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General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> Stator Wires Grommet Leak
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Message started by ThumperPaul on 11/15/23 at 05:54:11

Title: Stator Wires Grommet Leak
Post by ThumperPaul on 11/15/23 at 05:54:11

I’m starting a new thread here after posting my issue in the wrong forum. Hopefully, this can help others that encounter this issue and people can add advice and comments below and correct me if I’m wrong.

1) Our bikes have a “wet stator”. It gets “oil bathed/splashed” apparently for cooling purposes. This should have been obvious to me, but I’ve become accustomed to replacing stators on little 125cc dirt bikes that have a dry stator. The clue I missed is that our bikes have a real “generator cover gasket”.

2) Aftermarket stators are a fraction of the cost of an OEM stator. They apparently are not designed ideally (you get what you pay for) and the stator wires that pass through a grommet (that run to the regulator) are not sealed well and allows for an oil leak. Photo courtesy of DragBikeMike of a clean install. And next photo of mine with an RTV silicone patch job. This patched has failed after “some time”. I don’t know how long it worked as this is an issue that came with the purchase of my project bike.

I’m going to repatch with some Permatex Ultra Black and see if I can stop the leak. I’m wide open to better ideas and suggestions!

Title: Re: Stator Wires Grommet Leak
Post by ThumperPaul on 11/15/23 at 06:01:10

And the failed rtv silicone patch job. Adhesion to the cover is still pretty good, but there is a good sized gap between the wires allowing oil to pass through and leak. It would make a nice automatic chain lubricator, but I don’t think the drive belt cares for it too much.

Title: Re: Stator Wires Grommet Leak
Post by verslagen1 on 11/15/23 at 07:54:08

to me, a patch on a patch is a leak waiting to happen.

I would remove all patches, clean thoroughly, apply rtv and hope for the best.

if the existing grommet is known to fail, get an oem plug and install as close to oem as possible.

Title: Re: Stator Wires Grommet Leak
Post by och on 11/15/23 at 10:33:48

This is likely not where the leak occurs. Just a year ago I went through absolute hell with an oil leak that looked like it originated at the stator plug - I opened it up several times, replaced the gasket several times, then gave up on the gaskets and used RTV silicone instead. All to no avail, I was ready to junk the bike.

And then DragBikeMike suggested to check the starter o-ring. There is a weep hole in the starter cavity that drain directly onto the stator plug, without being aware of this hole there is no way it would occur that it even exists. I'll try to dig the old thread and post a link here, but long story short - after months of downtime, hours of work, and hundreds of dollars in expenses it was 5 minute job to unbolt the starter, replace a 75 cent o-ring and put the starter back in.

Title: Re: Stator Wires Grommet Leak
Post by och on 11/15/23 at 10:38:52

This is my old thread.

https://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1665610530

Title: Re: Stator Wires Grommet Leak
Post by ThumperPaul on 11/15/23 at 12:12:04

Thank you Och! Verslagen touched on the starter o-ring being a possibility yesterday. I am going to check the starter this afternoon because it was recently replaced by the prior owner. It may be the source of my leak. HELP! Specifically, where does it weep from that it mimics the stator wire grommet location?

Right now I'm still thinking the leak is from the grommet, but I also thought the other day that it was the bottom of the generator case. I am obviously not 100% sure! I've cleaned it up, but I'm having a hard time pinpointing the exact location. The bike isn't running right now and the leak has stopped. But, I know it will start leaking again once the oil starts circulating.

I haven't gone through the grief you did. Thank God. I'm hoping everyone's help here saves me!

Title: Re: Stator Wires Grommet Leak
Post by ThumperPaul on 11/15/23 at 12:34:10

It’s dry as a bone (just dirt and a dried up live oak leaf) under the starter and where I now see the weep hole directly above the front part of the drive pulley. I can see how this would mimic the stator wire grommet leak location. Second photo is a shot of the o-ring. It’s there, but it sure looks like it could use a ring that’s 1-2mm fatter/thicker. But it appears to be doing its job for now.

Title: Re: Stator Wires Grommet Leak
Post by ThumperPaul on 11/15/23 at 12:35:51

Starter o-ring photo. I’d feel better if it filled the grove more completely.

Title: Re: Stator Wires Grommet Leak
Post by verslagen1 on 11/15/23 at 12:47:36

o=ring grooves need to be wider then the o=rings to give room to expand.
they just need to be taller then the groove and the part it should engage.

Title: Re: Stator Wires Grommet Leak
Post by ThumperPaul on 11/15/23 at 13:39:35

Thanks Verslagen. That makes sense. I did find a 25 pack of these which are 35mm ID and 41mm OD. That makes a chubby 6mm thickness if my math is correct and if I understand circumference correctly. I’m not going to swap out at this point, because I don’t think it’s the source of my leak. When I redo the rtv silicone, I will mostly remove the old bandage from the outside, but I’m not removing the cover and doing anything from the inside. I’m pretty sure I see the opening in between the wires and not at the edges of the silicone patch. I at least want to give this a try before making the extra effort.

Title: Re: Stator Wires Grommet Leak
Post by och on 11/15/23 at 13:43:03

When I took my starter off it also looked bone dry in there, at least in the cavity - but the o-ring was not snug at all. Apparently there are several versions of the starter, but only one version of the o-ring, and it doesn't fit properly. I purchased three sizes of o-rings, and it was the "medium" size that fit nice and snug. They were sold in packs of 10, so I still have a bunch of them left. PM me your address, I'll put 3 of them in an envelope for you.

Title: Re: Stator Wires Grommet Leak
Post by ThumperPaul on 11/15/23 at 14:54:10

Thanks Och! I will PM you. I really don’t need 25 and I don’t feel like going to 3 different hardware and automotive stores hunting it down. I may as well swap out. It’s an easy 5-10 minute job. Won’t hurt. I at least want to compare. I read you had to use a hammer to get the starter in. I won’t be doing that.

Title: Re: Stator Wires Grommet Leak
Post by verslagen1 on 11/15/23 at 15:33:15

leak check

http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1335737953

Title: Re: Stator Wires Grommet Leak
Post by och on 11/15/23 at 15:37:14

It was just a light tap with the hammer, nothing crazy.

Title: Re: Stator Wires Grommet Leak
Post by ThumperPaul on 11/16/23 at 05:04:17

I hear ya! My trusty rubber mallet is never too far away! Lol

Title: Re: Stator Wires Grommet Leak
Post by ThumperPaul on 11/16/23 at 05:15:26

Ingenious Verslagen! I may have to try it. 10psi seems high though. Call me chicken - but I don’t want to cause a leak trying to find a leak.

Title: Re: Stator Wires Grommet Leak
Post by och on 11/16/23 at 11:00:45

I sent you the orings, but in the meantime you might want to test the pattern on how and when it leaks. When my starter oring was leaking, it was usually a very slow, if any leak while riding and idling, but the minute i shut down the engine it would drip a bunch of oil, but then when the bike would sit for a long period of time there would be no drips at all.

I guess centrifugal forces were carrying some oil up to the starter, and when the engine would stop, whatever oil was spinning would drip down into the weep hole and on the stator cover. But when the bike was sitting, there was nothing to drip since the stator cover was not leaking.

Title: Re: Stator Wires Grommet Leak
Post by ThumperPaul on 11/16/23 at 11:17:46

Thanks Och. I wouldn't think the o-ring on the starter could allow for a large leak. It's at the top of the engine and I wouldn't think the gear could bring up and splash that much oil up there and THEN for it to find the area of the starter o-ring and dump a bunch of oil doesn't seem real possible (maybe its the crankcase oil pressure that pumps a bunch of oil up there...I don't know...).

I re-patched the stator wire grommet this morning. I'll do the starter o-ring when I get them from you.

Meanwhile, I have to get her running before I can do any tests and checks. I need to clean and rebuild the carb and waiting for a decomp solenoid from Verslagen. I'm getting closer to a test start/run. Thanks again!

Title: Re: Stator Wires Grommet Leak
Post by och on 11/16/23 at 12:17:19

596578607D687F5D6C78610D0 wrote:

In my case it was splashing quite a bit, especially right after shutting down the engine.