Milky final drive oil
- Thread starter TheAxeman
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otrfjr
Don't tell Mom
mech 1 twa
Well-known member
I had the same problem. 05 a year ago. Rear diff oil milky.
How often do you wash the bike?
Avoid any water spraying from the Right side, or near vent on top.
Rear seal is made to keep oil in but high pressure water can enter if sprayed directly at it. Garden hose is high enough.
Just my $02. Never had any water after I was careful.
How often do you wash the bike?
Avoid any water spraying from the Right side, or near vent on top.
Rear seal is made to keep oil in but high pressure water can enter if sprayed directly at it. Garden hose is high enough.
Just my $02. Never had any water after I was careful.
clutchless1
Well-known member
I don't believe water is getting in the oil, if water were able to get into the rear housing where the oil is, the oil would certainly be able to come out and run down the outside of the housing itself. That's just the way things are, if something can go in to contaminate the oil, then the oil would use the same path to run out. Are there any indications oil is running out or down the rear end housing? If there is, water may be getting into the oil.
I do know different oils do not blend together well, synthetic and regular oils don't blend (mix)together and give an appearance of contamination. Air bubbles in the oil will also give the appearance of water contamination, remember rear end lubricants are a lot thicker than motor oils are, so they will get tiny bubbles in the rear end lube and stay there unless the oil has been in the rear end and used for thousands of miles. We don't keep the oil in the rear end long enough for this to happen though.
Take a sample of the oil and put it into a clean container and let it sit for several days. This will give you a basic answer of what is going on, if it's water, it will seperate. If it's air bubbles, the air will eventually work itself out and disappear. And if it's two different types of oils, depending on how long they have been together, these will also seperate from each other after a period of time. Just an easy test, it doesn't cost anything but time.
Ride Safe,
clutchless1
I do know different oils do not blend together well, synthetic and regular oils don't blend (mix)together and give an appearance of contamination. Air bubbles in the oil will also give the appearance of water contamination, remember rear end lubricants are a lot thicker than motor oils are, so they will get tiny bubbles in the rear end lube and stay there unless the oil has been in the rear end and used for thousands of miles. We don't keep the oil in the rear end long enough for this to happen though.
Take a sample of the oil and put it into a clean container and let it sit for several days. This will give you a basic answer of what is going on, if it's water, it will seperate. If it's air bubbles, the air will eventually work itself out and disappear. And if it's two different types of oils, depending on how long they have been together, these will also seperate from each other after a period of time. Just an easy test, it doesn't cost anything but time.
Ride Safe,
clutchless1
FJRAust
Well-known member
Changed my final drive oil this evening. It too was milky but not from water contamination.
The colour was grey/green which to me looks very much like molly (molidimum disulfide, or however the hell it's spelt) in suspension.
I've put it into a small jar and will wait a few weeks for it to settle.
In other respects the final drive looked good, no metal pieces in the bottom plug but there was a small amount of dense black obviously steel particles.
I have no idea when the oil was last changed.
I was considering putting a Nulon Teflon diff treatment into it.. Any comments for or against.
The colour was grey/green which to me looks very much like molly (molidimum disulfide, or however the hell it's spelt) in suspension.
I've put it into a small jar and will wait a few weeks for it to settle.
In other respects the final drive looked good, no metal pieces in the bottom plug but there was a small amount of dense black obviously steel particles.
I have no idea when the oil was last changed.
I was considering putting a Nulon Teflon diff treatment into it.. Any comments for or against.
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odot
CC member # 17,----- DUP member # 7, mensa club m
Um.....theory here. That oil sloshing around creates a vaccuum that would suck in fluid say ...if you were riding in wet conditions....course, it don't mean nothing if you don't ride in the rain.
FJRAust
Well-known member
Just to clarify .
There isn't water in the oil.
Arrr lets see. Oil sloshing around getting hot will not create a vacume.. rather it will expand.. But then this is just common sense
There is however a breather in the top of the pumkin. Mine is working as when I had the final drive assembly off last service it was left on it's back for a short time and leaked oil (from the breather only)
If you were riding your bike for a time and submerged the final drive in water it would most likely draw water into the into it's self via the breather.
This is a typical issue which occures with 4x4 verhicles which don't have extended breathers fitted to the diff and gearbox assemblies and perform deepwater crossings etc.
There isn't water in the oil.
Arrr lets see. Oil sloshing around getting hot will not create a vacume.. rather it will expand.. But then this is just common sense
There is however a breather in the top of the pumkin. Mine is working as when I had the final drive assembly off last service it was left on it's back for a short time and leaked oil (from the breather only)
If you were riding your bike for a time and submerged the final drive in water it would most likely draw water into the into it's self via the breather.
This is a typical issue which occures with 4x4 verhicles which don't have extended breathers fitted to the diff and gearbox assemblies and perform deepwater crossings etc.
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Harnic
Well-known member
Maybe it's the Yamalube. I stay away from factory oil/fluids & use Motul full synthetic in the engine & final drive. Of course the mineral oil that was changed out until the break-in period was over was pretty gross, but now the engine/gear oil comes out in pretty fine shape & I get the added protection of synthetic. I too change the final drive oil every year & so far (2012 model which I bought new) I've changed the engine oil three times yearly at the recommended intervals. I've never seen any "milkyness" in the synthetic. Give it a try. 
You're adamant there's no water & unless you use a pressure washer to clean the wheels it's highly unlikely water would get in there.
You're adamant there's no water & unless you use a pressure washer to clean the wheels it's highly unlikely water would get in there.
Geezer
Parsimonious Curmudgeon
Wow. Talk about a blast from the past. This thread even has a response from TWN.
Canadian FJR
Canadian FJR
Axeman,
I found the same thing once last season (once after many kms and many oil changes) I figure it was from not running the bike long enough to remove any moisture. Previously I would change the rear end oil after a long and fast ride. This one time the temps outside were cool and I only did a short ride.
No issues since.
Canadian FJR
I found the same thing once last season (once after many kms and many oil changes) I figure it was from not running the bike long enough to remove any moisture. Previously I would change the rear end oil after a long and fast ride. This one time the temps outside were cool and I only did a short ride.
No issues since.
Canadian FJR
Warpdrv
Well-known member
Metal fillings, change it often and just don't sweat it... you'll be hard pressed to find a final drive that is as reliable as Yamaha....
It's stupid cheap to drain and refill, almost cheap enough you could do it the same as oil changes, which would be silly... I do it almost every other time though the first, second and 3rd are by 3k miles when most if not all the amount of grindage is going to be happening...
It's stupid cheap to drain and refill, almost cheap enough you could do it the same as oil changes, which would be silly... I do it almost every other time though the first, second and 3rd are by 3k miles when most if not all the amount of grindage is going to be happening...
ionbeam
2 FUN
To reenforce what Geezer said, this thread is a serious zombie.
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Intech
Mr. Camping Meet
I just keep 40 psi in the front differential and 42 psi in the rear differential and no water gets in.
BigOgre
Well-known member
Even when two-up with luggage?
Top_Speed1
Panama Canal Crosser
Going into water, the theory is that you have a warm (or hot) rear-drive, this action sucks the cool water into the breather. Results will be the milky rear oil/fluids. Not saying you were nearly as "submerged" as me but...
After I went jet skiing (my avatar pic as well) I immediately changed my drive oil. Twice actually, once immediately and also within 50 miles. After draining the rear, I put the fluid in a clear mason jar and let it settle to see if I had any separation. None luckily, but I was still glad I did the change out.
I did get a free (at the expense of anxiety and sum oil) wash job!
After I went jet skiing (my avatar pic as well) I immediately changed my drive oil. Twice actually, once immediately and also within 50 miles. After draining the rear, I put the fluid in a clear mason jar and let it settle to see if I had any separation. None luckily, but I was still glad I did the change out.
I did get a free (at the expense of anxiety and sum oil) wash job!
HotRodZilla
GOD BLESS AMERICA
That's why you're supposed to ride fast enough to blow the water away from your final drive. It's only water...You'll dry off.
AND with the age of this thread, I'm thinking God killed 2 kittens!
AND with the age of this thread, I'm thinking God killed 2 kittens!
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El Toro Joe
FYYFF
Stop the bleeding!!!!
wheatonFJR
...
Let's see...1 kitten per dayx7 years= Holy Crap!
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