Its basically running well enough, though it definitely prefers me to use the higher octane fuel that the lower octane stuff here in Mexico...
When I use the low octane stuff, the motor sounds very clunky and Im sure its bad for it in the long run.
But, more importantly, the bike has started leaking oil again, quite badly!
Its coming from the same place it always does which is an oil seal behind the front drive sprocket for the chain.
Now, in the past I have found that the oil leaks from here when it gets very old (the oil), and so a change of oil does the trick... But not this time! You see, its the original seal and its now done about 150,000Km and the seal really has had enough... Now, I did ask the mechanic shop to change this seal befor I started this trip, but they forgot, and so I just got given the seal and figured Id do it when I changed the front sprocket on the trip...
But, when I did that in Bolivia, I had such a challenge building the sprocket and replacing it that I too forgot about the seal.
and so, its finaly caught up with me :)))
Now, the problem with this seal is that I dont have a socket big enough to get the front sprocket nut off... So, I have to go to a mechanic to do it...
Which is what I did this morning, after the bike used almost a litre of oil yesterday!
OK, so we got the front sprocket off easily enough, but getting the old seal out after that took about an hour with all sorts of pliers and wires and hooky bits etc... It was way harder than it should have been!
Old seal out!But, once it was out (and totaly destroyed!), it was all good and I started trying to seat in the new one... after 15 minutes of trying to tap the new one in, Id bent it and it was also destroyed!... Not Good!
... But fortunately, I had a second spare...
So, after about an hour more of "gently" trying to get this one in without damaging it... and another 20 minutes of the mechanic trying (with me making sure they didnt use force and damage the new seal...
We were all out of ideas...
And, it was then that I noticed in amongst all the caked on greasy mud that there was an extra little bolt!... No, two of them...
... You IDIOT!!!...
And once the mud was scraped away, the solution became obvious :)
There was a thin metal bracket bolted over the top, holding the seal in place and we had not yet removed it!! Sounds obviouse I know, but all I can say is that it definitely wasnt!
Front sprocket drive shaft with seal removed...But with seal retaining bracket still in place... Can you spot the hidden bolt head under the muck??
Anyway, after removing this bracket, the new seal went in easily and the bracket was put back on, and then the clutch mechanisme was replaced (along with a search for missing ball-bearings with a magnet... Succesfull thank heavens)... and it was all back together.
So, I spent about three hours today working on the bike.
Hopefully it doesnt leak oil any more, but I wont know till this evening...
So, its back on the road to find out! ;)))
Anyway, after removing this bracket, the new seal went in easily and the bracket was put back on, and then the clutch mechanisme was replaced (along with a search for missing ball-bearings with a magnet... Succesfull thank heavens)... and it was all back together.
So, I spent about three hours today working on the bike.
Hopefully it doesnt leak oil any more, but I wont know till this evening...
So, its back on the road to find out! ;)))
