Leak update. I pulled the exhaust and checked the trans side door bolts. All nice and snug per spec. Jacked up the bike and pulled both shocks (mild pain in (edit) ). Cleaned all the oil and dirt from around the transmission to the point that dragging a clean paper towel across any section showed no dirt. OK, my trap is set. Any fluid heading to that lower stud on the transmission will leave tracks back to it's origination point. Crawled under there this morning and sure enough a drip had formed on the stud. From where? Nothing around the stud was wet. This leak is coming from the stud itself. Nothing in my manual shows or mentions this stud and how it is attached to the transmission. I went out to bikebandit and found an explosion diagram for 98 Fatboy transmission.
Assuming my 97 trans is the same you can see part 176 in the diagram listed as 176:STUD, RIGID TRANSMISSION CASE and appears to be threaded on both sides. My question is: Does this stud go all the way through into the case into the fluid resevoir? I would guess so and that would explain how fluild is seeping it's way down the stud. Is it supposed to go all the way into the resevoir? There is no sign of cracks. Can I double nut this stud and pull it out... Teflon paste it and thread it back in to fix the leak?
Assuming my 97 trans is the same you can see part 176 in the diagram listed as 176:STUD, RIGID TRANSMISSION CASE and appears to be threaded on both sides. My question is: Does this stud go all the way through into the case into the fluid resevoir? I would guess so and that would explain how fluild is seeping it's way down the stud. Is it supposed to go all the way into the resevoir? There is no sign of cracks. Can I double nut this stud and pull it out... Teflon paste it and thread it back in to fix the leak?
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. After the fluid completely drained I re-inserted the stud coated with Teflon paste. Another check this morning and no more leak. Thanks for the help on this one.