Oil Leaking on 2009 XB9SX

Attachment 11781

I rode in to work today, parked, and noticed some oil on my shoe. looked down and saw oil had been spraying down the right side of the bike, and even on to my rear tire.... awesome!

I have not yet taken any of the plastics off to inspect it in detail, but I think it's coming from the "oil vent" line, where it connects to the oil pump?

Any one have any suggestions on if this is going to be a tough fix or not? OR do you think it may be something else to check?


Any help is appreciated!

happens from time to time. see schematic. item #2 is the problem and is a common viton O-ring. just replace it.

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Just curious, while he is replacing that O-ring should any other O-rings also be replaced on other lines ?

I wouldn't, unless the are leaking or weeping. Remember, you do not need to unscrew the fitting. Use a pick to pull the clip out of the hex end and the line slides out, replace o-ring on the line, replace the clip in the screw end carefully, and then slide the end of the oil line back in to the hex end.

'They' recommend a new clip every time but I haven't had issues as long as it wasn't bent on removal. If you do want to replace it, be sure to match the size exactly! They aren't universal. I found a kit of several sizes at Napa for cheap:cool:

OKAY... so I fixed the O-ring issue, and that part is fine now, with no oil leak... success!

HOWEVER, today I saw a few drops of oil under the bike where I parked it after yesterday's ride. At first I thought of primary cover gasket, but I investigated with a flashlight, and tried to find where the oil residue starts, and runs down. It seems to be coming from a small hose attached to a threaded part, coming straight up from the primary housing (but I don't know what it is for). I plan on cleaning the entire underside of the bike, and trying to clean all the oil I can get to, in hopes that if it continues, I can confirm where it's coming from, but what is this hose, and how do I fix it if it is the culprit? I think the hose clamp is good, and the leak is coming from the threaded metal part, up through the threads. Thanks!Attachment 12111Attachment 12112Attachment 12113

picture your "lump" without the cylinders attached. what you then have
is a big aluminum box divided in 2 sections. the front section is the "crankcase cavity" which houses the crankshaft. the rear section is the "trans sump" which houses the transmission. on the left outside of the "box" is the primary drive assembly and alternator housed under the primary cover. all 3 units need to be lubricated and vented. the rear section and the primary drive assembly share 1 quart of lubricant known as the primary/trans fluid which flows between the cover and the rear section thru ports cast into the "box". the gizmo you're referring to is the "primary/trans vent assembly".
highly unlikely that the factory sealed threaded port is leaking.
solution:
clean the entire area well
check hose for any signs of wear-thru....kinks....cracks
check factory clamp for tightness
remove primary chain tension adjustment cover...find end of hose...lightly blow into hose with compressed air. you should hear and feel the air escaping thru the adjustment cover opening. if not then address the problem.
check primary/trans fluid level. an over-filled condition results in puking oil from said hose.

So far I have cleaned everything of oil residue, and checked over the parts. Hose is clear, and without holes or kinks. The factory clamp is loose, and the hose twists freely on the metal port when I turn it by hand, with little effort. I attempted to remove the old clamp, and broke it... and then replaced it with a new hose clamp. It seems much tighter now, with no free play, so I hope that was it. I have yet to take it out for ride to test it, but over the next day or two I should have my answer. Thanks for the help!

UPDATE...
it's been a few weeks, and for the most part all has been good, so i thought I fixed the issue. Over the weekend I drove from Ocean City MD, down to Virginia Beach VA, stayed overnight, and drove back. About 3 hours each way, great weather, and good ride! Parked in the garage yesterday, and today I noticed a small spot of oil under the parked bike, so I followed the trail from rear end of exhaust, up to the primary, so I thought maybe the primary gasket was compromised... but when I went around to the other side of the bike (where I had fixed the hose clamp on the vent hose), I see a lot more oil residue all around that threaded hose port. It seems the oil is starting around there, and slowly running down the right side, and ending up dripping on to the exhaust from the primary case.
I don't think the oil is coming from the hose I re-clamped... but I am not sure about the threaded port it is connected to .... and I don't think it is the primary gasket if the oil is up in those areas, unless I have two separate issues.
The only other thing I can think of is the factory sealant on the two halves of the transmission case has been compromised near that vent... which I don't even want to think about what it will take to fix if that's the case... but if so, and it is a relatively small/ slow leak, what is the chances of it getting worse? Can I just ride it out and deal with a little extra oil clean up from time to time?
If I do need to repair it, I doubt I can handle this one alone, so any advice on how to approach it would be great.
Also... is there ANY other ideas on what else it could be??? I would love to find out it is something simple I have not thought of!