oil in the ignition advancer area?

[rakkid]

While I'm at it...

I pulled the ignition advancer off (to send off to Bob Broussard, who is awesome for modifying these, thanks!), and there was a tiiiny bit of oil in the casing area.  Probably about 3 to 5 drips worth, but the ignition advancer also clearly had some oil residue on it, too.. (but again, not all that much)

Is that normal?  Or does the oil seal need replacing?  I was looking through the OEM parts pictures/pages at Bikebandit, and I couldn't find that oil seal.  I couldn't even find the ignition advancer in their listing of OEM parts..?  Am I blind?  I seriously looked through them all like 5 times, haha..

[ATLRIDER]

It's supposed to be dry and you definitely don't wan't any oil getting on the ignition triggers.  Replace the seal as soon as you can.

[fred]

You probably need to replace gasket #2 on this diagram:

http://www.bikebandit.com/suzuki-motorcycle-gs500er-1994-crankcase-cover/o/m6054sch236252

Here's the link to the signal generator diagram too:

http://www.bikebandit.com/suzuki-motorcycle-gs500er-1994-signal-generator/o/m6054sch248376

The clutch cover gasket you need to replace has a bunch of holes in it that I believe include the one for the signal generator. Someone else can chime in if I'm wrong, but I replaced that gasket on my bike a while back and I'm pretty sure there wasn't much else there to prevent oil from leaking into the signal generator area... It is an easy gasket to replace, although the old one is probably super stuck to the cover, which will require much tedious scraping to remove. Not hard, just boring...

[ATLRIDER]

The oil seal is behind the ignition rotor.

[rakkid]

oh awesome!  Thanks!  I have nooo idea how I missed the signal generator page!  But there it is, clear as day, haha..  And seeing as it has no gasket with it in that pic, it would have taken a while to figure out which gasket needed replacing.  : o

Thanks so much!  And the bike is already partially torn apart, so I'll fix this while I'm at it!  Definitely don't want oil where it shouldn't be.  : D

[fred]

Definitely don't want oil where it shouldn't be.  : D

Yeah, keeping oil in the right place is the most consistent challenge I have with the GS. I'm getting close to having replaced every gasket on the bike at this point. Next time I get a chance to work on the bike I'm doing the cam chain tensioning gaskets and the left side case gasket. That leaves the oil pan gasket and the head gasket as the only two I haven't replaced yet (and hopefully won't have to).

[rakkid]

Alright..  so I think I figured this out, but not really sure..

Here is the crankshaft diagram..

http://www.bikebandit.com/suzuki-motorcycle-gs500er-1994-crankshaft/o/m6054sch235211

Is the ignition rotor screwed into that shaft?  If so, when I pull the ignition rotor off, I can see something with a rubber gasket on it, which I'd guess is an oil seal (#12 in the diagram)..?  Whatever that thing is, the oil is leaking from around the outer edge of it, it looks like.  --  After closer inspection and picture taking, it might be leaking from the inner edge of that seal... between the seal and the shaft sticking out.  There's definitely a small amount of grease that's come through the inner edge.

I also think there are some sort of seal type things (#6 in the diagram) which go between the crankshaft (perhaps that #12 oil seal..?) and the crankcase?

Here's a picture of the the ignition rotor area on my bike.. (don't mind the ugly looking crankshaft..)





Pretty much the shiny parts = oily spots.

Do you think it might just be this oil seal, or would the #2 gasket on the crank-case-cover still be a possible culprit?  Either way, this will be one lovely project to fix..  If I need to pull the whole thing apart, I guess I'll be able to check out gasket #2, which might not even be salvage-able once removed, if it's going to be stuck to the case and requiring scraping, haha..

Wow, nice!  All fresh gaskets!  Lots of work, yikes!  : o

[sledge]

Thats a fugged lip-seal if ever I saw one. The numbers indicate its dimensions 22x40x8mm

[ATLRIDER]

Yep, #12 is the culprit. 

[fred]

Yup, that looks like your problem. That rubber seems to deteriorate pretty badly by the time it is 15 years old. Gaskets too. Slowly all the gaskets and rubber bits on my bike are being replaced as they fail and cause leaks and squeaks and all kinds of other hassles. I wonder how you are supposed to get at that seal. Can you get it from the front, or do you have to take the case cover off and get at it form the other side?

[rakkid]

Sweet, thanks!  Ohhh, the dimensions, too, nice!  I was wondering if the dif numbers were a part number or what.  Good to know for any other yet-to-be-found problematic seals! 

I have noooo idea how I'm supposed to change that seal, haha..  I'll have to look in my book.  The only thing I could find showed the whole engine taken apart.     Hoopefully not that drastic..  I'm not sure if the crank case cover will get my access, or if I need to pull the engine apart.  yikes!  Do you remember if having the side casing off gave access to that seal?

Whatever taking-apart I'll need to do is going to have to wait, though!  I'm about to head out of town for a month..  and I already have the swing arm and all the rear suspension pieces all over the garage..  Hopefully those will go back together before I leave, or something is bound to disappear..

[sledge]

I have noooo idea how I'm supposed to change that seal, haha.. 

......one of these will make it easy.

http://www.mewillis.co.uk/DetailProducts.asp?StkNum=11480

Hook and lever the old one out with the tool, lube the new one with clean oil and carefully drift it in nice and square with a socket.......5 min job. BTW drain the oil first.

[joshr08]

you can also just use a couple drywall or deck screws and a pair of plyers to get them out.

[rakkid]

ohhh, hell yes!  That sounds SOO much easier!

and I need to write down to drain the oil, or I am seriously going to forget, haha..  and like post-it note the oil seal.