Anyone else seen an 08 GS Clutch Release Cover oil leak like this?

[msgoodwrench]

Hi all! I have just noticed a leak below the clutch release cover on my 2008 GS SE5. I don't find any other threads, so I'm wondering if anyone else has any experience with this? I don't see anything above running down or dripping, so I am assuming it is from that clutch release cover. I tried to tighten the bolts, they were good and tight already. In looking at the assembly drawing, I am not sure what all seals, O-rings, and gaskets might be allowing this leak; again, anyone run into this before?
Thank you for any advice or knowledge you can offer. I thought I would look for advice here before I go tearing into it. Sorry, for some reason it wants to turn the picture 90 degrees counter-clockwise...

 

[Peter Aawen]

Hi all! I have just noticed a leak below the clutch release cover on my 2008 GS SE5. I don't find any other threads, so I'm wondering if anyone else has any experience with this? I don't see anything above running down or dripping, so I am assuming it is from that clutch release cover. I tried to tighten the bolts, they were good and tight already. In looking at the assembly drawing, I am not sure what all seals, O-rings, and gaskets might be allowing this leak; again, anyone run into this before?
Thank you for any advice or knowledge you can offer. I thought I would look for advice here before I go tearing into it. Sorry, for some reason it wants to turn the picture 90 degrees counter-clockwise...

Sorry, my RT doesn't have one of those covers visible like that, so I can't really help more with your oil leak; but the picture thing is most likely because you took that pic on your phone with the phone held upright in Portrait Mode, ie. taller than it is wide, camera up the top. Your phone camera will probably automatically assign the Top RIGHT corner of any pic taken that way as the default Anchor Point, only the Forum Software will ALWAYS show any pic with the Anchor Point in the Top LEFT, hence the rotation here!! :banghead:

So, if you want to take pics on your phone and post them here, then ALWAYS take them in Landscape Mode, achieved by dropping the top of the Phone to the LEFT 90°, or if you prefer this description, rotate the phone 90° counter-clockwise, so that the phone & any image it will take is wider than it is tall, and the phone's default Anchor Point will match the position of the Forum Software's default Anchor Point, ie. it'll be in the Top LEFT of the image! hyea:

 

[Snowbelt Spyder]

That is the hydraulic piston cover. All SE5's are the same in this regard. There is no gasket or O-ring associated with it. It's pretty much just a dust cover. However, the last time we came across this, the oil leak was actually from the banjo fitting on the bottom side and not from the cover. See pics. Yours vs his. Pretty much identical. You'll have to remove that body panel to determine further. If the oil is coming from inside of that cover, then it is because the O-rings on the hydraulic piston or piston sleeve are leaking. Slightly bigger job and rare. The banjo fitting is more probable and easier to repair. Just replace the two gaskets on it. See if that's it.

 

[Mikey]

https://www.canampartshouse.com/oemparts/a/cam/500b64d7f8700228ecf5a020/clutch-release-cover

Take a look at this to see what you have back there!

 

[BajaRon]

Good advice. Once you determine where the oil is coming from (cover or lower connection) the fix should be pretty straightforward.

Have you had any work done in or around that area recently?

 

[msgoodwrench]

https://www.canampartshouse.com/oemparts/a/cam/500b64d7f8700228ecf5a020/clutch-release-cover

Take a look at this to see what you have back there!

Yes, I had taken a look back there! That's why I came on here before I got too deep into thinking about what pieces parts I might need. I think that Snowbelt Spyder may have hit on it; that pic sure looks like what I've got going on. Thanks for your thoughts!

 

[msgoodwrench]

Good advise. Once you determine where the oil is coming from (cover or lower connection) the fix should be pretty straightforward.

Have you had any work done in or around that area recently?

No, haven't done anything around there. I had noticed it before, cleaned it all up, and then watched it - of course, I didn't notice anything in the short term... now I see it again. But, after reading Snowbelt Spyder's post, I checked up underneath it (I have that shroud on the bottom and can't really see) by putting my finger up against the banjo fitting. Yeah, there's definitely a drip of oil there! I think I will pursue that first. Never thought about wind driving the oil back up onto the cowling from below... but that picture sure looks like the same thing as I have, and with that drip there it looks like a good place to start. Thank you for your ideas and input! Always appreciated!

 

[msgoodwrench]

That is the hydraulic piston cover. All SE5's are the same in this regard. There is no gasket or O-ring associated with it. It's pretty much just a dust cover. However, the last time we came across this, the oil leak was actually from the banjo fitting on the bottom side and not from the cover. See pics. Yours vs his. Pretty much identical. You'll have to remove that body panel to determine further. If the oil is coming from inside of that cover, then it is because the O-rings on the hydraulic piston or piston sleeve are leaking. Slightly bigger job and rare. The banjo fitting is more probable and easier to repair. Just replace the two gaskets on it. See if that's it.

Thank you so much for your helpful suggestions! I was looking at the breakdown BEHIND that cover and seeing numerous 'seals', so that's why I alluded to that. But I just now went out and looked again after seeing your posted picture; after reaching up in there (I have a shroud on the bottom of that thing that makes it really hard to see up in there), I touched my finger to the bottom of the banjo fitting, and I got a drip of oil. So, I think it is a good idea to start with that line of thinking, those pictures sure look like the same scenario. Yes, it will take some dismantling of Spyder plastics... but that makes my list of parts to order a bit shorter. I never thought about oil getting blown back up there by the wind, but I think that is what is happening. Many thanks for your helpful ideas, and for the pictures!

 

[msgoodwrench]

Sorry, my RT doesn't have one of those covers visible like that, so I can't really help more with your oil leak; but the picture thing is most likely because you took that pic on your phone with the phone held upright in Portrait Mode, ie. taller than it is wide, camera up the top. Your phone camera will probably automatically assign the Top RIGHT corner of any pic taken that way as the default Anchor Point, only the Forum Software will ALWAYS show any pic with the Anchor Point in the Top LEFT, hence the rotation here!! :banghead:

So, if you want to take pics on your phone and post them here, then ALWAYS take them in Landscape Mode, achieved by dropping the top of the Phone to the LEFT 90°, or if you prefer this description, rotate the phone 90° counter-clockwise, so that the phone & any image it will take is wider than it is tall, and the phone's default Anchor Point will match the position of the Forum Software's default Anchor Point, ie. it'll be in the Top LEFT of the image! hyea:

Thank you for the tip! You are right, cell phone in portrait mode. I did try to edit the photo by rotating it in my photo program and saving it, but even then, it resorted to the same thing when I posted it. I will have to keep that in mind for the future. Again, thank you!

 

[BajaRon]

If you clean the area well (I like brake cleaner spray) then run it and watch closely for where the oil first comes from, you should be able to tell pretty quickly. You could also pull the cover off. If there is oil inside the cover, then it is probably an internal O-Ring leaking. We've seen this on the shaft O-Ring more than the banjo connection. Still, as advised, it could be either one.

 

[msgoodwrench]

If you clean the area well (I like brake cleaner spray) then run it and watch closely for where the oil first comes from, you should be able to tell pretty quickly. You could also pull the cover off. If there is oil inside the cover, then it is probably an internal O-Ring leaking. We've seen this on the shaft O-Ring more than the banjo connection. Still, as advised, it could be either one.

Oh Boy, for some reason I only just now saw your post about the internal O-ring. Not sure why I missed this post, I saw the others! Anyway, I did get the new gasket washers for the banjo fitting, and I installed them this weekend. No big job there, but there WAS a small amount of oil that drained out when I pulled it. Not sure now if it came from the hose or from the case. In any case, I didn't get a new internal O-ring when I ordered the parts, unfortunately, so I will just watch it for now and see if it keeps on leaking. Darn it, I hate paying shipping for those tiny parts! Thanks for the heads up, Ron!