final drive oil level

[Lucky_Lou]

Im confused by the advice given in my Haynes manual about the oil level in the final drive it says stick a screw driver in and it should be 1/4 inch on the end when you reach the shaft ? i tried it but there must be a better way
any advice
 Ta Lou

[nothing]

Im confused by the advice given in my Haynes manual about the oil level in the final drive it says stick a screw driver in and it should be 1/4 inch on the end when you reach the shaft ? i tried it but there must be a better way
any advice
 Ta Lou

Those instructions are for the driveshaft oil level, not the final drive. Is that part of the problem?

The final drive should be filled to the bottom of the check hole, which is the bolt-filled hole at the rear of the final drive. Older units may not have the check hole, however. Somebody else will have to help you if yours is like that.

[montmil]

Im confused by the advice given in my Haynes manual about the oil level in the final drive it says stick a screw driver in and it should be 1/4 inch on the end when you reach the shaft ? i tried it but there must be a better way
any advice
 Ta Lou

Those instructions are for the driveshaft oil level, not the final drive. Is that part of the problem?

The final drive should be filled to the bottom of the check hole, which is the bolt-filled hole at the rear of the final drive. Older units may not have the check hole, however. Somebody else will have to help you if yours is like that.

...And later models with the shock-cushioned drive components can not be checked per the Haynes manual. I just drain the little dab of gear oil and freshen it up with the specified amount.

Monte

[Semper Gumby]

Hi Lou,
Sounds like the procedure for the Drive Shaft (between the Tranny and the Final drive.)  For the final drive I pour in 250cc and close it up on my 1980 (the level should be at the bottom of the threaded holes.)  For the Drive Shaft I put in 100cc even though my book says 150cc.  The reason for this is oil migration.  Any more than about 100-125cc of oil in the drive shaft and the oil slings through a breather hole between the drive shaft and the tranny and overfills the tranny.  This happens on long trips where I spend extended periods of time (hours) at 5000 rpm.  I think the amount of oil in the 09/1980 and beyond is 100cc.  (somebody correct me if I'm wrong).  The parts are vertually the same hence OK to use just 100cc in the pre 09/1980 drive shafts.

So I put in the recommended quantity and I don't even bother with the screw driver.  If it doesn't leak then you are golden.

Good luck.

[not-so-fast-ed]

Bill,  The stars aligned and my "Honey do" list was empty, so I pulled the transmission to lube the spline & replace the neutral switch yesterday.  Your note of adding only 100cc to the drive shaft is timely as I'm scratching my head in wonder at the amount of oil that came out of the drive shaft bellows.  I'm sure I added the 150cc the book called for, and checked the depth with a small screwdriver.  How much oil is normally found in the bellows when you open it up to pull the bolts from the output flange?

My book also calls for 350cc in the final drive.  I stopped when oil reached the threads of the side (weep) hole.

I also found that my clutch release lever boot was badly torn.  Lots of oil around it too.  Is it normal to expect oil in there?  Can't go riding until a new boot arrives.

May also remove the Pulse Air system while it's apart.

Thanks,   Ed

[nhmaf]

Gear oil in the clutch lever/piston boot is a good thing - it indicates that some oil from the transmission is indeed making it back there to the bearing and piston to keep thing lubricated.   If you take that boot off and things look kinda "gummy" and/or there is no trace of oil, you're likely going to have a problem...

I always put my oil pan under the drive shaft boot area when pulling that back - I generally don't seem to get even all of the 150cc from the driveshaft out as the bike usually still has the rear wheel on.  IF there is qhat seems like a very large amount of oil in there, it is possible that the seal on the output shaft of the transmission is leaking - causing gear oil to go "downhill" from the rear of the transmission down into the swingarm.   Did it really seem like you had alot of oil in the swingarm ?

[not-so-fast-ed]

About three ounces, or so, poured out while I was grabbing paper towels to sop it up.

None of my reading on pulling the transmission mentioned oil in either place.

Gumby mentioned a rod seal under the clutch rod boot (cup), but I couldn't find one on the RealOEM fiche.  He thought it would be fairly easy to replace the seal while I had the tranny loose.  I have left it with just the four bolts finger tight while awaiting the boot & other stuff.  

Thoughts?

Thanks,

Ed

[nhmaf]

On the earlier bikes there is/was a small felt seal in there.  the rod/piston/bearing/cup arrangement for the 1981 and later airheads is a bit different than the earlier ones.  I am trying to find the pics that I took when I was last servicing my bike, as yours should be the same, but am having problems finding where I stored those pics.....  maybe someone else will have some pics handy while I struggle to locate mine..