Oil leak in middle gear area?

[wingrider]

Hey All,

Hopefully I am posting this in the correct spot, as it is my first post. This past summer I bought a 97 V-max, and have been chasing some minor engine oil leaks on it.

I think I've got them all cleared up except one. It is hard for me to tell, but it appears that it comes out the rear of the middle gear, and drips down onto the exhaust pipe, and then the ground. It really isn't a lot of oil, but after a while makes a mess.

If I position the dust seal that covers the U joint so that the weep hole is not at the bottom, the leak goes away...and the dust seal gets oil in it. I am guessing that the O ring at the rear of the middle gear is shot, which is allowing the oil to weep out. Has anyone heard of this seal leaking?

I have been looking at the shop manual for it, and it shows the motor sitting on a bench to replace this o-ring. I am wondering if this repair can be done by taking the swing arm off instead, and accessing it that way.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks for any help!

 

[1967vmax]

It could be the grommet on the stator wires and oil is running down the wires or could be the shift shaft seal.JIm

 

[maxcruiser]

If it's coming from the dust boot, than it's more than likely coming from the middle gear/output shaft.

You can remove with the engine in the bike, by removing the wheel/swingarm, but you may have to lift the gas tank out of the way - can't remember if it can come out with the tank in place.

Mike

 

[wingrider]

Thanks for the replies so far. I actually fixed a small leak that was at the stator wire grommet, and thought I checked the shift shaft seal, and it appeared to be dry, but it is possible. I'll have to check it out again as it warms up.

Glad to hear if it is in the middle gear that I can access it from the rear taking the swing arm off. I'm not opposed to pulling the motor, but it seems simplier to do just the wheel/swingarm.

 

[one2dmax]

It could be the o-ring seal on the aluminum housing for the middle gear (accessed by removing the three bolts and yanking it out - once the rear diff is off). Or, more likely it's the oil seal from where the u-joint passes into the drive gear.

BUT,

It's actually probably leaking rear end fluid down the swingarm from a worn seal on the drive shaft where it plugs into the rear diff.

Sean

 

[wingrider]

It could be the o-ring seal on the aluminum housing for the middle gear (accessed by removing the three bolts and yanking it out - once the rear diff is off). Or, more likely it's the oil seal from where the u-joint passes into the drive gear.

BUT,

It's actually probably leaking rear end fluid down the swingarm from a worn seal on the drive shaft where it plugs into the rear diff.

Sean

Sean,

Thanks for posting. If it was the oil seal from the drive gear, can I still access it by pulling the swing arm, or does the motor come out for that?

Looking in the manual, it doesn't appear that it is real hard to replace the seal back by the rear diff....or am I reading it wrong?

I suppose it's possible that they are all leaking...the bike has about 35xxx on it.

 

[one2dmax]

All the above mentioned parts do not require engine removal. The driveshaft seal only requires removal of the wheel and rear diff (the shaft will pull out with the diff but you then pull it out of the diff). The rest is accesable with removal of the swingarm.

Sean

 

[hubeerjw]

I fixed a friends Venture with a bad middle gear seal. Not too bad of a job really.
There are some torque specs for the U-Joint that you should be paying attention too (I believe there is a metal spacer that you can actually crush if the nut is over-tightened)... It is pretty well explained in the manual.

Jeff

 

[gleno]

All the above mentioned parts do not require engine removal. The driveshaft seal only requires removal of the wheel and rear diff (the shaft will pull out with the diff but you then pull it out of the diff). The rest is accesable with removal of the swingarm.

Sean

It sounds like you may have experience with this kind of job and I need to replace the rear seal so, what do I have to do?

If the three retaining bolts are removed from the middle gear housing can the whole middle gear assembly be removed as a unit?

Does the dust seal (oil seal) replacement require the remoival of the universal yoke and retaining nut?

Need a quick how to for this one please.:worthy:

 

[one2dmax]

There are 2 seals in the middle drive gear. One is an o-ring that requires removal of the whole assembly to replace (take the 3 bolts out and give it a tug). The other seal requires removal of the u-joint and once out of the way is simple to swap out too.

Sean