Oil leak from the drive shaft.

Hello again, since I have time I'm working on the bike (85, xj700) and I noticed an oil leak from the final drive shaft, exactly from the nut below from where you pour the thick oil on top of the shaft. The manual shows that a washer goes there, it didn't say what kind of washer it is. Mine is in place but maybe if not thick enough or not even the original, it's a thin metal washer. Anyone knows what can of washer I can used to prevent the leak o anything else to do to prevent the leak. Oil level inside there is on top. Thanks again...

 

That is an aluminum crush washer. A copper crush washer will also do the job.

 

Thanks K-moe, I put them in the upper bolt and lower bolt as well, the oil leak still there, but seems to come from the inside plates, the ones behind the chrome finishing. Any idea? may be a washer or an O-ring in the inside of the final shaft?

 

Post up a pic.

 

So rare for yamaha shaft drives to leak is it over full? Unless the vent is clogged then it will force out fluid when it gets warm

 

Where is that vent? I'll post a pic as soon as I can.

 

Also I was think that when I changed the trans oil, may be the new one was heavier than the one before...

 

The vent is that little silver cap looking thing at the very top of the housing.

 

Changed the oil for a grade 90. The leak seems to come from the drain bolt, few drops by the hours

 

Hi I had same problem , it was the o ring , and I put in a new vent , problem solved .

 

Honestly, I don't remember that the drain plug had an o-ring, but I'll try that. About the vent, never open it...It's a screw type cap?

 

Honestly, I don't remember that the drain plug had an o-ring, but I'll try that. About the vent, never open it...It's a screw type cap?

 

Honestly, I don't remember that the drain plug had an o-ring, but I'll try that. About the vent, never open it...It's a screw type cap?

 

Honestly, I don't remember that the drain plug had an o-ring, but I'll try that. About the vent, never open it...It's a screw type cap?

 

Hi Xjf, since I got the bike I never saw an o-ring in the drain screw, but I'll try with one. I never open the vent. It's a screw type cap or it just hold in place by pressure?

 

Hi Xjf, since I got the bike I never saw an o-ring in the drain screw, but I'll try with one. I never open the vent. It's a screw type cap or it just hold in place by pressure?

 

The drain plug has a copper washer just . The vent it a pain , it is conical shaped inside with a tiny hole near the top , and the cap, the bit you see , has a small spot weld to hold the breather cap top on . The o ring is inside the shaft unit it's self . I don't no if I did the vent correctly , but half way up from the bottom I used a little fine emery paper on it , so half was rubbed down , half ( the top half that is , wasn't ) as I couldn't get it to fit in. The problem is if you hit the top to much with a hammer , you will poss bash in the breather hole

 

Ok the drain bolt for final drive uses the same "gasket" or drain plug sealing washer as oil pan drain bolt. It is a soft aluminum washer same as Honda, Kawi etc should be replaced every time you change oils

 

If you have trouble getting a new drain plug gasket any honda car dealer has them on hand Honda part #
12mm washer 94109-12000
14mm washer 94109-14000
About .60 cents
I think it's the 14mm for our bikes

 

I saw your pic, Toomanybikes, and It's thicker than I thought. Yesterday I putted on a thin one and the leaks still there. I'll change it for a thicker one today.... The real problem of where I'm living in is that you cannot find good mechanics or even parts for these older bikes. Right now everything here is from china, parts, bikes, everything, but the standard of this products is way below the standard of the same products that you find in the US i.e. so everything I do is almost handmade or in the best case from other bike and modified to fit mine....a real royal pain...

 

sadly i was able to see the leak and its not coming from the plug but from the inside of the hub. Is there any oring to change there? do I have to tear all the housing apart?

 

here is a pic...

 

Yes, there are a variety of O-rings and oil seals inside the drive housing.

 

ok. I pulled apart but i dont see any oring sealing where the oil seat.

 

There is an o-ring on the splined clutch hub (which is bolted to the wheel center), and another o-ring inside the bearing retainer (cover) on the "inside" of the final drive unit, as well as 2 oil seals inside the final drive unit.

 

There is also a very important procedure for setting gear lash once you go to reassemble everything, depending of course on how far you need to get into it to replace the leaky seal(s).

 

Ok....first of all, my bad...I got desperate when something happens to my bad...after cleaning everything I saw the oil sealer that may cause the leak... like I said before now the real challenge is to get that ... Just in case, Kmoe, dou you mind to tell me what is that procedure? and if I replace these, there is a need for me to follow that procedure?

 

Removing and replacing that bearing cover (and its o-ring) will not require re-setting of the gear lash (since you have not removed or changed the gearsets).

 

Ok guys...I got the new oil retainer... but in order for you to understand how tricky is to get parts here, I checked 42 autoparts catalogs, yep autoparts... and here is the part, that oil retainer is the same oil retainer that carry a Renault 12, I never saw a Renault in USA the time I was living there but for the ones of you that live in Europe this info can be handy.
Plus countless discussion with the guys behind the desk in the many autopart store I visited because I was looking for a bike part in a autopart store.... Now I have to see if it really fit in the afternoon.

 

Well, oil retainer fits beautifully, now the prying part for it to work right. Thanks Renault...

 

What's with all the red crap in there
Does the seal not fit correctly?
That will cause a problemif oil gets between seal and red goo!
The inner lip of the seal puts a given pressure in the shaft it seals against.
That pressure may be too high with all that silicon on it and wear out prematurely and the oil in gear case can't get to seal to lubricate and cool it

 

That red thing is a "gasket former" formulated to withstand high temperature and any derivate from petroleum. The sealer fit ok...but since I don't want to re-do this again that red thing is to prevent oil to pass the oil retainer...

 

That "gasket former" is designed to be a thin film between 2 parts to ensure sealing. Like around edge of seal when you press it in or where a gasket is sealing three parts at a joint in cases or a rubber bung in an engine cover

 

You're right... that's why I hope this work, I said "gasket former" because I don't know the translation in English, it may be not the correct word, but its a sealer, and since the oil is in the inside part I hope it work...

 

I also hope that there is not a clearance issue with the gasket former in there. It really should have not been used at all. Your final drive ran for around 30 years on the original oil seal without leaking. I agree that once cured there is a risk that the gasket former will prevent the oil seal lip from sealing correctly against the shaft.

 

The gasket former is not on the lip but in the outside of the sealer. Everything was installed yesterday and so far no leaks at all. I'm going to test drive her today and see what happens when everything gets heat up.

 

But you covered the outside edge of the lip with it, which may change the flexibility of the lip and cause a sealing problem down the road.

 

The whole reason why I did that its because the new sealer was 0.25mm bigger than the original. I sanded all around to came close to the specs. The old sealer had an o-ring, a real thin one, so to prevent any leaks once the sealer get in place due to use I use it. It may not be necessary but also its not the an original sealer I'm using. Only time will tell...

 

Indeed. Please let us know. There are a lot of XJ owners who are in the same boat as you and do not have affordable access to OEM or reproduction parts.

 

I will. Affordable it is...I look for the sealer in E-bay and it's u$s 3.99, problem here is the customs and mail, it may pass customs but get lost within the mail co. Anyway, legally you can import twice a year. More than that you need a licence and its considered by the estate that you are a dealership.

 

That is so much more restrictive than I would have thought. I suppose the state is trying to keep people from bypassing local businesses, but that seems excessive.

 

Then Rod1 that's perfect you become the only importer of mc parts as a sideline job

 

Agreed. So you pay the dealership who pays the estate to import parts? And the cost of trying to get the license as a enthusiast...forget about it.

Gary H.

 

Hi guys... First things first, this weekend I drove her a couple of miles, change the oil again for the hypo 80w-90, and drove her about 200 miles and still there is no leak at all. So, I could say it worked, not recommended if you can get the right. Rocs, you are right, as any third world country, get a license to import is way much more that fill out the paperwork it's about the money you have to do it and the right connections to do it. I mean, we're not in Cuba... there are a lot of commodities that everybody in the world could use, but for certain specifics things that are no wildly use as our bikes including parts, some kinds of cars, some kind of tools etc... is different...

 

And just think...All these years I've been trying to figure out how in the hell do they keep those motorcycles running in the middle of the jungle in a movie.

Gary H.

 

They do it the same way our grandparents kept the tractor running: they made new parts out of whatever was handy.

 

And a lot of other things. Everything came with a explanation..."It may not be what you want but it'll put a turd in your stomach". Makes more and more sense the older I get.

Gary H.

Sorry Rod...not trying to hj...back to the OP.

 

Hey Gary, no problem.... Even thou I'm not in the middle of the jungle... in fact, third world is not about economics at all, is just about a thing with try to get better than you were yesterday, do the right thing, and all those maxims (not the bike) Latins usually don't have a long term vision for themselves or their own countries.....Anyway like kmoe said, we do sometimes awesome stuff with what we have... in a way that explain why a lot of first countries go to third world countries looking for professionals in various areas...

 

Thanks for understanding. I wasn't implying you are in the jungle. Imo it's not whether a country has the economics it's who controls the economics that dictates a first or third world rating. A country doesn't stay a country without adequate economics. There are brilliant people throughout the world. Always has been, hopefully always will be.

Gary H.