Driveshaft oil leak

[capthowdy]

I just noticed tonight that I have a small amount of oil on the front end of my driveshaft. I know a lot of people have had this problem before but it seems to me that most people have a loud whining sound that comes with it. So far I have not noticed any such noise with the final drive. I am hoping that it is just a leak and no damage has occurred but I'm not taking any chances. What is the best way for me to get everything apart and check it out and what do I need to look for when I get it all torn down?

[AlabamaNomadRider]

As far as what all you need to do to get at it, I'm not sure. Sounds like you have a seal leaking. Is it possible that your rear end was overfilled. If it was overfull it would have leaked from the front. What year is your Nomad and how many miles do you have on it? There should be a link on Gadget's site for taking the drive shaft out.

[chuckster131]

I would say it's coming from the seal at the engine. You will need to remove the rear tire, and then pull the swing arm to gain access to the seal in the engine case.

AlabamaNomadRide could be on to something, if you over filled the rear end with gear oil. Check the oil leaking out to see if it is engine oil or gear lube. The feel and smell are very different between the two.

[capthowdy]

Sorry. I should have specified that. It is gear oil that is leaking. The bike is a 2001 FI with about 23,000 miles on it. I very seriously doubt that it has been overfilled, considering the fact that I haven't touched the rear end for about the past 15,000 miles. Exactly how much of a pain is getting to that seal going to be? Is the seal I'm looking for an o-ring type seal, or is it that large rubber piece at the front end of the driveshaft? Thanks for the help guys

[ringadingh]

Its your pinion seal that is leaking. Take a look at another thread here or look in the tech boards for some pics I have posted there. It will explain what is involved to fix the leak.

[dakota7557]

I had to fix my pinion seal a few weeks ago. Just took it apart (after I had another pinion seal lined up) and had the dealer take the collar off (mine was a 2000) and install the pinion seal. It took him about 20 minutes and he charged me $23 to do it. I brought it home and put things together, after I did the swing arm service since everything was apart anyway. I actually bought 2 seals and paid less than $4 each. Shouldn't be to hard of a fix. I put over 2000 miles on mine since and so far so good. Good Luck, Jody

[macmac]

When the pinion seal leaks it 'slings' gear oil UP the drive shaft, and it leaks out the rubber boot at the top. It is a good idea to replace the rubber boot too, since they fail sooner than I would have guessed.

BUT if you have seen the U joint and done the swing arm services before you may just remove the rear wheel and then the gear box.

To get that done, you pull the bags, do what ever you need to do to pull the axel out, a cheat is to un-do the swing arm long bolt, but leave it in place, just not threaded in which allows the swing arm to cock over a little more and you might sneak the axel out to drop the wheel.

With the shocks off of course. Be sure to grease the splines as you find them after cleaning.

I have seen a few Nomads with new rubber and no grease on the wheel splines. Those splines take a beating and get hot with no grease!

If you have never seen the U Joint do the swing arm service period! A lot of U joints were not properly greased from the factory, and a lot swing arm bearings were not greased well either.

Over filling is filling to book spec. There is too much oil in the case if you go by book spec.

The better method is to set the side stand on a 2x4 flat side down so there is a little less oil in the case.

15,000 is way to many miles on that smidgen of oil too. Yeah I know the book says 24,000 miles but the book is wrong. It is far better to change that gear oil at every engine oil change and if not every other engine oil change, based on engine oil changes at 3,000 miles.

The little gear oil gets heated to hotter than it should be, it gets mashed, and sliced, which all break oil molecules down fast. If the rear wheel splines run dry then there is even more heat.

The pinion shaft should have 0 lash (wiggle).

[capthowdy]

Ok thanks guys. I will tear into it this weekend. Hopefully I won't run into any surprises while I'm in there

[eagle]

How much oil goes into a 2001 rear end?

[ringadingh]

Its only takes about 6oz in there, with the bike on the sidestand, add oil until it starts to run out the filler hole. Do not overfill or you will ruin the seals nd it will leak on you.

[AlabamaNomadRider]

Be sure and use Mac's method of placing the side stand on the flat side of a 2 X 4. If you have the bike level as the book states you will have too much and this can very likely cause seal leakage. Better to have a tad too little than a tad over. Got to protect those seals.

[eagle]

Ring, is this what you are saying?

With the bike on it's side stand, fill the compartment with oil until the oil starts coming back out of the hole that you are filling?

Does this mean that you can basically only overfill this compartment by having the bike level and filling up with oil to the top of the filler hole?

[ringadingh]

Originally Posted by Eagle

Ring, is this what you are saying?

With the bike on it's side stand, fill the compartment with oil until the oil starts coming back out of the hole that you are filling?

Does this mean that you can basically only overfill this compartment by having the bike level and filling up with oil to the top of the filler hole?

Thats exactly what Im saying, you can put a 1 or 1 1/2" board under the sidestand while filling, but don't have the bike level, you will overfill it then.

[macmac]

Yup! Do not over fill... The choices are having nothing under the side stand, to settting the side stand down on a block upto and no more than 1.5inches high.

Higher than that, and or a level bike is too much oil and that will drown the seals.

Once oil passes a seal that way there is no stopping the leak, untill you remove the seal and clean it, or replace it.

That last (point something) in ounces called by the book just is adding too much.

When a guy insists on adding what the book says, I call it Killing by Kindness. Americans for some reason want more, always more, more appears to be better always, but not in this case.

If the final drive case was only 2/3rds full that would be plenty. All that needs to happen is the ring gear gets oil on the down stroke and then pull oil to the top to work.

The real problem there is no 6 ounces of oil there will run out any 24,000 miles. That spec is laughable. But that's what the book says.

I have no idea in measured exact ounces of gear oil I add. None. No idea what so ever.

I know it is less than book spec and I have never had a leak there in my 01 and or my 06. That doesn't mean I never will, as wear and tear one day will make any seal leak.

Cars and trucks hold gear oil by the quarts, not a few measely ounces. And at 24,000 miles their oil is beat.