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Question: Speedo cable leaking oil? How did you fix it?

No. Never a drop.
Yes. O-rings.
Yes. Removed speedo.
Yes. Taped threaded.
Yes. Did not fix. Still leaks.
Yes. Tried Ben's discovery and doesn't leak now.


« Last Modified by: Ben aka ubergeek on: 05/28/12 at 09:34:00 »

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A potential fix for speedo cable oil leak! (Read 1967 times)
Ben aka ubergeek
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A potential fix for speedo cable oil leak!
05/13/12 at 17:33:14
 
Ok so here goes...

Last year I had my '87 Savage get a new gasket set and piston rings.  However, even after allowing time for break in and re-torquing engine bolts periodically, I noticed an oil leak.  Wouldn't you know it. The speedometer cable was the culprit.  So after a quick look on this wonderful resource known as suzukisavage.com, I promptly put on an o-ring of adequate size and composition as described by so many others here.  This seemed to fix the problem, at least temporarily.

I ride about 120 miles a day, round trip to work and back home.  Eventually the dang o-rings gave out.  So i replaced them. One and then another and another.  The whole time I have been on a mission to find the OEM seal.  This is not possible, it seems, without ordering a whole new speedometer cable.  Well, I decided, if that was the case, that I would order one of the RYCA speedo cables and setup a mini speedo.  After some correspondence with RYCA, however, I was told that there speedo cable does not include a seal.  Puzzling, I thought.

Not one to be easily put off track, I decided to give my local hardware stores a try.  After some quick searches here, I located an image of the OEM seal.



Armed with this image and a plastic spacer (that I had modified to be the size that was required), I headed off to hunt.

After a long day of browsing I came home with quite a few hopefuls.



Total cost for everything was less that $5.

One item in particular stood out from the rest.  A Bonded Sealing Washer 1/4" radius.  



This little guy has a conical galvanized metal washer that is bonded to and NEOPRENE seal.  The seal's inner diameter is just slightly less than the metal washer's.  



I unscrewed the speedo cable. Then removed inner cabling and slid the washer down the whole thing metal side down.  This allowed the metal to go around the larger diamter of the part that inserts into the transmission. and also allowed the neoprene seal to snug against the inner speedo cabling.  It fits perfectly (pics to come in the next few days.

So now I am running it this way.  After a few days I will inspect the seal to check for wear and tear.  I know that EPDM is not ideal for being in contact with oil.  However if this works, I have alread located a neoprene or butyl seal with a stainless washer substrate.  The cost for 100 of these is about $15.  I hope to eliminate all future speedo oil leaks with this endeavor.  Any ideas or feedback would be welcome.

BTW for anyone who wants to try this.  You can pick up the same one I have at Home Depot.  Check the pic for the part number, but its in the hardware aisle.
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« Last Edit: 07/11/12 at 11:30:08 by Oldfeller--FSO »  

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Re: Permanent fix for speedo cable oil leak!
Reply #1 - 05/14/12 at 06:47:45
 
Wow, cant wait on the results.
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Re: Permanent fix for speedo cable oil leak!
Reply #2 - 05/14/12 at 09:03:17
 
SmileySomeone else on this forum suggested using some yellow teflon tape (oil resistant) on the threads in addition to the o ring seal.  I tried it 3 years ago and no leaks since.
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Re: Permanent fix for speedo cable oil leak!
Reply #3 - 05/14/12 at 18:19:17
 
I just deleted the cable. End of leak. As in, not a drop out that hole without a cable in it. Cable acts as a wick.

Haven't run a speedometer on the bike for about 6 years. No tickets, speeding or equipment violation.
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Re: Permanent fix for speedo cable oil leak!
Reply #4 - 05/14/12 at 20:18:58
 
WD wrote on 05/14/12 at 18:19:17:
I just deleted the cable. End of leak. As in, not a drop out that hole without a cable in it. Cable acts as a wick.

Haven't run a speedometer on the bike for about 6 years. No tickets, speeding or equipment violation.


WD, there are several mods that we can recommend to help you get tickets for speeding, loud pipe, and many others. Just ask. We're here for you.  Grin
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Re: Permanent fix for speedo cable oil leak!
Reply #5 - 05/19/12 at 21:08:27
 
Update:

I've ridden about 600 miles since I put the bonded washer on. No leaks at all. I will be posting a few more pictures soon (hopefully). As soon as I get the time. I also just finished my dyna muffler change. OMG. I cannot believe how much of a difference it makes.
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Re: Permanent fix for speedo cable oil leak!
Reply #6 - 05/22/12 at 14:50:04
 
I know several folks have just used a nitrile o-ring with good results.
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Re: Permanent fix for speedo cable oil leak!
Reply #7 - 05/23/12 at 18:07:23
 
Savage_Rob wrote on 05/22/12 at 14:50:04:
I know several folks have just used a nitrile o-ring with good results.


I have heard the same and have tried those as well.  But it is not a permanent fix.  I was going through o-rings about once a month.  I have access to a wide variety of o-rings of different composition.  None of them lasted very long.  What I am trying to accomplish is a replacement for the oem oil seal.  I have actually located the exact seal.  However I would have to order $150 worth of seals in order to acquire one.  This bonded washer is working so good though.  After a few more weeks of running and some examination under magnification, I am just about ready to rewrite this topic and request it be made a sticky in the technical section.  I am surprised every time I get off the bike and there is not oil leaking down my engine.  I really think that this may be a better solution than the o-rings.  And with this items availability, anyone who has an LS650 should be able to pick one up.
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Re: Permanent fix for speedo cable oil leak!
Reply #8 - 05/24/12 at 07:56:07
 
I like the idea of the bonded washer, as long as the rubber is something like nitrile, which is petroleum resistant.  A lot of other types will break down too quickly.  I'm interested to see how well it works for you.
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Re: Permanent fix for speedo cable oil leak!
Reply #9 - 05/24/12 at 11:51:41
 
WD wrote on 05/14/12 at 18:19:17:
I just deleted the cable. End of leak. As in, not a drop out that hole without a cable in it. Cable acts as a wick.

Haven't run a speedometer on the bike for about 6 years. No tickets, speeding or equipment violation.



I'm also deleting the speedo. What did you plug or cover the hole with? Anything?
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Re: Permanent fix for speedo cable oil leak!
Reply #10 - 05/24/12 at 14:53:53
 
I'm pretty sure WD doesn't use the stock tank.
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Re: Permanent fix for speedo cable oil leak!
Reply #11 - 05/25/12 at 09:16:28
 
Not sure about wd or tank? Maybe posted in wrong thread.

However I made a tiny discovery today. The seal is neoprene, not epdm like I had thought. I was trying to find a replacement for the epdm and low and behold google search hit on a neoprene bonded sealing washer. It was the exact part # that I had grabbed. I'm not sure how oil resistant neoprene is, but I think it might explain why there had been no breakdown of the seal so far.

I plan on taking the pictures this weekend. I have Monday off so I should be able to get them done.

I wonder how many people have had this oil leak problem...
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Re: Permanent fix for speedo cable oil leak!
Reply #12 - 05/25/12 at 09:23:36
 
Does your speedo cable leak oil?
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Re: Permanent fix for speedo cable oil leak!
Reply #13 - 05/25/12 at 09:40:35
 
Ben aka ubergeek wrote on 05/25/12 at 09:16:28:
I'm not sure how oil resistant neoprene

neoprene is ok for oil.
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Re: Permanent fix for speedo cable oil leak!
Reply #14 - 05/25/12 at 12:14:47
 
Ben, you need a new category in the voting "leaked, using Ben's discovery, doesn't leak now".  That's what I did and that's what happened.  Thanks for the search and discovery Ben.
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