Oil leak

[JulianS]

Well done.

[Phil C]

By the way, my clutch centre nut had underneath it one thick washer. Looking at Haynes and R.Ratio it appears there should also be a tab washer. Is that the case? There wasn't one on mine.   Phil.

[JulianS]

Should be one. Some owners use loctite.

[Phil C]

Okay I'll get one.  Looks like it might be q

[Phil C]

Sorry about that...finger trouble. Regarding the tab washer, okay, thanks, I'll get one. Looks as though it might be quite tricky to manouevre the open tab washer into the recess and then fold it up once the nut has been tightened? (see photo attached)  Phil.

[AWJDThumper]

There should also be a tab washer under the rotor nut on the end of the crankshaft.

It's not too difficult to bend over the tab washer under the clutch nut but you might need to use a set of adjustable joint grip pliers to make the job easier. These allow you to squash the tab against the side of the nut. The alternative is to use a screw driver to bend the tab over as far as possible and then use a pin punch to hammer the tab against the side of the nut.

[Phil C]

Yes there is a tab on the washer under the rotor nut.

I'll get a tab washer for under the clutch nut.  From what you say it sounds as though you are talking about a washer with a single tab, but looking at the Draganfly drawing of the clutch it appears to have more than on tab?

I'm not sure what you mean by adjustable joint grip pliers.  I googled it but there seem to be lots of different types, including ordinary mole grips.

Phil.

[AWJDThumper]

The clutch washer has two tabs; one slots into the side of the clutch centre to stop it rotating and the other is bent against the nut. The pliers go under a variety of names but it is the type shown below.

[Phil C]

Thanks very much. I've now ordered (from Draganfly) some friction plates and a tab washer for thew clutch  (three tabs, rather than two I'm told.)

The washer they had in stock for going under the rota nut had a tab on the inside, whereas the one on my bike is on the outside. I wanted to renew it rather than re-use it, but do you know which kind it should be and where I might get one?

Question after question, isn't it?! If I'm asking too many questions, please let me know. Thanks again for your help. Where would I be without this forum?!

Phil.

[AWJDThumper]

Most of the lock washers have an inside tab that engages with a slot on the component already fitted to the shaft - this stops it rotating. In the case of the alternator rotor, this has a Woodruff key slot cut into which the tab washer locks into. Some other types have a serrated inner hole which engages on to a splined shaft. In the case of the clutch, the thick washer under the nut hides the Woodruff slot and hence the tab washer has to slot into the side of the clutch centre to stop it rotating. It's normal to lock the tab washer against two faces of the nut - hence, some have two separate tabs for this purpose. In general, you should never re-use a tab washer because you weaken it by bending it more than once. The best sort have a bendable outer lip all around the outside and can be used more than once.

[Phil C]

I've just taken off the cover plate behind the clutch. I now need to check out the oil seal, to see if it might be the cause of my leak. To check out the seal, I guess I need to take it out of the cover plate.  To do that, I read in R.Ratio that I can use something like a socket and just tap it out of the cover plate. Silly question perhaps: which way does it tap out? Towards the clutch (so away from the rear of the plate) or the other way (away from the front of the plate towards the gearbox)? Thanks again in advance.  Phil.

PS Rain down here in Devon this morning.

[AWJDThumper]

You should be able to push it out using finger pressure. If not use a socket from the gearbox sprocket size since the delicate sealing lip is on the chaincase side.

ps. appalling hot weather and clear blue skies in the Lake District

[Phil C]

I'm a bit confused. Which way does it push out?

[AWJDThumper]

It's a plain hole in the cover plate and so can be pushed out either way. However, it's best to push it out towards where the clutch would be to avoid damaging the sealing lip.

[Phil C]

Okay, thanks, the oil seal is now out of the plate, and looks okay to me, and appears to slide onto the shaft okay.  So I guess that's cancelled out as a possible source of the leak, although I might replace it with a new one anyway? 

Next thing to look at I think was a seal at the gearbox sprocket?  Where is that? Under the nut?

Also, when removing the circular cover plate I didn't see a felt washer. R.Ratio illus 11.8 (p.118) shows an "all important felt washer." Should I have one?  Could that be the problem?

Phil.

PS sunshine has returned!