Greetings to all. I am new to this forum and previously made this post at the welcome center, but I'm afraid that may have been the wrong place for this level of conversation, so here it is again to ensure visibility.
I took delivery of a new 2016 T120 in early June. While closely inspecting it soon after, I noticed a film of oil on the motor's base pan within the first 100 miles or so. Not enough for a drip, just a film.
I carefully cleaned off the base, and continued using the bike. A few rides later, I checked again, and there was more oil with a small drop on the downward edge of the base. This time it was very clear that the oil was coming from the hole in the center of the base, not the oil filter, or the drain plug. I checked the oil level in the motor and that was satisfactory.
Next step was to notify the dealer. They suggested a closer look when I bring it in for the 500 mile service. That occurred last week.
At the service appointment, the tech. agreed that oil was coming from the hole in the base and phoned a technical consulting resource at Triumph about the issue, as well as the squealing front brake pads.
Triumph's response was to STOP using the bike immediately. It sounded to me as if there was some risk of contaminating the oil with coolant, and that an O-ring or two will need to be replaced. While the dealer's tech. was making every effort to be as helpful as possible, I didn't get the impression he was that familiar with the inner working of this new motor, yet....
What I was told does't seem to jibe with what I had read about a Street Twin owner who apparently experienced the same type of oil leak. In that thread it was apparently a shaft seal on the oil /coolant pump. It would seem to me that O-rings would only serve to seal oil from getting into that "tube" of sorts that runs through the base. I don't believe O-rings are used as shaft seals. It would not surprise me that Triumph knows more about this issue than is getting disclosed to me, at least at this point.
As far as the awful brake squeal, the tech. tried cleaning and scuffing the the pads, didn't work! To address that issue, Triumph is sending new pads. Unless they have changed the design, I anticipate more odd looks from motorists at stoplights, and am prepared to try my own fix with brake pad lube as has been suggested elsewhere on this forum.
In parting, I would suggest new T120, Thruxton, or Street Twin owners occasionally check the base on their machines for oil. Particularly so when Triumph says to "STOP riding the machine immediately". We are long past the days when it was considered normal for motorcycles to drip oil!!!
And by the way, other than these two issues, I think the new water cooled twins are marvelous motorcycles, and agree with so many of the positive comments that I have read from owners on this forum.
So today, the bike sits at the dealership awaiting parts. I will provide further posts as I learn more details about these two issues.
Watch out for left turning vehicles!!!
Thanks,
Gary
I took delivery of a new 2016 T120 in early June. While closely inspecting it soon after, I noticed a film of oil on the motor's base pan within the first 100 miles or so. Not enough for a drip, just a film.
I carefully cleaned off the base, and continued using the bike. A few rides later, I checked again, and there was more oil with a small drop on the downward edge of the base. This time it was very clear that the oil was coming from the hole in the center of the base, not the oil filter, or the drain plug. I checked the oil level in the motor and that was satisfactory.
Next step was to notify the dealer. They suggested a closer look when I bring it in for the 500 mile service. That occurred last week.
At the service appointment, the tech. agreed that oil was coming from the hole in the base and phoned a technical consulting resource at Triumph about the issue, as well as the squealing front brake pads.
Triumph's response was to STOP using the bike immediately. It sounded to me as if there was some risk of contaminating the oil with coolant, and that an O-ring or two will need to be replaced. While the dealer's tech. was making every effort to be as helpful as possible, I didn't get the impression he was that familiar with the inner working of this new motor, yet....
What I was told does't seem to jibe with what I had read about a Street Twin owner who apparently experienced the same type of oil leak. In that thread it was apparently a shaft seal on the oil /coolant pump. It would seem to me that O-rings would only serve to seal oil from getting into that "tube" of sorts that runs through the base. I don't believe O-rings are used as shaft seals. It would not surprise me that Triumph knows more about this issue than is getting disclosed to me, at least at this point.
As far as the awful brake squeal, the tech. tried cleaning and scuffing the the pads, didn't work! To address that issue, Triumph is sending new pads. Unless they have changed the design, I anticipate more odd looks from motorists at stoplights, and am prepared to try my own fix with brake pad lube as has been suggested elsewhere on this forum.
In parting, I would suggest new T120, Thruxton, or Street Twin owners occasionally check the base on their machines for oil. Particularly so when Triumph says to "STOP riding the machine immediately". We are long past the days when it was considered normal for motorcycles to drip oil!!!
And by the way, other than these two issues, I think the new water cooled twins are marvelous motorcycles, and agree with so many of the positive comments that I have read from owners on this forum.
So today, the bike sits at the dealership awaiting parts. I will provide further posts as I learn more details about these two issues.
Watch out for left turning vehicles!!!
Thanks,
Gary