TeeCat
One-Mik Wonder
Well... I grew a pair and brought her to work today for the second time... last time was summer before last.
I wanted to have her spend more time at speed, so I brought her down Rts. 29, 100 and 295, which are all 2-lane (each side) highways with medians. She fired right up on the first hot kick this morning, and the run to work was pleasant and uneventful.
The one significant issue I think I'm faced with, though, is this oil weeping from the (as far as I can determine), left front side of the case seam. I had changed the main output shaft seal, which was making a real mess a few years ago (that seems to have sorted that issue... chain and rear wheel are free of oil these days), and I had also replaced the crank seal, which seemed fine the last time I checked it. But the weeping persists. Oil gradually accumulates in the bottom of the left case cover, and I have actually been catching the bulk of it via a bit of fuel line with a barb on it that dumps to a little breather filter (which I need to change).
Last night, I had the bike sitting in the drive under a cover, at a bit of a different angle than normal, on smoother pavement that readily shows oil, etc. Right after I started the bike this morning, I noticed a "linear" pattern of oil under the bike, longitudinally along the line of the left case bottom, where gravity would cause oil to pool over time. I never noticed this exact thing before, but I usually fire the bike out in the street, where it would not be readily noticeable because of the mottled pavement. I suspect that, after sitting, the residual oil is being vibrated or slung off the lowermost surfaces when the crank spools up. It's just weird.
The interesting thing is that there seems to be no mess on the left exhaust, chain, or left side of the rear wheel while, or after, riding, like there was before I changed the MOS seal.
I really wanted to get some fun miles on this bike this year. But I think this oil weep is something that I'm going to look in the eye at some point, possibly by finding someone locally who can help me with a rebuild for a fee.
One really gratifying thing from this morning is that a slightly older (than I) acquaintance here at work, who has had many, many bikes, has been wanting to see the TX in person... not just pics. He was just off his face when we walked down there and looked her over. For any issues she might still have, that was really gratifying, because Joe managed to find and compliment just about every single (visible) thing I have done to her in the last 4 years.
Hopefully, the ride home will be as nice as this morning's. Incidentally, when I just had a look at the bike with Joe, there is just one drop of oil off the sidestand tang... pretty normal for her. The whole thing is just odd... seems to defy rhyme or reason.
TC
I wanted to have her spend more time at speed, so I brought her down Rts. 29, 100 and 295, which are all 2-lane (each side) highways with medians. She fired right up on the first hot kick this morning, and the run to work was pleasant and uneventful.
The one significant issue I think I'm faced with, though, is this oil weeping from the (as far as I can determine), left front side of the case seam. I had changed the main output shaft seal, which was making a real mess a few years ago (that seems to have sorted that issue... chain and rear wheel are free of oil these days), and I had also replaced the crank seal, which seemed fine the last time I checked it. But the weeping persists. Oil gradually accumulates in the bottom of the left case cover, and I have actually been catching the bulk of it via a bit of fuel line with a barb on it that dumps to a little breather filter (which I need to change).
Last night, I had the bike sitting in the drive under a cover, at a bit of a different angle than normal, on smoother pavement that readily shows oil, etc. Right after I started the bike this morning, I noticed a "linear" pattern of oil under the bike, longitudinally along the line of the left case bottom, where gravity would cause oil to pool over time. I never noticed this exact thing before, but I usually fire the bike out in the street, where it would not be readily noticeable because of the mottled pavement. I suspect that, after sitting, the residual oil is being vibrated or slung off the lowermost surfaces when the crank spools up. It's just weird.
The interesting thing is that there seems to be no mess on the left exhaust, chain, or left side of the rear wheel while, or after, riding, like there was before I changed the MOS seal.
I really wanted to get some fun miles on this bike this year. But I think this oil weep is something that I'm going to look in the eye at some point, possibly by finding someone locally who can help me with a rebuild for a fee.
One really gratifying thing from this morning is that a slightly older (than I) acquaintance here at work, who has had many, many bikes, has been wanting to see the TX in person... not just pics. He was just off his face when we walked down there and looked her over. For any issues she might still have, that was really gratifying, because Joe managed to find and compliment just about every single (visible) thing I have done to her in the last 4 years.
Hopefully, the ride home will be as nice as this morning's. Incidentally, when I just had a look at the bike with Joe, there is just one drop of oil off the sidestand tang... pretty normal for her. The whole thing is just odd... seems to defy rhyme or reason.
TC
Keep us inforned of your adventure.
