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[Fasteddie]

Hello, I have an oil leak from the bottom rear portion of the oil filter housing on the timing gear cover. There appears to be a flat spot machined on back of the aluminum housing that is covered with a grey hard sealant (looks to be factory). This may be possibly covering some sort of oil gallery plug from the rear oil pump or filter housing?
I did find a picture of the timing gear cover that shows this opening but I'm not sure how is should be sealed or plugged.

Thanks

[Mark M]

There is usually a stud which protrudes through the timng cover and is retained by a nut and washer. Do you have this? REgards, Mark

[Fasteddie]

Mark, no stud that I can see. It's kind of difficult to find a photo of this area but I did find a picture of a timing cover for sale that shows the hole on the bottom of the housing. Mine is covered with some sort of hard sealant.
I'm guessing that the hole was made drilling an oil passage but not sure how it was plugged.
Thanks for the help.

[stinkwheel]

This bit? (red arrow, looking at the "inside" face of the timing cover here):







That is indeed a plug in an oil gallery. I'd imagine it's an alloy plug sweated in. It's unlikely (but not impossible) for that to fail. Are you certain that is where the oil is leaking from and not just where it has tracked/run to and is now dripping off? I'd give the whole area a REALLY good clean then have another look for oil running to there from somewhere else before blaming that bit. I have even been known to use a light dusting of talcum/cement dust to assist tracking of an oil leak, just remember not to allow it to contaminate the inside of the engine.



I often recount the story of my friends moto guzzi which was giving every appearance of having developed an oil leak from the rear indicator! Further inspection revealed the actual leak to be on the rocker cover gasket, the oil mist was being blown off the cylinder head by the wind blast and was hitting the back of the indicator.



If that plug is leaking, it would take a reasonable amount of tinkering to sort out. Either by removing the plug and refitting it, welding the gap, soldering the gap or by drilling it out, tapping the hole and screwing in a blanking plug. That said, it would be much more likely for there to be an oil leak round the oil filter cover and for the oil to be tracking back along the housing in the wind blast and dripping off that boss in the casting. So yeah, a thorough clean and careful inspection with a good light source would be indicated.

[Fasteddie]

Thanks, that's it. I thought it was the oil filter cap as you mentioned but after the bike has been sitting idle it appears to be from this area. Someone must of covered it with some type of epoxy compound or JB Weld to stop an earlier leak.
I may chip away at the epoxy a little and see what under there. Hate to have that plug pop out when riding.
Again, thanks for the help.

[Bullet Whisperer]

If that 'plug' is on an Indian timing cover, it will be a blob of plastic metal stuffed in the hole at the factory, I've seen a few of them. british ones had a thread and a proper screw to plug the hole.

[Fasteddie]

Yes, it's an Indian bullet.
Does anyone know what this passage is for. It would probably be best to tap and pug it but I don't want to go to far in and plug and another passage. Probably keep the plug as short as possible.

[Adrian]

It's part of a longer drilling during the manufacturing process, the short section right at the bottom is redundant once the section from the oil filter upwards is drilled. It just needs to be plugged properly. being tapped to take a threaded plug was the Redditch way of doing things, blobs of plastic metal saved a few rupees in production costs at the Chennai factory.



A.

[Steve T]

Hi mine is a 2002 500 and has exactly the same lump of grey filler

[Fasteddie]

I chipped away the grey filler and exposed the malable plug. I gave it a few taps with a broad center punch and a drift to expand it a little bit. Seems to have stopped leaking. Not sure if I want to drill/tap plug or leave it. Probably will add some sort of filler over the top for safety.
Surprised be how much seeped out overnight but Amsoil synthetic can leak through anything. I’ll still give it an even closer look for another source
Thanks for all the help