Dave wrote on 08/07/14 at 03:27:54:It could also be the O-ring on the part that is mounted in the engine block. Mine started leaking earlier this summer.
I had a strange once in a while issue with a fine oil drops on the right side of the engine, and it would also get on top of the fuel tank. I could ride for weeks with nothing....and then it would show up - but I could not find the source. Then one day I had a spotless bike and was headed to a show and group ride. I stopped on the way and noticed the oil spray, and I found the speedo drive nut had oil on it....and suddenly I figured out the scenario. When I got on the highway that morning I did a full throttle run through the first 3 gears....and evidently when the crankcase pressure builds under full throttle and high rpms - it can force oil out the speedometer drive. Mine no longer has the cable and is blocked off - but the oil was coming past the O-ring on the piece that holds the drive gear into the case. I fixed that....and now I no longer have a leak.
Dave
Hi Dave,
Actually, an oil seal, not an o-ring, is utilized by the factory where the speedometer cable housing screws in to the top of the engine block via the knurled fitting (unless you know of an o-ring below this area that I'm unfamiliar with). Said oil seal is discussed earlier in this thread.
My personal history with this seal is detailed here (this is a quote from an earlier post to this current thread):
Digger wrote on 08/22/12 at 19:42:17:It will be interesting to see what luck people have with the OEM seal.
Mine started leaking not long after I got the bike (I bought it used with 70 miles on it back in 2001 - see signature block for specifics on the bike).
I replaced the OEM seal with an o-ring when the bike had about 600 miles on it. A few years back, that o-ring started to leak, so I swapped out the old o-ring for a new one. The bike now has 12,500 miles on it....and the second o-ring is still hanging in there....
Odd that you mention an o-ring, however, as that is how I generally seal this area (see
here)
Jus' clearin' up the terminology......