I was seeing about a drop a day coming out from behind the right crankcase cover. I was hoping it was the kicker or clutch seal but it looks like it's leaking from behind the stator. Have any of you been successful at squeezing in a new crank seal without spreading the case halves apart? I'm very reluctant to attempt to loosen case bolts for fear of making it worse and biting off more than I can chew.
Could it be leaking from something other than the large crank seal? Should I even worry about a small leak? I'm from the school of "if it leaks it's broke" and I'm almost begging for someone to tell me that chasing small leaks is a never ending quest on these oldies and not to worry about it until it's something substantial.
Oil leak from behind stator... advice please... CA77 305There's two seals in there, one on the crankshaft and one in the starter sprocket. Neither is really very hard to replace. Relieve the sharp edge on the crankcase before you press the big seal in or you'll peel off some rubber on the outside edge. Don't loosen the case bolts. Personally, I live with two or three drops a day from that area, and still sleep pretty good...
Yes! That's what I wanted to hear. I will draw the line at 8 drops per day. As for the big seal, what do you use to press it in when the day comes? Should I buy a seal install tool. I'm not sure they make a seal driver for that seal and that situation. I usually just try to find a big socket or pipe or anything that will let the shaft through and has a the same O.D. as the seal. Work slowly and try to drive it in evenly until it's flush with the case. It will bottom out against the bearing just past flush if that's easier.
Thanks. The leaky seal had a rubber tab protruding past the outside diameter of the seal that was positioned at about 2:30 or so. I noticed there is actually a slot in the case at high noon, too. Is that little tab supposed to have been in the slot? I used the slot to drive a screwdriver into the old seal and pop it out but I'm wondering if, when I drive the new seal in, it should have the tab in the noon slot?  IMG_0617 by rzgkane, on Flickr Also, is the brownish goo I see at the case seams and around the crank seal housing factory? Or is that some old gorilla snot (3M weatherstrip adhesive) I see there?  IMG_0603 by rzgkane, on Flickr Poor little ring clip that holds on the starter gear.  IMG_0618 by rzgkane, on Flickr
Last edited by rzgkane on Mon May 21, 2012 9:54 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Yes the tab should go in the slot, but I'm not sure that really matters. You'd have to be lucky or very good to get it to line up exactly at the last minute... That brown stuff is obviously sealer, but that's a color I haven't seen from the factory. Also, they didn't put sealer around the seals. That was probably done by a P.O. Thought you were going to live with the leak??? Parking in the living room?
No, I needed to remove the stator to thoroughly check its condition anyway, and while I was in there I saw more oil than I was comfortable with. The windings of the stator were soaked in oil and the starter chain was slinging it all over the place. I'll feel better with a new crank seal and starter gear seal. Now, if only I could get the gosh dang bike to charge properly I'll be all set.
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