Primary cover and inspectio cover o rings

[kmalysa]

Hey guys,
I just removed my inspection cover and it had gobbs of clear silicone and the o ring was shot. Also primary oil is leaking from the Outer Primary cover.
My question is this... If I replace all 'o' rings, do you still use silicone as well or just fit dry clean new 'o' rings and re assemble?
If Silcone is to be used, is there anything special such as brand or temperature rating?
Thanks Ken

 

[Ratman]

Ken...
Looks like everyone else is out riding so I will try to answer your question. If someone else feels this info is inaccurate-please correct. It is my understanding the o-ring is not to have a bunch of silicone on it. It may in fact prevent it from sealing properly. Get a new primary o-ring and clean ALL debris from both the primary cover and the inner where they meet. Use brake clean (or similar) to make sure that groove is spotless. Get some Permatex (or similar) hi heat silicone sealant...in GREY. Red or black will show through. SPARINGLY apply a tiny amount of sealant to the outside primary cover in just a few spots to hold the new gasket in place. Take your time to try to not have any sealant on the inner primary side of the gasket and make sure that gasket is not "bunched up" anywhere. After your gasket is set...carefully attach with screws torqued to specs in the sequence shown in service manual. I use liquid teflon on the drain plug. Do not use Loctite on the primary screws. The new inspection cover gaskets are thick and you can easily break the corner tabs off (right there where the screws go) if you over tighten. May want to consider just making your own gasket out of thin gasket material using inspection cover as pattern. Apply above mentioned Permatex around inspection cover hole...then install 1) gasket and then 2) cover. Do not put sealant on inspection cover. No Loctite on those 4 screws either-I do not torque mine as tight as they suggest. Tighten in correct sequence as suggested in manual. Good luck!

 

[woodbutcher]

DDDOOOOOOOHHHHH!!!

always hate to be the first one to contradict. BUT the manual says to apply silicone *sparingly* in the groove of the outer primary after cleaning thoroughly and then work the o-ring into the groove. this is the way i do mine, yes it does make a mess and it is hard to clean up. the o-ring may seem to be too long to fit in the groove but keep working with it and it will go. don't do like some people (a mech i once took mine to) do and cut it at the top and make it fit. if it was meant to be that way, it would already be cut.
as far as the bolts for the primary, i did put blue loctite on mine. have seen instances where the vibration backs out the bolts and then it starts leaking while you are riding and you don't know about it. :2thumbs::2thumbs:

 

[Ratman]

Woodbutcher...thank you and that is what I was trying to say about the silicone on outer primary cover. SPARINGLY in the grove. Thank you!

 

[kmalysa]

Thanks for the help! I bought my 05 Pitbull in November and maybe put 50 miles on it since, due too winter. But today decided to inspect the bike further. I am glad I did, had small seepage on the primary, after pulling the inspection cover, found the fluid level was way way way low!!!!
Clutch seem to work fine, and the chain and sprocket teeth look okay, but I am sure damage would have occurred in a short time.
Thanks,
Ken

 

[kmalysa]

Thank you! Still learnin my way through this toy

 

[RoadRider]

I Have done my primary 2 times and NEVER used silicone. If the manual says to use it I be leave they are talking a VERY fine film just to hold the oring in place . Don't do a bead. Mine has never leaked without silicone. Be very sure to tighten the bolts in a crisscross pattern and take your time going around the pattern . Don't torque to final number all at one time .

 

[kmalysa]

I Have done my primary 2 times and NEVER used silicone. If the manual says to use it I be leave they are talking a VERY fine film just to hold the oring in place . Don't do a bead. Mine has never leaked without silicone. Be very sure to tighten the bolts in a crisscross pattern and take your time going around the pattern . Don't torque to final number all at one time .

Thanks Paul

 

[RRRUFF]

RTV won't hurt to use it, but I have never use it on mine.

 

[PurpleDog]

I don't use silicone on it either. light oil and its never leaked in my experience fwiw...

 

[woodbutcher]

i think the biggest reason for using the silicone is to keep the o-ring in place while you are installing the outer primary and the bolts. the o-ring extends far enough out of the groove, it seems, to give a good squish seal against the inner primary if all is as clean as it should be. it was just my choice to use the silicone. again, IT WAS A MESS!!!