Transmission leak

[wernwilk]

Hello all,

Back again.  So I have my motor installed back in the bullet 500 and since dropping the motor and transmission back in the bike I have noticed a substantial leak coming from the shift shaft bush/seal where it enters the transmission on the right hand side of the bike.  (If I am using incorrect terms here please feel free to correct me).

I removed the outer tranny cover and can see the play in the bush that is leading to the leak, also there is some sludge behind the cover.

Is this a bushing or a seal? 
Is it a common problem?
Are they available?
Is there a serviceable filter/mesh in the tranny that I should clean out given the amount of sludge in there.

Many thanks.

[mrunderhill1975a]

I assume you have a 4-speed box?  If so, there are two possible sources of seepage, 1)Kick start spindle (part 32, Snidal manual) or, 2)Main shaft bearing seal (part 49 Snidal manual).  For the first possibility,there should be a thin rubber O-ring around the kick start spindle which may be leaking or for #2, The bearing seal on the main bearing may be missing which would allow leakage.  I think the 2003 bullets were supposed to have had these seals from the factory, earlier bullets may not have had them.  These seals are available from N-field gear for a very reasonable price.
There is no filter on the gearbox, if there is sludge, just open the bottom drain and let it drain out.
The oil in the gearbox from the factory would be 00-Veedol which is thick an may look like sludge, the factory used this thick oil in an attempt to limit the leaks from bikes without seals.

[wernwilk]

Yes the 4 speed gearbox.
The leak is definitely coming from where the shift shaft goes through from the shift linkage into the actual rear of the gearbox.....there is a lot of play in that bush/seal, (could you tell me which it is please), I can move it up and down and as I do the gear oil weeps out around the shaft.

does this make sense?  If so what is exact part that I need to order please as I would hate to get the wrong part and delay things further.

What oil would you recommend for the 2003 bullet 4 speed transmission?

Many thanks.

[mrunderhill1975a]

Does your gearbox have the left foot shifter or the right foot shifter?

[wernwilk]

Its a Left foot shifter, the leak is on the end of the shift shaft farthest from the shift lever, where it goes into the gearbox....

[mrunderhill1975a]

Hmmmm. That is curious, as the shaft from the left side goes through the inner cover but does not go through the gearbox itself (that is where the actual gears are).  The area between the inner cover and the outer should not normally contain gear oil, it should be relatively dry except for slight seepage from the mainshaft bearing.  As such, there is no seal on the shift shaft where it enters the "inner cover" as none should be needed.  So if you have appreciable amount of gear oil between the outer gearbox cover and the inner gearbox cover, it must be seeping from either main bearing (due to a lack of a seal) or from around the foot start spindle (due to a worn out seal).
The seals you would need are shown on the link below as part 41(foot starter o-ring) and part 25 (mainshaft bearing and seal) and part 24 (oil thrower outer).

http://www.hitchcocksmotorcycles.com/partsbooks/pages/1539/Gear_Box_End_Cover

[wernwilk]

thanks for the advice Mr. Underhill.

On further inspection it may just be some of the residual 'sludge' behind the cover, I have given the area a good clean and dry and will run the bike for a while and see if we do indeed had a leak from one of the areas you highlighted.
I can get to this with the transmission in place so no big headache there.
Can you recommend a good transmission oil for the bike please?

Thanks again.

[mrunderhill1975a]

If the mainbearing seals are in place, the Snidal manual recommends any 85/90W GL4 gear lube off the shelf.  If seals are leaking, then 700 grams of 00-veedol gearlube (or Snapper 00 grease) topped up with 50w motorcycle oil would slow the leak and provide lubrication during the warm season.  Dan at DRS motorcycle shop recommended Lucas Gear Oil stabilizer which tends to stay in the gearbox  slightly better than the veedol for bad seal conditions.

Truth be known, the straight cut gears are virtually "bullet proof" and will handle just about any lube you care to put in it.  I have used Veedol and 50 W oil for over 22000 miles, and when I opened the box to change to right foot shifter, the gears and the bushings showed almost no wear at all.