Anyone else had an Oil Leakage Issue like this?

[Kromm]

Just throwing this out there for thoughts. Has anyone else had an issue like this.

If you are standing in front of the Spyder looking in at the engine on the right side, you can see oil seeping down the front of the motor. It's not so bad that it is actually dripping on the floor of my garage, but it is very wet and collecting on the panel that you remove for the oil change to drain the oil on that side. I took it into my local dealer (where I purchased it originally in '22) about 6 weeks ago and they said that the leak was coming from the seal ring on the engine oil galley plug. They replaced it and I thought the issue was resolved.

Fast forward to last week when I was going over my Spyder, I was getting ready to take my 13 yr old Granddaughter for a ride up to Yosemite, and I noticed that the oil leak was still there. I went back to the dealer, told them, and got it back in to be looked at again. Now they now say it might be the O ring on the starter. They ordered the part and are going to replace it. My confidence level is low right now, but I'm hopeful.
Luckily, I am still under warranty, as I purchased the BRP B.ES.T. extended warranty. I would attach some pictures, but I didn't think of taking any before I put it in the shop.

 

[BajaRon]

Hopefully, they get it this time. This time, run around the block and check it yourself before you get too far down the road. I always recommend customers check work done (if possible) as soon as possible. That goes for our shop too. The sooner a problem is caught, the better. If nothing else, you confirm that the issue is indeed corrected.

 

[Snowbelt Spyder]

So Kromm. In the interests of clarity… you’re standing in front of the bike, looking to the right side. That means to your right as you are looking at it, correct. Which, in other words, is the left side of the bike, same side as the left front wheel and left turn signal?

 

[Bfromla]

Had a very mysterious oil leak similar to that, slowly increasing till it was enough to locate. A Seal in the shifter of SE5 would leak, but it leaked into shifter boot and wouldn’t leak till ryding uphill or in a certain gear position to compress the boot & any that leaked would spray/drip further back, as well as being blown back when ryding, sometimes reaching drive belt on the opposite side (sometimes a drip, sometimes a dump). Combined with the oil the 998 would eat naturally & the lack of garage parking, it took a while to locate.

 

[Mikey]

I would get in there with some degreaser and wash it down good, then go for a ride and check it. It's real hard sometimes to figure out what's leaking and where it's all coming from.

 

[BajaRon]

I would get in there with some degreaser and wash it down good, then go for a ride and check it. It's real hard sometimes to figure out what's leaking and where it's all coming from.

The dealer should have cleaned the area really well. Another reason I'd recommend checking the work right away. If they didn't clean the area, then they are guessing as to exactly where the leak is coming from. If you ride very long before checking, and the area is dirty, you won't know if it just got dirty again or they didn't clean it in the first place.

It is a shame that you can't just trust the repair work and ride away in bliss. But reality can be a cruel instructor, sometimes.

 

[greer]

An old trick: Once the suspected area is clean and dry spray it with foot powder and go for a ride.

Sarah

 

[Kromm]

So Kromm. In the interests of clarity… you’re standing in front of the bike, looking to the right side. That means to your right as you are looking at it, correct. Which, in other words, is the left side of the bike, same side as the left front wheel and left turn signal?

Yes , you are correct.

 

[Kromm]

I would get in there with some degreaser and wash it down good, then go for a ride and check it. It's real hard sometimes to figure out what's leaking and where it's all coming from.

When I talked to the service manager he told me that his technician cleaned it up and then took it out for a small run to pinpoint the leak. That's when he stated that they think it is coming from around the starter. The reason I say my confidence level is a bit low is that from peering at it from the front I could see a small trail of oil down the front (almost center) of the motor from somewhere towards the top. I don't know exactly where the starter is located, but I wouldn't think it would be on top or near the top of the engine.
And yes , I plan on keeping a close eye on this after I get it back. We have a long ride planed on Memorial day, going to hit 3 mountain passes, 2 of them just just opened (Sonora, Monitor & Kit Carson).

 

[Snowbelt Spyder]

Yes , you are correct.

Well, here's some information for you. Don't know what your capabilities are at home. And yes, you can't see a whole lot in there without removing a bunch of panels. See the picks. Disappointing that your dealer DOES seem to be just picking the low hanging fruit. The starter wouldn't be on top of my list because it has a double O-ring seal. Directly underneath the case is the Crankshaft Position Sensor (CPS). Which was high on my list. But if you're seeing leakage coming down from up above, then that could point towards your valve cover gasket, which is at the top of the engine. The starter is down low. All a serious conversation you must have with your shop, as they have to also coordinate all of this time with BEST. Let them know what you're seeing. Hope you are not in and out of the shop all summer. Good Luck.