Oil Seal Tactics

[T.W. Day]

Last spring, I spent a bunch of hours getting my Kawasaki 250 Super Sherpa ready for a backroads trip across North Dakota. About 3 days before I left, the damn thing spit out it's countershaft oil seal and all of the engine oil. Fortunately, I hadn't left the driveway when it happened. Unfortunately, I didn't get back to working on the bitch until late August. I replaced the seal and an o-ring on the countershaft, put it back together and . . . it now drools like a BSA or some damn 1970's Brit POS. So, as soon as it's warmed up in the garage, I'm going to try again.

Nothing about this seal makes me feel warm and comfy about taking the Sherpa anywhere remote. It's just pressed in, no retention system at all. Any suggestions on installing one of these things so that it won't leak or jump out again?

[Aprilian]

You probably already checked, but the shaft should be checked for movement or burrs.

[T.W. Day]

I looked for burrs or contaminants on the outer surface, last time I replaced the seal. I'll look more carefully at the shaft itself, the next time. There's not realy side movement on the shaft, but it moves in and out a few fractions of an inch. Thanks.

[T.W. Day]

Thanks, Lloyd.

I am all but positive it's an outer seal leak. I'll verify that when I get to work on it, before yanking the new-old seal out. I'll try the threebond next time. Apparently, the 2000 Kawi Super Sherpa has a problem with this seal that other editions of the bike haven't exhibited. I'm lucky mine decided to spit out the seal in the driveway, not in the middle of nowhere in North Dakota. I've been told that synthetic oil often is all it takes to make the seal pop. Supposedly, it's a seal problem, not a case design issue, since Kawi changed seal vendors for later versions.