Cracked case and roadside repair ?

Hanging out at Alices yesterday afternoon when a guy on a
Triumph pulled in escorted by a CHP. He'd spilled a few miles
down the road and the CHP dude had very kindly escorted
him up as far as Alices.

When the bike spilled, it apparantly cracked the clutch housing
and was continuously dripping small amounts of oil. The rider
was about 15-20 miles from home. He bought a couple quarts of
20-50 and planned to ride home slowly, stopping every few miles
to replenish his oil. This was probably a little iffy because the
drip was only an inch or two off from the track of the rear tire,
but he figured he'd ride slowly and stay off the freeway.

Given a leaky case that's already covered in oil, is there any
handy repair compound that might have actually gotten him
home ? Seems like you could maybe lay the bike on its side,
clean the case and then apply an epoxy compound or maybe
even road tar and limp home. I've never been in that kind of
spot but wonder if there's a possible fix.

 

I've never been in that spot either. It would seem to me that any "fix"
would be difficult, due to the viscosity of the oil. Nothing would seal
unless the oil was completely removed from the crack with solvent.

In so far as the leaking oil. No problem! I've seen guys ride up to the Rock
Store with tin cans strapped to the back of their Brits. They would place
them under the bike while they rested and put the oil back in the bikes when
they left.
I'm sure he made it home fine.


--


By it's very nature, my sig. makes this posting 100% on topic.

"Of course, you'll have the good taste not to mention that I posted this."

Thumper

"I don't want a pickle..."
http://www.thumpers-roadhouse.ws

2007 H-D FXSTD Deuce
2006 Buell Ulysees
2006 BMW K1200GT
2004 H-D Road King Classic
1978 Triumph T140V Bonneville
1975 Triumph T160 Trident
1974 Norton Commando Interstate
1969 BSA R75 Red Rocket III
1962 Triumph T20 Tiger Cub
1958 BSA Super Bantam COCK
1954 Velocette MAC

 

Not that you have any personal experience?

 

I did that with a Honda S90 and did more than just limp home,
I ran it for a year or so until I sold it.

Sean_Q_

 

I knew a guy who accidentally jumped his jeep into a ditch because the
telephone maintainece road he was driving on had washed out. After he
regained consciousness(!) he noted a steady stream of oil draining from
the pan. He jammed a hankerchief into the hole and drove home.

 

As other say, withoput cleaning off all the oil, not much will work
properly.

But once the oil is cleaned off, epoxy or Chemical Metal (similar stuff
with added powdered metal) works wonders.

 

Make a two staged repair. Lay bike on its side to get oil away
from the crack, clean area and put a small amount of some
epoxy magic stuff along the crack.
When this has cured you hopefully have a chance to really clean
the cracked part and maybe brush it or sand it a little to give
a slightly better repair. Apply more magic stuff.

I did a very successful repair this way but in that case it was
not a crack but a hole (stamped trough the sidecase by the
edge of the brake pedal). This was a permanent repair by
gluing on a coin. Quite stylish and corrosion resistant.

 

On Jun 11, 12:09 pm, Rob Kleinschmidt <>
wrote:
[snip]

Well, my first reflex is to say "Duct tape." Lots
and lots of duct tape...

-- Michael

 

Look at Permatex gas tank repair epoxy. Instructions say it can be put on a
"wet leaking tank" May work with oil also. Two part putty type stick. Knead
until one color and press into leak. Two hours to set up. Also somewhere
(where???) May have been a JC Whitneys catalog. I saw an ad for a tape made
for this purpose that could be applied to a "wet" tank leak and sealed. W W

 

As far as gas tanks go, a bar of hand soap rubbed into a hole or crack
with react with the gasoline and make a temporary fix. I did this on a
car with a 27 gal. fuel tank when I punched a hole in it right after
filling up. Drove it until the tank was almost empty before removing the
tank for a proper repair.

Might work for oil too, I haven't needed to try that.

Les

 

Bubble gum? Hey I'm just saying...

 

Good thought. I guess if you were a real diehard rider,
you could experiment a little beforehand and actually
have the right stuff in your spares kit.

It's a less than perfect fix for gas tanks BTW, but can
definitely slow a leak way down.

 

Now you're just being silly!

-- Michael

 

Not really...you'd be amazed at the things repaired (temporarily) with bubble
gum. Silly would be duct tape, that stuff just wont stick if oil has ever been
on a part.

 

It will if the oil residue is properly cleaned. We do this at work all
the time to prevent welding slag from getting into the seats of
expensive pipeline ball valves.

Les

 

Was that milspec or standard bubblegum ? I'd be surprised if
it would adhere well to a hot casing, though I suppose the
heat might actually help vulcanize it on.

My first choice would probably be that frikking road tar
that I'm still trying to scrape off my engine fins.

 

There is a material, similar to JB Weld, that is used to repair cracks
in cast-iron boilers. You roll it out into a string and pound it into
the cracks.

The name escapes me, but I can find out tomorrow.

 

What sort of guys hang out at Alices!?.....a bunch of wannabe posers!?

Surely one of them would have offered the guy a ride home while someone
else organised a ute to take his bike home for him!....Shit, it's only
15-20 miles. Where is the compassion.........

 

Standard nickle gum you get in the nice wax paper wrapper for $.05

Too likely to dissolve from the oil and gas...

 

I've got some in the garage, and like you, can't remember the name!