Mechanical Help - Right side of bike ..

[giraffe]

Ok after changing my clutch plates (thanks racer bob)

I have developed a leak behind the signal generator cover (timing cover) on the right side of the bike.

If I remove that little cover, unbolt the spinning thing and remove the cylinder with the slot in it .. I will see (from memory) a metal cylinder with a small notch in it to rotate the rotor .. I beleive this is where the leak is coming from as the signal generator cover is always holding a little oil, which makes it down the insulated black wire and pisses all over the exhaust, just below the right footpeg.

I was about to buy a new cover (the large clutch cover not the little signal generator cover) but the guy (at the wrecker) said i may be able to buy a new seal ..

After removing the clutch cover I cleaned the gasket area well even washing the whole cover under a tap, after re-installing with a new gasket it started leaking from behind that rotor.

Perhaps I forgot to reinstall a part, or I damaged the seal, or perhaps I was supposed to smear some kind of grease around the rotor or in the seal before re-installation ..

Here is a great picture of the part i'm referring to - you can see to the left of the authors finger is the rightside engine cover with the metal cylinder that the rotor fits on to !! I'm almost certain that the leak is around this cylinder ..

http://www.angelfire.com/mt2/mikesgs500/timing/Dscf0294.jpg

Just to the left of the finger !! Is this SEAL removable and replaceable ?

[Blueknyt]

yes it is, and yes, when doing clutch work, or any other type of work behind that cover, its a good idea to replace the seal, it can be reused if not too old or damaged, but you have to be careful when reassembling. a small dab of grease wouldnt hurt, also, there are 2 bolts that sit behind that trigger plate, if these bolts arnt correctly tight, they MAY leak aswell. but i havent had that happen yet. if you go to  www.bikebandit.com

you can find just about every part you need



this link is to that seal, #12 its $5.43 http://www.bikebandit.com/partsbandit/oem_schematic_view.asp?schem_dept_id=705667&section_dept_id=1&section_dept_name=OEM+%28Stock+Parts%29&dept_type_id=2&model_dept_year=1989&model_dept_mfr=Suzuki&model_dept_id=703240&model_dept_name=GS500EK

[giraffe]

Thanks Blueknyt !

That wasn't an easy question, you must be quite experienced !!

I am assuming that the seal is flush or in-line with the cover and therefore must be secured there somehow so it doesn't fall into the engine or fall away out into the rotor ..

How is this seal mounted on to the clutch cover ?

One last question. On most modern japanese motorcycles, where are the different main 'organs' located ? Eg. is the clutch always on the right, generator on the right etc ..

Thank you Blueknyt, (and well done bikebandit.com for the online diagrams, very impressive !)

[KevinC]

The  crankshaft seal is a press fit into the clutch cover. There is a lip in the cover that acts as a stop, and prevents it from going in any farther.  It is much easier to get out with the clutch cover off the bike, but if remember which way it goes in correctly, you can do it with the cover on the bike.

There is a metal cup that hold the seal, and is the part that press fits into the cover. If you drill a small hole in the cup, and turn a self-tapping screw in, you can usually get the seal to come out.

When installing the new seal, the inner lip and the crankshaft should be lubed with some engine oil. You can tap it onto place, squarely, with a drift or the flat end of a socket, and a small ball peen hammer.

The "organs" of a Japanese bike used to be in pretty constant place, but in the quest to make in-line 4 engines more compact, they have been moving things around. The alternator is rarely on the outboard end of the crankshaft anymore. And alternate engine layouts like a v-twin can mean the main components are re-arranged.

[giraffe]

The crankshaft seal is a press fit into the clutch cover. There is a lip in the cover that acts as a stop, and prevents it from going in any farther. It is much easier to get out with the clutch cover off the bike, but if remember which way it goes in correctly, you can do it with the cover on the bike.
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This seems easy enough, by the sounds of it the seal is like a thick washer that can be pushed into the cover until the cover with its lip on the 'engine side' will prevent further insertion.

There is a metal cup that hold the seal, and is the part that press fits into the cover. If you drill a small hole in the cup, and turn a self-tapping screw in, you can usually get the seal to come out.

When installing the new seal, the inner lip and the crankshaft should be lubed with some engine oil. You can tap it onto place, squarely, with a drift or the flat end of a socket, and a small ball peen hammer.

Totally lost you here Kevin hehe ..    

Cups ? DRILLS ?! Self-tapping screws ? ...


Thanks for your ongoing support Kevin and Blueknyt !!

[Bob Broussard]

The easiest way to chang the seal is to remove the sidecase first.
then knock the seal out from the inside of the case with a punch and hammer.
Then if you have a socket that is the diameter of the seal, you can use the flatside (back) against the seal. I've used a extension on the socket (installed   inside where you normally put the nut in). Then tap on the extension and drive the seal in the hole.
Put some lube in the seal where it fits on the crank before you put the case on.

[Blueknyt]

OK, here you go, With NEW seal already obtained, remove the parts on the right hand side of the engine, do this soon before too many heat cycles bake the gasket on and make it a real hassle to get off. [tip: coat both sides of the gasket with a thin film of grease, it will seal just fine and it makes removing the cover and gasket alot easyer next trip around,i have found the gasket even remains intact for reuse] using a punch or suitable equivalent, knock the seal out from inside area of cover. take care not to mar the area where the seal sits. i clean this area up with alittle fine grit sandpaper, then give it a touch of grease ( my engines dont squeek) and gently work the seal into place with either a socket of same outide diameter as the seal with gental taps from a hammer or block of wood, once seated, little dab of grease (there it is again) on inside of seal,or light greasing of the shaft, (hehehehe he said shaft) make sure gasket is inplace (greased) and re-assemble in reverse order.

DISCLAIMER

for the Record, i have YET, to have a gasket fail, factory or home made, with the use of grease on them. white lithium or standard wheel bearing grease works just the same. over time i have found alittle weeping, and it cleans up just fine.I have never had a seal blow out by using grease as assembly lube, but should not be used for engine building. the amount of grease or white lithium used is just enough to put a glaze on gasket/seal sufaces, never globed,  globs clog pickup screens and oil filters.

[giraffe]

Ahhh thank you posters I really appreciate this !!!