i wen't to take off my exaust can yesterday and noticed that I had some crud built up on my final drive in the fron bottom near the boot. I checked the flud level and it looked a little low. Shold I start pinging about this or just monitor it to see if it gets worse? I am going to change the fluid today when I get home. I am just scared my seal is leaking.
I read that if the vent is clogged it can cause it to leak. I have had some mud on it and that might be what is wrong, but I can't find anything on how to take the vent apart and clean it. Can you people that are much smarter and experianced than me help? You wouldn't want to see a grown man cry would you.
There is truth that if the vent on top of the final drive is blocked oil can be forced out of the input drive shaft seal and seep through the botom of the lower paralever rubber boot.
It is also possible for oil to come out of the gearbox (should the output shaft oil seal on the grearbox fail), run down the drive shaft and seep through the botom of the lower paralever rubber boot, though often when this happens the oil also goes into the final drive (oil seals only work one way) and can overflow through the final drive vent. Check the level in the gear box as well.
If you are lucky it was simply over pressure in the final drive pushing the oil out.
You know now that you mention it I have seen some fluid coming out of the vent. Now I am scared that my tranny might have a bad seal. Damn my luck.
I am going to go home and check my fluid in the tranny.
Thanks,
Tommy
Mine is an 04 with 30,000 miles and I don't have the extended warranty so I don't think that they will fix it. I am still going to go and see. Thanks for all the help. I did check the fluid levels and the only one that looked alittle low was the tranny. The leak isn't completely horrible so I am not in too big of a hurry to get it fixed. I am going to monitor it for a while and see if it gets any worse.
thanks for all the help.
Tommy
If the oil is coming from the gearbox via the output shaft seal - the seal may be leaking because it is damaged. Usual cause is output shaft bearing.
To check - put bike on centre stand, bike in neutral and turn the rear wheel and listen for grinding...........there will of course be noises from the box, but more of a swirling sound than a grind. You can also drop the oil (ever so easy to do and refil) from the gearbox and see what comes out. A bad bearing will have deposited small pieces of chrome in the oil - you can't misss it if it is there.
Worst case is gearbox out and new bearings. A good dealer or specialist non main dealer can do this without drama and for a sensible cost (do shop around but use someone who knows BM boxes). A good rebuilt box is normally a better box than when new from the factory.
I've had both leakages.... first my gearbox via the driveshaft (during my hollydays in the UK), now 2 times in 1 week at the final drive: rear-disc was grease> seal replaced, 3 days later: rear-disc grease and oil-drops en trails on the tire...
3 leakages in 4 weeks: this is what they call a "premium brand" with "premium quality"??? : don't make me laugh...
has run 30.000 km's
ed@r1150r wrote:I've had both leakages.... first my gearbox via the driveshaft (during my hollydays in the UK), now 2 times in 1 week at the final drive: rear-disc was grease> seal replaced, 3 days later: rear-disc grease and oil-drops en trails on the tire...
3 leakages in 4 weeks: this is what they call a "premium brand" with "premium quality"??? : don't make me laugh...
has run 30.000 km's
nothing lasts forever and the driveshaft seals are a known issue, you're lucky they've lasted as long.
Be thankful you're not on a Honda that's got regulator/rectifier gremlins which strand you with a totally dead bike. At least you can still ride it.
ed@r1150r wrote:I've had both leakages.... first my gearbox via the driveshaft (during my hollydays in the UK), now 2 times in 1 week at the final drive: rear-disc was grease> seal replaced, 3 days later: rear-disc grease and oil-drops en trails on the tire...
they (the dealer) mounted a seal in the final drive wrong, which was causing the leakage......
ed@r1150r wrote:I've had both leakages.... first my gearbox via the driveshaft (during my hollydays in the UK), now 2 times in 1 week at the final drive: rear-disc was grease> seal replaced, 3 days later: rear-disc grease and oil-drops en trails on the tire...
they (the dealer) mounted a seal in the final drive wrong, which was causing the leakage......
I hope they repaired it under warranty then?
I suspect the same has just happened to me - had a seal replaced at the 6K (3rd Rock, an 04 bought in April with only 1200 miles on it) and it started weeping again almost immediately. it's going in again at the end of august for the 12000 so they're going to fix it again.
ed@r1150r wrote:I've had both leakages.... first my gearbox via the driveshaft (during my hollydays in the UK), now 2 times in 1 week at the final drive: rear-disc was grease> seal replaced, 3 days later: rear-disc grease and oil-drops en trails on the tire...
they (the dealer) mounted a seal in the final drive wrong, which was causing the leakage......
I hope they repaired it under warranty then?
I suspect the same has just happened to me - had a seal replaced at the 6K (3rd Rock, an 04 bought in April with only 1200 miles on it) and it started weeping again almost immediately. it's going in again at the end of august for the 12000 so they're going to fix it again.
yeah, they did. I had it repeared right away: the oil was on my back disc, wheel and tyre......
together with some other stuff what had to be done under warranty, like replacing the blue bubblish parts, and the white spotted final drive......
this weekend i went on a jaunt....before i left i checked all the fluids...all was SAT.
Coming home there was a wicked "wobble" when i clutched in and braked,
It was so bad that i stayed at a buddys place last night. This AM while waiting for a tow I was surveying the damage., steady dripping from the boot and final drive and lots of metal shavings.........
As things happen I'll post up
You think chicks dig guys who look like road-grimed astronauts and have interesting x-rays?
rock712 wrote:this weekend i went on a jaunt....before i left i checked all the fluids...all was SAT.
Coming home there was a wicked "wobble" when i clutched in and braked,
It was so bad that i stayed at a buddys place last night. This AM while waiting for a tow I was surveying the damage., steady dripping from the boot and final drive and lots of metal shavings.........
As things happen I'll post up
blimey - that's not good.
Noticed last night that mine is getting a lot worse - may have to see if I can get it fixed next week instead of waiting another couple of weeks for the 12000.
I noticed a build up of oily gunk under my final drive today. Not a massive amount and not wet. How do you check the oil level in there? And where is the vent?
Just popped the rear wheel off for a better look and there is a little oil around the boot. None pumps out if I squeeze it tho so there cant be much in there. Will have to keep an eye on it.
If it's a known issue do BMW repair it under warranty even if you're out of warranty?
You wouldn't want to see a grown man cry would you.
The leak isn't completely horrible so I am not in too big of a hurry to get it fixed. I am going to monitor it for a while and see if it gets any worse.
