I rebuilt my carb today on my '96 Dyna and took it for a spirited cruise around. When I got home I noticed the distinctive smell of gear oil, but can't find a source. Bike sat in the garage for an hour or two, then I wheeled it back into the driveway. No spots in the garage, but after only ten minutes in the driveway, there was a small puddle of gear oil. I have some light oil leaks, so the underside of the motor is usually damp anyway, so I can't find the source of the gear oil. Where is a common problem area to look at first?

 

Quad seal, or high gear seal. On my 96 dyna, the IPB race has walked into the high gear seal causing it to leak... a common problem. Unfortunately the fix is labor intensive and I don't care at this point. When I do fix it I'll be going with the baker high torque bearing to remedy it permanently.

 

Yep and Yep, believe I used the All ***** sealed bearing set up. That OEM setup is a pain in the **** but can be done, Sachs said he wasn't a fan of the sealed bearing setup but no leaks in 3 years.

 

The guys are probably right, but look at the clutch cable where it goes into the tranny.
Also take a look at where the shift shaft goes in.

 

If the trans is a bit overfilled it can blow a little gear lube out of the vent tube.

 

How bad is a high gear leak? I had planned on a 3 hour ride. Bike's been parked in the garage now since Saturday night, no leakage on the floor.

 

These leaks tend to leak more when driving, just make sure it's not low before your ride, unless of course it's just pouring out....then you have an issue to render.

 

I just checked it, and it didn't register on the dipstick. I topped it off and guess will have to see how much leaks next time I ride. I looked at the service manual repair and don't think it's something I am willing to tackle. Couple that with my leaky drain plug and the mechanic will be happy.

 

A bit of teflon thread paste sealant on the drain plug threads will cure that.

 

Nah, it's badly stripped...has been for years. Time to fix it though.