PD: Primary Drive Case Drain
- Thread starter bmetcalf
- Start date
Hmmm, I wonder where all that dirt come from when you change the oil in the primary case ? The clutch is supposed to be dry so no access to the oil fill. The chain should run quite high mileage without producing much grit. So maybe the black is from blowby through the crank mains when no real seal is fitted ??
Ah, looking at that Triumph drain plug, looks like a copper seal - for an alu case ?? Not my choice, allright with cast iron cases maybe, I´d rather wrap teflon tape around the thread when fitting . But I´d have some o-ring on plugs really.
Vic
Ah, looking at that Triumph drain plug, looks like a copper seal - for an alu case ?? Not my choice, allright with cast iron cases maybe, I´d rather wrap teflon tape around the thread when fitting . But I´d have some o-ring on plugs really.
Vic
Is there any reason not to make the drain as Bruce did? Looks like a simple and useful mod . A conventional drain plug also seems a good solution. Either method should make changing that bit of oil less of a mess.
When I did the recent primary work on the Rapide, the old oil that drained out was almost as clean as the new oil that went back in.
I can't remember when it was last changed. It's got to be 15 thousand miles ago or more. Thankfully, the primary compartment on the bike doesn't ever lose or gain oil. That's likely why it stays clean.
If it is clean in appearance, I can't see much reason to change it.
Even with this level of maintenance abandonment the primary chain looks as new at 35,000 miles.
If there is a functioning mainseal fitted, I would expect the primary oil to stay as clean as the gearbox oil does. That seems to be the case on this bike.
Without the seal and with engine oil pumping into the primary, the primary oil would tend to get both dirty and over full in a hurry.
Glen
When I did the recent primary work on the Rapide, the old oil that drained out was almost as clean as the new oil that went back in.
I can't remember when it was last changed. It's got to be 15 thousand miles ago or more. Thankfully, the primary compartment on the bike doesn't ever lose or gain oil. That's likely why it stays clean.
If it is clean in appearance, I can't see much reason to change it.
Even with this level of maintenance abandonment the primary chain looks as new at 35,000 miles.
If there is a functioning mainseal fitted, I would expect the primary oil to stay as clean as the gearbox oil does. That seems to be the case on this bike.
Without the seal and with engine oil pumping into the primary, the primary oil would tend to get both dirty and over full in a hurry.
Glen
What weight oil are you using in the primary?
All engines are using Valvoline VR1 20/50
All gearboxes are using Bel Ray 80/90 gear oil, even my sealed Burman's on the prewar bikes
The one Videan clutch is using ATF
All the primaries are running whatever slippery stuff I have left on the shelf, could be 10/30 (Pickup truck) 15/40 (Diesel tractor) 10/40 (Can't remember what)
All gearboxes are using Bel Ray 80/90 gear oil, even my sealed Burman's on the prewar bikes
The one Videan clutch is using ATF
All the primaries are running whatever slippery stuff I have left on the shelf, could be 10/30 (Pickup truck) 15/40 (Diesel tractor) 10/40 (Can't remember what)
My BMW has some really nice magnetic drain plugs. Most common on R69S I usually fit them to transmissions after I rebuild them
Hi Glen, I've been using the mod that Bruce shows in post 1 for years with no worries, just a bit of RTV silicone under the screw head. Cheers, Stu.
Robert, the Bel Ray 80/90 gear oil has a GL5 rating, which means it will corrode bronze bushings. I'm using Royal Purple gear oil which has a compatibility rating for GL4/GL5. Not much better, but anything helps. I've heard there are gear oils out there designed for early gear boxes, but can't remember the name.
I use this in my Vincent and Triumph TR4A
www.redlineoil.com
MT-90 75W90 GL-4 Gear Oil
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