not seal like a flat washer type gasket but in a very small angle area in the hole. Next time you have the plug out make sure you see this area (it does not have threads on it). If you see threads from the start of the hole you may have a NPT hole like my bike and a MS type plug with o-ring will not seal here. If yours is NPT overtighten will open the aluminum primary and probably not hurt the plug. Putting tape or sealer on a straight should not be necessary. My MS fitting on my transmission and engine oil is 1/2-20 threads with a standard 9/16 o-ring. Be sure you do not use a metric o-ring. There is a very close one to 9/16 but it is .01 small diameter cross section usually . .06 metric, .07 english cross section

 

Hey thanks guys. It was in fact the J-tube on top of the transmission spraying all over.