help with a leak

[85k100RT]

Hello all, (1985 K100RT, 35,000 mi)

After a very nice fall ride (300mi) last weekend I came out today to find a puddle(about a 1/2 cup) under my rear tire. It left a trail and seems to be comming from either the brake caliper or the driveline vent?. I've checked my clymer manual and not alot of help there. The rear brake resevior seems to be ok. It looks as though the black vent? on top of the shaft housing is the source.

Any ideas what to do next? How can I check the drive line lubricant? How do I know what's been used? Synthetic or not?

Do I ride and keep an eye on things? NOT......

BTW, I'm color blind so can't tell what the fluid is. It smells a little like used gear oil vrs. brake fluid.

Topic two, I need a cover for my right faring compartment. Anyone out there have one? The dealer wants $60.

Thanks everyone
JF

PS this forum rocks....... :dunno

[barryg]

If your leaking gear oil out the final drive, it should have a thick feel to the touch. Gear oil also has it's on distinct smell. Brake fluid has much sleeker feel to the touch.

[username]

a cup of anything sounds like a lot to me, for a motorcycle, i'd recommend prudence. i know nothing about your specific bike so i'll ask the questions i'd ask if you had the same bike as me. :) im sure more useful responses will pour in soon.

if you lost a cup of brake fluid, i think youd see zero in the rear reservoir.

1. can you check the fluid level in your final drive?

2. can you get your bike to a nearby dealer/shop and get it looked at?

3. if not, can you get some of the fluid, and take it to a shop and ask them what it is? a mechanic can likely look at it, smell it, and feel it and tell you where it goes on your bike.

other folks should weigh in on the risks associated with riding with a final drive fluid problem, but my common sense tells me you'll transform a seal problem into a 'whole now final drive' problem.

the other bad thing is having something slippery dripping around the rear tire. that could also transform a seal problem into an evaluation of how well your gear protects you in a crash.

do everything you can to just have a seal problem! :D and please keep us posted.

[spikethebike]

The early K's could absorb moisture into the final drive through the breather, the little black jobbie on top of the case.
Short trips will increase this. When you go out on a long ride, the oil heats ups from the gear's friction, the moisture expands, and you can get the oil/water mix coming out though the breather.
Drain the rear drive, and if the fluid is milky, this is prolly the problem. If it's not milky, you probably have a bad seal.