slow final drive leak/weep

Post by **scottybooj** » Tue Jan 30, 2007 9:17 am

I've noticed grime/dirt congregating around the bottom portion of the final drive seal after washings. It's a slow weep, with no dripping noticed.

i'm out of warranty, what do I do? Is this do-able in my garage or is this surgery?

thanks...i'll snap a pic later.

riceburner · Post by **riceburner** » Tue Jan 30, 2007 9:59 am

It happens to us all sooner or later.......

it MIGHT be worth playing on the sympathies of your dealer to get it fixed. Either the Final Drive or Gearbox Output seal has worn beyond efficacy.

priapismic · Post by **priapismic** » Tue Jan 30, 2007 10:18 am

Happened to me recently, too. The seal to be replaced runs about $20. or so (US), plus it's about an hour and a half or so labor. You can either buck up and pay someone to do it, if you're handy around tools you can do it yourself, or you can do what I did: I went to my dealer and made a case for covering it even though I was a few months out of warranty (though I hadn't quite reached the mileage limit of 36k miles).

I explained how this was a known issue on oilheads, and how I had asked the shop foreman/BMW tech about it earlier. I asked the service manager to contact BMW for me, "to see what they could do" about covering it. I was only mildly surprised when BMW came back with an offer to cover half the repair cost. I figured since I was technically out of warranty, that was about as good an offer as I was going to get, so I accepted that offer. I think my final cost was $78. out of my pocket.

Post by **scottybooj** » Tue Jan 30, 2007 11:02 am

thanks.

just called bmw manhattan. they don't have it on record that i asked about the weep when they did my rear brake change. bs.

so, i asked how much. $408 + parts and tax.

right.

RideandDrive · Post by **RideandDrive** » Tue Jan 30, 2007 11:16 am

This happens to us all. Mine was the transmission output seal.

Post by **scottybooj** » Tue Jan 30, 2007 11:50 am

BMW

B-end over
M-ake a
W-ide smile and....

riceburner · Post by **riceburner** » Tue Jan 30, 2007 11:52 am

RideandDrive wrote:This happens to us all. Mine was the transmission output seal.

I've actually had both go on both the bikes I've done higher miles on.

TBH it's NOT a huge issue, yes you get a bit of oil on the casings, but unless it's a REALLY severe case it doesn't go much further (ie anywhere near the wheel), and the seals are (I believe) both relatively high compared to their relevant oil level so even if you lose some oil, you'll never lose much. I checked my gearbox oil levels when the seal went, and after it dropped a few mm (1/4") it stopped dropping and the weep slowed down, because the seal was above the level of the oil.

I wouldn't leave it for too long, obviously, but it's not something that would stop me riding the bike (unless I was off around the world natch!)

Post by **DJ Downunder** » Tue Jan 30, 2007 4:07 pm

Scott..this is my 02 bike at the end of a 2 day ride that I did a couple of months ago..I was a bit worried when I saw this.

Here... http://tkfiles.storage.msn.com/x1pN1mp8 ... ocZqjXd46g

I fixed it by giving it a good clean when I got home..

..I just got back from a big 8 day ride and nothing...I think it is fine and I hope yours is also.

DJ

Post by **scottybooj** » Tue Jan 30, 2007 5:16 pm

DJ, yeah i've seen that prior also, but where mine is weeping is to the front of the seal. it weeps around the frontward portion where the black ring around the boot meets the drive.

dang sonofab!tch

MIXR · Post by **MIXR** » Tue Jan 30, 2007 6:14 pm

Ditto - Unless it's a drip, it may just go away. I've had a few 'weeps' that collect dirt and grime and have looked far worse than they really are. A good wash, a long ride, and they don't come back.

Keep an eye on it, but unless the 'weep' becomes a 'leak', don't worry about it.

I don't know what your riding program is, but my bike sits for a week or two at a time in between long rides. I often get a 'weep' when I first do some distance, then it stops and goes away. Simple matter of the seals allowing some small seepage until things get hot (normal operating temps and pressures). Seals will contract (shrink) if left to sit.

Edit: I also have had more 'weeps' after changing to synthetic oil, and more noise. Works well, but different.

geothepencil · Post by **geothepencil** » Tue Jan 30, 2007 6:39 pm

If you have synth in the rear drive and its the pinion seal that is leaking, change it to regular gear oil and see if the leak stops. You never know !

geo

johno · Post by **johno** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 4:17 am

Mine has the same weep as DJs.
Been like it since I got it, 12,000ks ago.
Just serviced it after 10,000ks, and both g/box, and final drive still full, so
no real panic.
Just keep an eye on it, and if it gets worse quickly, get it fixed.
I ride mostly every weekend, so it is not from sitting around.

riceburner · Post by **riceburner** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 9:27 am

DJ Downunder wrote:Scott..this is my 02 bike at the end of a 2 day ride that I did a couple of months ago..I was a bit worried when I saw this.

Here... http://tkfiles.storage.msn.com/x1pN1mp8 ... ocZqjXd46g

I fixed it by giving it a good clean when I got home.. ..I just got back from a big 8 day ride and nothing...I think it is fine and I hope yours is also.

DJ

DJ - I'd imagine that looks so bad because it's warmer down there??

I've never had streaks like that on mine, even with a bad leak.

Post by **machew01** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 3:20 pm

Scott,

For what it's worth, my 2004 R1150R started to weep a little grease from the rear of the final drive boot. This happened at approximately 15,000 to 20,000 miles. My dealer said that the final drive was overfilled by about 30cc, if I remember correctly, and he drained the excess gear oil. The weeping stopped.

Then, on a long run on a very hot day, the weep began again. Let me stress "weep". I'm only talking about the "stain" that might be made by a drop or two of oil. The dealer checked it again and cleaned all the oil off the inside of the boot (which he had not done before). The weep stopped until I traded the bike at 33,000 miles. The second oil weep appeared to be nothing more than the residue on the inside of the boot from the original weep migrating past the end of the boot.

Apparently, a number of bikes come from the factory with slightly over-filled final drives. Perhaps just draining a little oil will solve your problem.

Also check the vent cap on top of the final drive to make sure it isn't "stuck" and not allowing the final drive a place to vent (like Patrick's Playhouse).

mac

chris · Post by **chris** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 4:48 pm

I've had this since last September and it carried on for a few months but seems to have about stopped now. Checked the levels in the gearbox and final drive and both seem OK so have stopped worrying about it.
The suspension knocking from the back left corner of my car IS worrying me tho. Always something isn't there!

Post by **Biff's R** » Thu Feb 01, 2007 1:52 am

I had the final drive seal fixed at least once on my old bike(red 2003) and I have had it fixed a couple of times on my current bike(silver 04). Once at about 3500 miles, once in the 10000 range, and the third at around 15k. I would clean it off, but it kept coming back.

My bike is currently in the shop getting the output shaft seal replaced. This was the one where I found a small puddle of oil under the paralever arm.

You can check to sea whick one is leaking by loosening the boot, and flashing a light inside. you will see oil on one side or the other.