Triumphrat

Pipes73 · 08-22-2009, 09:28 PM

I have a 73' Bonneville T140RV that got stuck in 1st gear last month. Luckily it happened in alley in front of the garage. As I was saying, it went into gear easily but would not shift into 2nd. I decided it was a good idea to pull on the foot shifter lever with my hand, you can probably guess what happened. Anyways, I had to order a new lever. One of the plunger cylinders was stuck inside it's slot. I replaced all four of the springs & the plate inside & it all works fine now. The real question I have is whether condensation in the gearbox is a normal occurrence? A milkshake looking oil came out when I drained it. I don't understand how the moisture got in there. Is there something I can do to prevent it from happening again or is it just a matter of changing it once a riding season?

Thanks,

Pipes73

bradtx · 08-23-2009, 09:44 AM

Pipes73, Simply, condensation happens during the heat transfer from a hot area (engine, transmission) to a cooler area (ambient air).

Think about the water that forms on the outside of a glass of iced tea. It's most common to find the milky oil in winter time, when differences are the greatest. Generally a thorough reheating will evaporate the moisture. Short trips can aggravate the issue.

Brad

Pipes73 · 08-23-2009, 03:33 PM

Thanks for the heads up. I won't feel the need to check it constantly now. I will make it a habit to change the gear & the motor oil once per season whether it needs it or not. I included a pic of my bike.

Pipes73

koifarm · 08-25-2009, 07:31 PM

Nice little Triumph Pipes, she looks wonderful.
Condensation happens a lot and is directly connected to weather and how your bike is stored.
Frequently in the spring months, if you have it in a cool garage, when the days begin to warm up, you will find condensation all over the bike internally as well as externally. It's just from the warm air hitting the cold metal of the bike.
How about telling us how you store the bike, how much you ride and stuff like that. If you're not riding a lot, it's possible the bikes not heating up enough to boil off the moisture internally....if you don't ride a lot, then maybe a more frequent oil change is in order...let us know what the conditions are.

Pipes73 · 08-25-2009, 11:24 PM

She sleeps at night in a unheated garage. We live in Wa state so it dosn't get very cold here but we do see a fair amount of moisture. I have been riding it pretty much everyday this summer to work & back, about 15 miles total. I purchased the bike this year & wish to do as much of the maintenance & work myself. I am glad I found this forum to get advise & some direction from people with more experience in the triumph world. Anyways thanks. I am going to keep on keeping on.

Pipes

BombFactory · 08-26-2009, 03:08 PM

I once got a killer deal on a classic car because the oil cap had milky oil on the underside. The owner swore that the head gasket was blown, but I found no water in the oil, on the rocker arms, coming out of the tailpipe, or oil in the coolant. I attempted to explain that it was typical condensation, but he refused to believe me. So I ended up with a good deal thanks to physics.

Pipes73 · 08-26-2009, 07:44 PM

It was a little unnerving when I discovered the moisture. If I didn't have someone to discuss it with I would think something was terribly wrong.

Plewsy · 08-26-2009, 09:36 PM

Hi all

Pipes73 you will probably find the primary chain case
will have the same problem

you should remove the case for a look, wash out with paraffin (kerosene)
as said, short runs in cold weather is the biggest cause.

Pipes73 · 08-27-2009, 09:19 AM

Good idea. I didn't even think of that. I will check it out after I get back & let you know what I find. Thanks for the heads up.

Pipes