Post by MeanDawg on May 10, 2017 18:32:33 GMT -6
OK, so I am trying to troubleshoot an odd “sound”, which can be notoriously difficult to do. Any help is much appreciated. Right now, I am really hoping it is NOT the dreaded Bevel Gear Bearing failure!
My scoot is a ’07 SE with only 6900 miles on the clock, I don’t know a lot about its first 5000 miles. I am running Shell Rotella T6 in it, changed the final drive lube to Valvoline 75-90 wt. hypoid synthetic the day I brought it home, it was dark colored but no metallic particles were present.
I guess the best description of the sound I can give while the bike’s running is this: I’d call it a rhythmic “whoosh, whoosh whoosh”, like something is rubbing, it doesn’t sound metallic like gears & I can just hear it over the pipes…as best as I can tell it is coming from the left side, it’s hard to say if it is coming from the bevel bearing area or more rearward toward the final drive, but I’m 90% sure it’s on the left side of the bike.
One thing to note: When I took it out of hibernation in late March for the first ride this year, I pulled in the clutch to push the bike forward it but it was sort of stuck in place almost as if it was in gear (it wasn’t)..I had to give it a good shove to get it moving (engine not running), it seemed to kind of break loose then roll normally. I noticed that again the other day, it sort of felt stuck but much less so than on that first occasion.
The sound I hear seems to be present in all riding profiles: during acceleration, cruising and deceleration, it doesn’t seem to change pitch but the time duration between “whooshes” is very short during acceleration and longer during deceleration.
This is not the turbine whine or howling sound during deceleration that I understand is the hallmark of a failing bevel bearing. I have pulled in the clutch going down a long hill and the whoosh- whoosh-whoosh sound is still present. It’s my understanding that with the transmission disengaged from the engine the sound should go away if it’s a bevel bearing? I think that’s correct but not certain.
I just drained the oil, pulled the left case cover and pried off the copper colored cap to put eyes on the bearing itself. It appears to be in really good condition, I see no discoloration or metal bits in the bearing housing. I screened the oil, no metal. I gripped the nut on the gear shaft with channel locks to see if I could detect any movement. There is none laterally, in-out or side to side, but there is slight movement rotationally, maybe 1/16 inch. I’m not sure but figure this would account for gear lash (If I can figure out how to do so I’ll post a video of that movement). Maybe someone can chime in as to whether that rotational movement is ok or not.
So—I am open to any and all comments and ideas as to what this might be or what else to check like bearings in the final drive, wheel bearings, U-joint, ring and pinion gear, clutch, brakes, ect. I know that the bevel bearing has been a known weakness in 1500/1600 Kawasaki’s. I hope that’s not what this is.
Would getting the rear wheel up off the ground and spinning it while watching that bevel bearing be helpful in diagnosis? Thanks for any help provided.
MeanDawg
My scoot is a ’07 SE with only 6900 miles on the clock, I don’t know a lot about its first 5000 miles. I am running Shell Rotella T6 in it, changed the final drive lube to Valvoline 75-90 wt. hypoid synthetic the day I brought it home, it was dark colored but no metallic particles were present.
I guess the best description of the sound I can give while the bike’s running is this: I’d call it a rhythmic “whoosh, whoosh whoosh”, like something is rubbing, it doesn’t sound metallic like gears & I can just hear it over the pipes…as best as I can tell it is coming from the left side, it’s hard to say if it is coming from the bevel bearing area or more rearward toward the final drive, but I’m 90% sure it’s on the left side of the bike.
One thing to note: When I took it out of hibernation in late March for the first ride this year, I pulled in the clutch to push the bike forward it but it was sort of stuck in place almost as if it was in gear (it wasn’t)..I had to give it a good shove to get it moving (engine not running), it seemed to kind of break loose then roll normally. I noticed that again the other day, it sort of felt stuck but much less so than on that first occasion.
The sound I hear seems to be present in all riding profiles: during acceleration, cruising and deceleration, it doesn’t seem to change pitch but the time duration between “whooshes” is very short during acceleration and longer during deceleration.
This is not the turbine whine or howling sound during deceleration that I understand is the hallmark of a failing bevel bearing. I have pulled in the clutch going down a long hill and the whoosh- whoosh-whoosh sound is still present. It’s my understanding that with the transmission disengaged from the engine the sound should go away if it’s a bevel bearing? I think that’s correct but not certain.
I just drained the oil, pulled the left case cover and pried off the copper colored cap to put eyes on the bearing itself. It appears to be in really good condition, I see no discoloration or metal bits in the bearing housing. I screened the oil, no metal. I gripped the nut on the gear shaft with channel locks to see if I could detect any movement. There is none laterally, in-out or side to side, but there is slight movement rotationally, maybe 1/16 inch. I’m not sure but figure this would account for gear lash (If I can figure out how to do so I’ll post a video of that movement). Maybe someone can chime in as to whether that rotational movement is ok or not.
So—I am open to any and all comments and ideas as to what this might be or what else to check like bearings in the final drive, wheel bearings, U-joint, ring and pinion gear, clutch, brakes, ect. I know that the bevel bearing has been a known weakness in 1500/1600 Kawasaki’s. I hope that’s not what this is.
Would getting the rear wheel up off the ground and spinning it while watching that bevel bearing be helpful in diagnosis? Thanks for any help provided.
MeanDawg