Shite shite shite.....

Just been out at http://www.grampianmotorcycleconvention.com (didn't get my program signed by Guy Martin!) and when I put my sidestand down at home, noticed it was covered in oil. Further inspection showed the swingarm, hugger, tail, and the feckin' TYRE covered in oil too
Bloody primary casing sump plug gone.........

It was about 50 miles from the show, and I have no idea when I lost the plug, other than on the way home, but the rear brake pads are soaked with oil, and I'm flamin' lucky I didn't come off on any left hand bends with the state of the tyre. Once I took my earplugs out, all I could hear was the primary chain rattling, and I didn't have any problems changing gear (no obvious gearbox noise either).

Do you think I'm lucky and will get away with a new drain plug and a refill, or worth digging a bit to check no further engine damage? Thanks in advance.

PS I intend to lockwire everything from now on

If it was me, I would just fill it with oil and get on with it.

Spudley, who used to frequent these parts, was not so lucky. He emptied his primary and swinging arm then just refilled the swinging arm. The gearbox seized.

It is a toss up from either putting 7 quids worth of oil in and taking the bike easy for a bit or "writing the bike off", as it will probably cast you more in labour and parts (should you find anything wrong) with it, than the bike is worth...

I am sure you have done it no good, but it will tell you if it is broken...

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08 Specialized Langster

What Pash sez.

Put in some cheap as chips HD oil, run it gently a while without your earplugs in, and change it again soon, so you can get any left over little metal bits out of there. As Pash sez, what else ya gonna do? Toss it in the river?

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2006 XB12Ss..... 1998 S1W..... 1996 S2T
We do not need the help of our friends so much as confidence that they will help us when we need it. –Epicurus

Cheers guys, I suppose I already knew the answer really, But 'two minds' and all that. Just need to get that plug first, Local guy (http://www.jimhaymotorcycles.com) is where I'll get my oil.

till it brakes Did you change the oil last? so you would know if the plug was done up tight. I would whip the primary case off and look at things like chain tensioner wear and look for bits of metal, chain noise would be due to being dry. good time to fit MAZ out put plug..take care of cleaning the oil from tyres and disk.

Comino has offered to send me up an old drain plug, Ta.
Black Bear closed, so left them a message, Edinburgh HD were next to useless.

Changed the oil myself about 2500mls ago, and the plug was torqued to spec. I have the nipple already thanks
Off to do some bodywork on my old mini, might as well whip off the primary case as I have to move the bike first anyway, Cross fingers for no piles of hidden swarf

which mini do you have sir ?

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08 Specialized Langster

I've been ridding the front end of rust today, Left overnight for filler to harden properly

Back to topic,

As suggested, I've had a good look in the primary case swarf everywhere, bugger.
However, closer inspection revealed that it seemed to be mostly plastic and just a little metal. Basically the primary chain tensioner has been eaten, which has worn it through to metal in places, and slightly scored a few chain links too, but not terminal damage I don't think. Hard to see in the pics, sorry.



Looks like I'll be adding a tensioner to my shopping list, And who knows how much primary oil to flush everything out properly.
Well, at least I could turn the engine over by hand, in gear, And select gears ok, so maybe all the damage is confined to what I saw
Will update

That was probably a good move there, but now the doubt will be there as to what has suffered in the gearbox...

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08 Specialized Langster

No. It's OK mate, Know what you mean, was thinking pretty much the same thing after I posted above, But then I was probably thinking more along the lines of cleaning the shite out, and not warped plates

Take it I'd be ok checking for warp on a decent flat surface, Like the sheet of glass trick I didn't notice any clutch judder/slipping at the end of my journey, and today whilst in gear and checking things, I could turn the back wheel by hand with the clutch in,
Another crossed fingers job........

Does the clutch feel OK? Does the clutch lever pulse in and out? if not i'd forget it.
Two choices really. (suspect you know the answers)
1: Engine strip and review the gearbox damage.
2: Fill it with oil and evaluate!
Drain after 100 carefull miles see what comes out. Refill and repeat.
If it's not seized already (which I guess it's not) I'd think you've got away light.

So what could go wrong?
Gear damage, would show in oil quality and it's unlikely gear teeth woul be broken off.
Bearing damage, guess you would hear the noise.

Think I would concentrate on the condition of the primary chain, looks a bit dubious.

Just refill it and ride it .....just think in your mind that the plug fell out 1/2 a mile from home so no other damage occured ..............unless you was hammering it home there would still be a residual coating of lube on all the surfaces to protect it for a while ..... the clutch would only suffer whilst being slipped so it's likely to be ok ..........I'd guess some of the tensioner wear was already there before this incident and it's not unheard of for people to run an open primary with a chain drive on older bikes
Think positive

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2001 X1 2009 1125CR 2006 Uly X3 2010 Uly a fully Maz'd S1 and a 1991 RS1200 Westwind.