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Final drive leak thread

Does your V7 Final Drive leak? Select all that apply, and be sure to include model year below.

  • Total voters
    86
francod123 said:
My dealer cannot seem to fix this problem of my final drive leaking at that seal in the rear wheel. What the hell? Does anyone have any info about other people having this problem and what solved it? I thought I read that the main seal and the bearings and everything had to be replaced to finally fix the problem. I need to tell the dealer that they should do this because I'm tired of having this thing leak. Thank you.
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Great thread guys, thanks. Bike is in the shop now for both the clutch/actuator issue, and the final drive leak issue. I previously also had the oil leaking out of the brake fluid res issue. Lot of problems for a relatively new bike, geez.
 
Michael Boeglin said:
would love to get a sense of how many of you do or don’t have this problem, and what gen of V7/9 you ride. If this is a bad enough problem perhaps we can talk with someone at corporate when they get back from their summer break.
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Have a 2017 V7 III SPECIAL here in Oz. Final drive leak started at 4000km. Apparently has been found with a few of the series III V7's. There was also a tight spot in the final drive when lifting the bike and spinning the rear wheel.

The dealer replaced the seal and gasket under warranty - no leak since. He also said that the bevel gears were not aligned properly and would have worn excessively, so also adjusted the shims for correct alignment. So the wheel spins freely now.

So in a way, a good thing the seal leaked otherwise I may have had final drive problems later!
 
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I have a V7 Special, first version. The final drive has been leaking for a few months, not terrible, just a few drops on the right side of the rim and on the sidewall of the tire. It has stopped leaking, or almost completely stopped, after leaking out a few cc five or six times. It has been suggested to me that the spec oil amount, 170cc or 6oz, is too much oil. In the future I will only put in 5.4oz or 155cc. If this works, it will be a huge saving in time and money. It's a 10% reduction in gear oil. Worth a try!
 
Maynard Hershon said:
I have a V7 Special, first version. The final drive has been leaking for a few months, not terrible, just a few drops on the right side of the rim and on the sidewall of the tire. It has stopped leaking, or almost completely stopped, after leaking out a few cc five or six times. It has been suggested to me that the spec oil amount, 170cc or 6oz, is too much oil. In the future I will only put in 5.4oz or 155cc. If this works, it will be a huge saving in time and money. It's a 10% reduction in gear oil. Worth a try!
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Hi Maynard, since you cannot fully drain the drive on a simple service where you pull the drain plug and let sit, even overnight, it is recommended here that you use 20-25cc less than spec'd. This has worked for me on my rental fleet and the dozens of bikes we service at my shop. We have also found that many of the V7 III models have inner flange drive bolts loose from Guzzi. Best to pull the wheel and check those as well. Often the leak is resolved by simply tightening the bolts. If it is overfilled, it may likely be also draining down the drive from the breather on top. If you are not seeing it from the breather, it is likely the inner flange and/or seal there. Many that arrive at my shop that show drips on the rim come from the drain plug when people do their own services and either omit or reinstall a damaged crush washer. Hope all of that helps.
 
They don't drain fully, do they? So you put 170cc of gear oil in there and now there's 190! The leaked oil is not coming from the breather and not from the level plug. I don't THINK it's coming from the drain plug. I used a new "o-ring washer." I had the wheel off just a couple of weeks ago and checked all the flange bolts. They were tight. If it begins to leak again, I'll have someone dismantle the unit and look at the seal(s). Thanks a ton, Todd!
 
2020 V 7 III Stone S just turned 1200 miles, returned from an all day ride and saw this on the rear tire. Is this the same drive leak everyone is talking about?

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Yes, Skyshark, that's the leak. First, have you just changed the final drive oil? And did you add the 170cc that the manual calls for? The first thing to do is to clean the side of the tire with diluted Simple Green. Then remove the breather cap from the top of the final drive and make sure you can blow through it from the inside -- so you know it's not clogged. If you drained and refilled the final drive and added 170cc of gear oil, it is overfilled. It will leak. Drain it again thoroughly and this time add 150cc. If it continues to leak, you will need to replace a seal or two in the final drive. Mine quit leaking without any new seals.
 
Yes, if it was mine I'd be on the dealers doorsteps asking him to photograph it drain and measure for quantity while watching for water in it. I suspect it was overfilled! Don't do it yourself.
 
Skyshark, Vagrant may be correct. Do what you think is right. If your dealer is close, visit your dealer and show him the gear oil on the side of your tire. See what the mechanic says. I trust Vagrant in these matters...
 
Maynard Hershon said:
Yes, Skyshark, that's the leak. First, have you just changed the final drive oil? And did you add the 170cc that the manual calls for? The first thing to do is to clean the side of the tire with diluted Simple Green. Then remove the breather cap from the top of the final drive and make sure you can blow through it from the inside -- so you know it's not clogged. If you drained and refilled the final drive and added 170cc of gear oil, it is overfilled. It will leak. Drain it again thoroughly and this time add 150cc. If it continues to leak, you will need to replace a seal or two in the final drive. Mine quit leaking without any new seals.
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Thanks @Maynard Hershon I will run with the advice and have yet to do anything as I just noticed it yesterday after my ride. Thanks again and I will reply with the results.
 
vagrant said:
Yes, if it was mine I'd be on the dealers doorsteps asking him to photograph it drain and measure for quantity while watching for water in it. I suspect it was overfilled! Don't do it yourself.
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Thanks @vagrant the dealer is just a little over an hour and a half away. I will share with them as well. This is the first it has happened in the 1200 miles I have put on it. I know it is due for a break in period service so maybe I will just take to them although I was hoping to do myself.
 
vagrant said:
Here is the story. If u do it and it's 1/2 water u / they have no proof! Then they give u a load of BS! It holds 5.6 oz and 1/10 th more will blow out instantly not wait 1000 miles.
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Makes sense and thanks. I am taking it to the dealer this week.
 
Skyshark, just to clarify what Vagrant said; if you drain the final drive, the dealer won't have proof that it was overfilled or wasn't overfilled. The dealer can deny that there's a problem. If you take the bike to the dealer and ask them to drain the final drive into a measuring cup and it is overfilled with either gear oil or gear oil and water from rain or a pressure wash, they can refill it and it probably won't leak any longer. I refill with 150cc of gear oil, but I've never had water in my final drive. The dealer will know what to do if yours has had water in it, I think.
 
Maynard Hershon said:
Skyshark, just to clarify what Vagrant said; if you drain the final drive, the dealer won't have proof that it was overfilled or wasn't overfilled. The dealer can deny that there's a problem. If you take the bike to the dealer and ask them to drain the final drive into a measuring cup and it is overfilled with either gear oil or gear oil and water from rain or a pressure wash, they can refill it and it probably won't leak any longer. I refill with 150cc of gear oil, but I've never had water in my final drive. The dealer will know what to do if yours has had water in it, I think.
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Thanks and I agree better to have them take on that responsibility so we get it fixed right and have record of it. I really appreciate the support and quick responses. This forum is awesome! I will report back.
 
Update: took it to a dealer that was closer to the dealer I purchased it from. They said they replaced the seal, looks to be doing better but still leaking. I am going to take it back to the dealer that I purchase it from.

It is better and I asked if they could have just topped it off with too much gear oil and his reply is that it could be a deformed gear or housing.

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Wipe it clean and keep an eye on it, maybe it wasn't cleaned properly or you could remove the wheel and eyeball it yourself. If you're not happy take it back to the guy that did it. And i doubt very much if its a deformed gear housing.
 
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