tack cable leakig

The tack cable where it screws into the engine is leaking oil. I installed a new seal kit but it still leaks oil on the pipes. Is there some kind of thread sealer any something that can stop this. Thanks to all Pat 76kz900ltd

Did the new seal kit include both the seal and o-ring?

o-ring

seal

yes,was a complete kit

Did you grease the o ring before you installed it? If so you might have something that was stuck in there before you put the drive back in. Bummer.

Some possibilities:

Leak from a different source, such as valve cover gasket, or exhaust gasket, or head gasket, or from up inside the tach cable getting past the seal (gasket or o-ring) at juncture of knurled knob and threaded male fitting on end of tach guide housing fitted into head;

Damaged guide housing, gear shaft, or in recess area where guide fits into the head;

Failure to properly fit and re-install the guide housing holder where it screws into the head.


Absent any of the above, oil from underneath the valve cover can escape through the tach fitting in only two ways: either past the seal inside the guide, or past the o-ring outside the guide between the guide and the head. Getting past the inner seal could be either around the outside of the seal between the seal and housing, or around the gearshaft where it turns inside the seal.

If the old seal was not completely removed, or for some other reason, perhaps the new seal did not fit properly inside the housing, or perhaps the new seal was damaged during installation.

When the tach drive parts are properly assembled and fitted into the head, there should be no leakage even with the tach cable not attached (tach cable just hanging free with the knurled knob not screwed onto the housing threads).

To confirm source of leakage through or around the tach gear housing, would suggest the following:

Unscrew and remove the knurled knob so the tach cable hangs free. At this point you can see the end of the tach gear shaft. Clean the area with some carb cleaner -- WEAR GOGGLES.

Do not re-attach the cable.

With the area dry and clean, crank the engine and carefully monitor the tach drive area with a flashlight to determine whether the leak is coming from inside the guide housing (getting past the inner seal) or from outside the guide housing (getting past the o-ring). Btw, some of the guide housings are fitted with two o-rings, I think.

Meanwhile, see if any oil is drooling out of the cable from the knurled knob end (perhaps from excessive lube inside the cable).

Good Luck! And let us know what you find.

Post edited by: Patton, at: 2007/10/12 05:51

Seems like a real common problem around here:


go here for help

After thirty years of living in an enviornment of heat and hot oil, the old inner seal may be hard as a piece of carbon and difficult to completely remove from inside the housing. But be patient and keep picking at it, and it will finally come out bit by bit, including the tiny metal spring fitted around the seal. Those less patient may just opt for a new housing from Z1E to go with the new seal.

Tightly sealing the connection between knurled knob and guide does not cure oil leakage around the gear shaft where it rotates within the inner seal. But the tight knurled knob fitting does channel the leakage into the tach cable instead of allowing it to ooze from the fitting.

Even where there is no leakage past the inner seal or o-ring, it is still a good idea to have an oil-tight seal between the knurled knob and guide, as this prevents tach cable lube from oozing out of the connection.

Where oil is leaking from under the valve cover by getting past the o-ring seal between the guide and head recess, such leakage is outside the knurled knob connection, and will continue to leak regardless of a tight seal at the knurled knob connection.

Good Luck!

I would suggest that you bite the bullet and get a new set of seals from Z1 Enterprises. When you put the new seals in it might be a good idea to put some Seal-All on the threads on the head. Seal-All is great stuff and is oil and gas resilient.

Cheers-Colin Firth-Ontario Canada

thanks,for the page is not the first time I used plumbing washers. Airraider washers work great on the gas petcook. I have cleaned and tighten around the nut, seems to be ok know. Took bike out today little cold but no leaks at this time.