Oil leak/Seapage

[cr0ft]

Reviving an old thread here I guess, but - just found small pools (more like specks, I guess) of oil under my 2011 R3T (bought this year, just barely past break-in and first service). Not fun when you're planning a longer trip.

Went to the local dealer/mechanic and he found the leak was by the oil tank.

Solution? Unbolt the oil tank, gently jiggle it around a bit to cause the o-rings to move around a bit and get properly seated and then refasten. Guess I'll know tomorrow if that did the trick. Apparently this is something that is known to happen on occasion as the engine starts seeing use.

 

[rolandrat]

leak

after reading this post I have just removed the plastic triangle.there are oil damp marks all around the area being discussed.having a look at the rear of the engine around the head gasket I can see some red gasket goo where I think I should be seeing head gasket.it looks to be around an oilway of some sort.i shall wash it off and see what happens its not serious enough to start pulling it down.its all but dried up. 14000 miles 09 had it from new.

 

[Lynxjock]

I have a small leak/seep at the rear of my R3Tengine too. Have not yet been able to locate the source of the oil. Not always but sometimes the rear of the motor on the right side behind the exhaust manifold has a moist spot. It's defiinitely motor oil. Need to figure out where the source is. Do you have any pictures of the source of your leak ? Mine appears to be seeping from somewhere up high on the back of the motor and accumulating on the right side. It's not leaked enough to drop the oil level (yet).
3,000 miles on the bike so far.......

My Rocket just developed a small leak within last two days on the right side of cam/ valve cover.... currently have only 7800 miles on bike, valve cover has never been off. but you can clearly see some sort of deformation of the gasket at that point. Im going to go to my local Dealer in Tulsa tomorrow. see if they will fix it under warranty. if there taking the cover off I'll also go ahead and have the 10,000 mile vale clearance adjustment done at the same time. its just a slight ooze at moment, but till then not one leak any where in almost 12 months.

 

[warp9.9]

My Rocket just developed a small leak within last two days on the right side of cam/ valve cover.... currently have only 7800 miles on bike, valve cover has never been off. but you can clearly see some sort of deformation of the gasket at that point. Im going to go to my local Dealer in Tulsa tomorrow. see if they will fix it under warranty. if there taking the cover off I'll also go ahead and have the 10,000 mile vale clearance adjustment done at the same time. its just a slight ooze at moment, but till then not one leak any where in almost 12 months.

yep the gasket is definitely split/cut/pinched. With only 7800 your valves should be fine until 20,000

 

[mr hunt]

My Rocket just developed a small leak within last two days on the right side of cam/ valve cover.... currently have only 7800 miles on bike, valve cover has never been off. but you can clearly see some sort of deformation of the gasket at that point. Im going to go to my local Dealer in Tulsa tomorrow. see if they will fix it under warranty. if there taking the cover off I'll also go ahead and have the 10,000 mile vale clearance adjustment done at the same time. its just a slight ooze at moment, but till then not one leak any where in almost 12 months.

...just like the rest of us...it seems that there aren't many that leak but when they do they split around the bolt nearest cyl #1 exhaust port - pretty much where yours is. In Oz at least triumph have repaired them under warranty. Mine went with about 1 month of warranty left and was fixed...it went again in the same spot about 2 months later and the dealer fixed it again without charge.

If you search the forums you'll find a couple of threads on the topic (I think I might have started one of them??)

 

[alpental]

My Rocket just developed a small leak within last two days on the right side of cam/ valve cover.... currently have only 7800 miles on bike, valve cover has never been off. but you can clearly see some sort of deformation of the gasket at that point. Im going to go to my local Dealer in Tulsa tomorrow. see if they will fix it under warranty. if there taking the cover off I'll also go ahead and have the 10,000 mile vale clearance adjustment done at the same time. its just a slight ooze at moment, but till then not one leak any where in almost 12 months.

I'm in my local dealer's waiting area having my '14 R3R serviced under warranty for the EXACT SAME PROBLEM. Your photo is identical to how my valve cover gasket and cylinder head look, and could've been taken of my engine. I called the dealer to explain the problem, they called Triumph, and within an hour sight-unseen they warrantied the work. The service manager said Triumph is notorious for valve cover leaks, and he's even seen a Rocket valve cover either warped or machined so poorly that it wouldn't sit flat on a glass flatness table. Owned it since new, 11 months 10,003 miles.

 

[Dawg68]

Mine just did the same thing today, 2014. Exactly like the photo above. Warranty ran out in October, will call the dealer tomorrow.

 

[BCRedHaze]

Mine did exactly that. Triumph covered it and I was a year out of warranty.

 

[alpental]

4,000 miles later (now at 14,054) my second valve cover gasket is leaking oil again. Same spot: exhaust side right behind cyl 1. Back to the dealer for another warranty repair and thorough flatness check of the valve cover and head.