problem with final drive... 09 Stelvio ~50,000Km

[Forseti]

So... I just got home from ~5500Km ride.
At the last fuel stop I noticed...

Got home and decided to investigate and found this...

If you look closely it looks like it may have primarily leaked while standing still??

Opened up the final drive... YIKES

Drained the drive...

Very little on the magnetic plug...

Notice the pattern when it was done draining..

Obviously the couple days of stupid hard rain while riding was not a great idea. Yea I know you have a vent mod Roper but I have not gone there yet and yes I should have.

The bearings feel good and no obvious problems with the seals visually other than the leakage which I hope to be largely due to the drop in viscosity of the gear oil due to all the water contamination.

We flushed out the bad oil and replaced it a few times so hopefully got rid of the water. Will be checking it and changing it again as required.

So what are the odds that the seals and bearings will have survived the water penetration?

Thoughts??

 

[WayneOrwig]

Thoughts??

I think I'm going out in the rain and check mine right now.......


Well, Pete warned us.

Hopefully it didn't damage the gears. The seal and even the big bearing shouldn't be a big issueto replace.

 

[DanPez]

Shrike,

Wow
Was this due to heavy rain or did the final drive get under water?

 

[Forseti]

There was no water crossings or submerging of any kind. This was changed out right before I left on the trip. There was heavy rain for two days riding on roads varying from nice paved to unmaintained fire roads. No creeks other than the water running down the road/tracks.
I was quite shocked to say the least.

 

[Penis Rotor]

Well, yes. I did say but generally my idea was pooh-poohed and i was accused by a couple of people online of simply trying to gouge people for something completely un-neccessary and I'm afraid those sort of accusations give me the screaming shits so I just shelved the project even though I'd got about ten kits made up.

While I'm sorry that this has happened it does tend to vindicate my stance on the stock breather which is a POS.

If anybody is now interested? I'll dig out the bits and make a few kits up. I think I costed 'em up at about $200 but I can't remember. New CARC is in the region of $4,000 I believe.

My guess is that the big bearing will not be a happy thing. I'd pull it to bits for a thorough clean and a looksee and replace the support bearings on spec. Chances are the seal leaked because the big bearing at least has gone belly-up.

Pete

 

[scott_m]

OMG! Pete, as I sit here reading this in SHOCK, I contemplate the arrival of my new 2012 Stelvio NTX wondering what it is you have and how do I get it! This is unbelievable and I for one, certainly don't want to experience this as it rains a lot here in Ohio and the Midwest in general.

Thanks in advance Pete for the info.

- Scott

scottmastrocinque@me.com

 

[Penis Rotor]

As I said, I've got the parts around somewhere. I can make the kits up easily enough. You can also make your own easily enough but mine is delibrately designed to be robust and unobtrusive. It uses a piece of Bundy pipe mounted through a banjo to where the breather sits. This runs down the inside of the CARC adjacent to the disc and then connects by stainless speedflow fitings to a length of 3/8ths braided hose that can be run up to near the steering head or basically anywhere that is not going to get drenched in road-spray. I did a few prototypes where I mandrel bent the pipe but while I can still do this I don't think it strictly neccessary and if I ship the pipe 'Un-bent' i makes for a much smaller and cheaper parcel. I can easily do a photo-essay on installation which I can print out as hard copy and send with the kits if needs be.

Anyway. The ball's in you, the owner's court. If you're interested just email me.

motomoda@optusnet.com.au

Pete

PS. Smallblocks also have the same crap breather and if you ride in the wet they get full of water too. I can do a kit for them as well if people are interested.

 

[draidt]

Pete's Carc savior, don't leave home without one.

 

[Mi_ka]

Italia rules the waves .... or not :dry:

 

[BravoBravo]

As I said, I've got the parts around somewhere. I can make the kits up easily enough. You can also make your own easily enough but mine is delibrately designed to be robust and unobtrusive. It uses a piece of Bundy pipe mounted through a banjo to where the breather sits. This runs down the inside of the CARC adjacent to the disc and then connects by stainless speedflow fitings to a length of 3/8ths braided hose that can be run up to near the steering head or basically anywhere that is not going to get drenched in road-spray. I did a few prototypes where I mandrel bent the pipe but while I can still do this I don't think it strictly neccessary and if I ship the pipe 'Un-bent' i makes for a much smaller and cheaper parcel. I can easily do a photo-essay on installation which I can print out as hard copy and send with the kits if needs be.

Anyway. The ball's in you, the owner's court. If you're interested just email me.

motomoda@optusnet.com.au

Pete


PS. Smallblocks also have the same crap breather and if you ride in the wet they get full of water too. I can do a kit for them as well if people are interested.

This was one of the earliest mods I put on my Stelvio. Pete, I think you are right about the price - I recall paying somewhere around $200. After seeing Shrike's pics, I am very glad I did. I hope the damage isn't too great, Shrike.

Bruce

 

[draidt]

As I said, I've got the parts around somewhere. I can make the kits up easily enough. You can also make your own easily enough but mine is delibrately designed to be robust and unobtrusive. It uses a piece of Bundy pipe mounted through a banjo to where the breather sits. This runs down the inside of the CARC adjacent to the disc and then connects by stainless speedflow fitings to a length of 3/8ths braided hose that can be run up to near the steering head or basically anywhere that is not going to get drenched in road-spray. I did a few prototypes where I mandrel bent the pipe but while I can still do this I don't think it strictly neccessary and if I ship the pipe 'Un-bent' i makes for a much smaller and cheaper parcel. I can easily do a photo-essay on installation which I can print out as hard copy and send with the kits if needs be.

Anyway. The ball's in you, the owner's court. If you're interested just email me.

motomoda@optusnet.com.au

Pete




PS. Smallblocks also have the same crap breather and if you ride in the wet they get full of water too. I can do a kit for them as well if people are interested.

This was one of the earliest mods I put on my Stelvio. Pete, I think you are right about the price - I recall paying somewhere around $200. After seeing Shrike's pics, I am very glad I did. I hope the damage isn't too great, Shrike.

Bruce

Pete

Interested !

 

[Bob Bernstein]

OMG what's next?

 

[ChuckH]

OMG, what's next?

Bob,

I figure that Jim B. at Rose Farm has these kits in stock and ready to install upon request. I'm thinking about giving him a call and having one installed on my NTX prior to pickup. It really makes sense. I live here in the Great Middle and ride somewhat frequently in the rain.

By the way, are you going to be at Lake Joy in August? I'm planning on attending with a couple of local friends. I'm expecting to be on the NTX by then. It's due to be delivered sometime in June but I can't pick it up until mid-July or so, due to a family reunion commitment.

 

[stromcat]

Could this be one of the reasons why Guzzi recomend changing the final drive oil every 6ooo miles? Seems quite a short interval,unless they expect some water contamination.

 

[ChuckH]

Could this be one of the reasons why Guzzi recomend changing the final drive oil every 6ooo miles? Seems quite a short interval,unless they expect some water contamination.

I doubt they're asking for 6K mile changes because of expected water contamination. I would believe it's more to get fresh, clean lubricant in that rear drive. I see by the spec sheet that the rear drive holds only 380ml of oil (about 12 oz), to transmit that much power without filtering or cooling.

Frequent change intervals also allow the owner to see if excess wear is happening in the assembly. I'll probably change mine when I change the rear tire. Seems like decent preventive maintenance.