Looking for oil Leak and I found it.

[Lava Flow]

Spent this afternoon tearing down the Spyder looking for an oil leak and I found it after 4 hrs of taking it apart. I'll have to check with the dealer tomorrow but I think what's happen is I have over serviced the engine oil and it has blown it out of this small weep hole on the front of the crankcase at least that's what I hope has happened. I serviced it this morning by the book and it took 3/4 of a qt to bring it back to the full mark.
Now if there is someone that has run into this problem before I sure would like a note back to let me know if I am right or wrong.

Thanks Rick

[Dudley]

If by servicing the Spyder by the book means you changed the oil by the book, why did you add more oil?
At least that's what it sounds like you did.

[Lava Flow]

Hi Dudley
when is say serviced the spyder by the book means more than changing the oil and filter maybe I should have worded it this way; This morning I checked the oil and it was LOW so I serviced it by the book which it says to warm it up to normal Temp let it idle for 30 seconds turn off unscrew dipstick wipe re-screw dipstick in all the way unscrew dipstick and check if it is still low repeat same steps until fluid level is at full or in-between full and add mark. sorry for the miss understanding.

[jerpinoy]

I hope it's only a small leak not any damage.

[BajaRon]

Hi Dudley
when is say serviced the spyder by the book means more than changing the oil and filter maybe I should have worded it this way; This morning I checked the oil and it was LOW so I serviced it by the book which it says to warm it up to normal Temp let it idle for 30 seconds turn off unscrew dipstick wipe re-screw dipstick in all the way unscrew dipstick and check if it is still low repeat same steps until fluid level is at full or in-between full and add mark. sorry for the miss understanding.

Warming the coolant to operating temperature is not the same as getting the oil to operating temperature. You have to ride the Spyder to get the oil hot. Just idling in the driveway will not do it and you'll get an inaccurate oil level (Low) reading.

[Highwayman2013]

Suck the amount you added out of the oil tank, take the bike for a good long ride and check it when you get back.

[Chupaca]

Oil leaks will not appear from low oil but more from overfilling. Even then it tends to blow up to the air box and leak out from there. The water pump housing has a weep hole that tells you if your seals are going bad. if oil comes from there the oil seal is bad if coolant them the water pump seal is bad. Oil leaks are tricky so a good cleaning and a recheck is a good Idea...

[finless]

I don't think there is a oil overfill seep hole on the 998.
My bet is either there was a set screw there that fell out (similar to my issue last year) or some seal is gone there allowing oil to come out out of that hole.

I cannot quite tell where this is on the engine but the service manual might show what this is.

Bob

[Snowbelt Spyder]

This looks like the leak indicator at the water pump shaft. As has been stated, coolant from this hole indicates a leak on the water pump side. Oil from this hole indicates a leak on the oil pump side. Either way, the whole thing needs to come apart and you already know how long it will take for parts. Happened to me the first year. Water side. Down for three weeks. I would first clean everything off and then see just how much your leak rate is. It could be minor.

[Lava Flow]

Oil leaks will not appear from low oil but more from overfilling. Even then it tends to blow up to the air box and leak out from there. The water pump housing has a weep hole that tells you if your seals are going bad. if oil comes from there the oil seal is bad if coolant them the water pump seal is bad. Oil leaks are tricky so a good cleaning and a recheck is a good Idea...

Well went down to the dealer Saturday and sure enough it’s just as Chupaca said it’s the seal on the eng side of the water pump drive so Tuesday it goes in the shop. The only good part of this is my extended warranty is going to cover it our would be $700.00 to $800.00 lighter in the wallet.

thanks

[Highwayman2013]

Good to hear!

[finless]

Well went down to the dealer Saturday and sure enough it’s just as Chupaca said it’s the seal on the eng side of the water pump drive so Tuesday it goes in the shop. The only good part of this is my extended warranty is going to cover it our would be $700.00 to $800.00 lighter in the wallet.

thanks

The bad news... And I bet on this and not to be negative...
It will be weeks due to parts they do not have that have to come in.
Many who have had this happen more than once, said NO to leaving the bike for weeks and just road it till the parts came in.

I hope for the best and your not down for weeks.....

Sorry to sound negative but true stories if you search here.....

Bob

[LJspydee]

I had the water pump oil seal leak on my 2012 RTS back in Nov '14. Warrany repaired it, but took 3 weeks to get parts.

[BajaRon]

The bad news... And I bet on this and not to be negative...
It will be weeks due to parts they do not have that have to come in.
Many who have had this happen more than once, said NO to leaving the bike for weeks and just road it till the parts came in.

I hope for the best and your not down for weeks.....

Sorry to sound negative but true stories if you search here.....

Bob

I agree. I'd ride it until parts come in. Especially for an oil leak. Keep an eye on it but chances are, it won't get much worse.

[Lava Flow]

The bad news... And I bet on this and not to be negative...
It will be weeks due to parts they do not have that have to come in.
Many who have had this happen more than once, said NO to leaving the bike for weeks and just road it till the parts came in.

I hope for the best and your not down for weeks.....

Sorry to sound negative but true stories if you search here.....

Bob

well we'll see I take it in tomorrow and I have the pics that I took i'll see if they will order parts based on what I have found out when I tore into to this and let me keep the bike but looking back on past experience and the things I'v heard about Ride Now here in AZ i am sure I will be without a ride for some time. I also found another problem while i was working on it last week when i was sitting on the bike and holding on to the handlebars i leaned over to the left and i heard a click in the front end so i rocked the bike several times and every time i rocked it, it would click.

I was doing some reading on the site last night and saw where BRP has come up with the vents for the 2013's and that if you talk to your dealer just right there's a possibility i might be able to get these installed on mine i downloaded all the info and some pics of a 2012 that has had this done to it we'll see tomorrow.

It's not going to be a big deal if they have to keep it the weather is just right for getting the Vette out and take the top off.

I also just ordered a set of 2014 spyder side supports and floor boards in chrome to replace the PEG's that are on my 2012 now.

[billybovine]

Click when you rock the Spyder is likely a loose sway bar. Not a biggy.

[finless]

I didn't think the 2014 sides and floorboards would work on a 2012?

Bob

[Lava Flow]

I didn't think the 2014 sides and floorboards would work on a 2012?

Bob

They will work i'v already seen it done that's why I decided to bite the bullet and fork out the money.

[Lava Flow]

Click when you rock the Spyder is likely a loose sway bar. Not a biggy.

you were right it was the top two bolts LT. & RT. on the link that attaches to the lower A arm a real pain to remove the coves on the lower arms ( didn't have time to get the jack out) so I could get to it but it's fixed the problem.

Thanks

[revjvegas]

I'm going to add two cents to this water pump seal discussion cause my '03 BMW F650 has a rotax motor and is of similar design with regards to the water pump and seals.

Here's the thing, there is a seal on the water pump side and one on the oil side. And yeah, when one goes out, you get the offender out the weep hole. (And both get replaced when one or the other goes out)

So now you only have ONE seal keeping oil from mixing with water.

If you choose to keep riding while waiting for parts to come in and that other seal decides to go out as well, now you've got oil in your cooling system or worse, water emulsifying your oil and wrecking your lubrication.

I would not take that chance with my ride and just park it till parts come in to make repairs.

[DrewNJ]

I'm going to add two cents to this water pump seal discussion cause my '03 BMW F650 has a rotax motor and is of similar design with regards to the water pump and seals.

Here's the thing, there is a seal on the water pump side and one on the oil side. And yeah, when one goes out, you get the offender out the weep hole. (And both get replaced when one or the other goes out)

So now you only have ONE seal keeping oil from mixing with water.

If you choose to keep riding while waiting for parts to come in and that other seal decides to go out as well, now you've got oil in your cooling system or worse, water emulsifying your oil and wrecking your lubrication.

I would not take that chance with my ride and just park it till parts come in to make repairs.

It doesn't work that way. Both seals are open to the atmosphere on the weep hole side, so there is no way to cross contaminate unless you were to try and block off the weep hole. Its a pretty solid setup.

Usually, that seal fails on the water pump side since it's under pressure on that side. Most Aprilia guys (same motor) don't even bother swapping the seal/shaft assembly until it gets really bad.
Also, a crappy install can make a new assembly leak in short order as there are a few "gotchas" with the install.

Ride it, keep an eye on the fluids. I had mine done back in 2012 and it cost me $32 to overnight the parts, the rest done under warranty. Dealer had it done and I was only down for a total of 4 days.
Since then I helped a friend do one and it's a pretty easy job once you make access, just a lot of parts to remove and put back on.

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

[Lava Flow]

It doesn't work that way. Both seals are open to the atmosphere on the weep hole side, so there is no way to cross contaminate unless you were to try and block off the weep hole. Its a pretty solid setup.

Usually, that seal fails on the water pump side since it's under pressure on that side. Most Aprilia guys (same motor) don't even bother swapping the seal/shaft assembly until it gets really bad.
Also, a crappy install can make a new assembly leak in short order as there are a few "gotchas" with the install.

Ride it, keep an eye on the fluids. I had mine done back in 2012 and it cost me $32 to overnight the parts, the rest done under warranty. Dealer had it done and I was only down for a total of 4 days.
Since then I helped a friend do one and it's a pretty easy job once you make access, just a lot of parts to remove and put back on.

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

Here's my take on the problem i'v been cleaning up the oil on my garage floor now for about 8 month's not to mention oil all over the underside of the Trike you have to disassemble the hole right side of the bike to include taking the Radiator loose just to be able to get your smart phone in there to take the picture. I worked on C-130H aircraft in the Military for 35 years and be leave me i'v had my share of oil leaks and I don't care to have one on my bike.
I dropped it off this morning so I am sure it will be a couple of weeks before I get it back by then all the parts I had ordered for it will be in and I well had the time to research the best way to install the new side support plates and running boards.
I also asked about the heat vents on the 2013 and he said he would check with BRP and see if they would do a goodwill warranty for my 2012.

Thanks Everyone
When I here something back from the dealer I'll let you know.

[Lava Flow]

Well I got my bike back Saturday only took 2 weeks to get the oil leak fixed they replaced the water pump and seals, Eng side took a week to get the parts from BRP.

While it was in the shop I asked them to check and see if I could get the vent scoops installed under a Goodwill Warranty my service writer checked with BRP and as I expected NO they’re not doing any other years but I can order them at $280.00 for the kit Still thinking on it.

While it was in the shop I did get my 2013 floor board kit in and for all those that keep saying the 2013 floor boards won’t fit on the older models. Well just let me say that it was the best 2 hrs I spent changing them out. It is a complete change out the only thing I had to modify was the spacer that goes between the 2 bearings on the brake pedal and that was because I didn’t know that the bearings didn’t come pressed in the new pedal.
Anyway here are the pics I took during the change out and I got all the parts I need off eBay for $1,345.00.

[Lava Flow]

Don't cut me to bad on my makeshift vice i don't have the shop here in AZ as I did back in GA.

[Bam Bam and Pebbles]

Excellent makeshift vice. Bike looks good with the chrome.