Tacho cable still freaking leaking

My KZ1000 leaked and I really didn't know the gasket was ever there or not, but it takes a couple minutes with scissors and a thin cardboard piece you can make your own gasket. It fixed mine.

A leak-proof connection at the knurled fastener where the tach cable attaches to the drive allows oil that's leaking through the shaft seal to be contained within the cable sheath instead of escaping to the outside. It doesn't eliminate any existing leakage around the shaft through the seal.
When the cable is later disconnected, the accumulated oil will drool out from inside the cable sheath.
This isn't the recommended way to keep the tach cable lubed. :lol:




And such method doesn't contain any oil that might escape around the tach drive housing, where such leakage is often due to a faulty or missing o'ring, or damaged parts (cracked or broken tach housing or engine head), or incorrect installation of the tach housing.

With a correctly sealed and properly functioning tach drive, no oil escapes, even without the cable attached. And may ride cross-country without a tach cable, oil-tight and leak-free, same as if a plug is fitted instead of the tach drive.

Good Fortune!

That's the way I had it figured too. My drive is good as welded in the head, seized there and I lost interest in trying to force it out 20 years ago. The gasket did the trick. I don't mind oil in the cable. Remove the cable and oil will spill, but who cares? Oil leaks are a part of life on a KZ being 30+ years old now so I don't even care any more. Trying to keep oil tight is a fruitless chore anymore in my mind. I got 2 new bikes now that don't leak. Easier way to go.

RonKZ650 wrote: That's the way I had it figured too. My drive is good as welded in the head, seized there and I lost interest in trying to force it out 20 years ago. The gasket did the trick. I don't mind oil in the cable. Remove the cable and oil will spill, but who cares? Oil leaks are a part of life on a KZ being 30+ years old now so I don't even care any more. Trying to keep oil tight is a fruitless chore anymore in my mind. I got 2 new bikes now that don't leak. Easier way to go.

Yea but the old girl has only done 12,000 miles so most parts are still like new. Like the dude said who i buy my parts from they are well over engineered so bullet proof, thats why we love em'
no reason why they should leak..

been there done that with new bikes.. sold my hypermotard to buy the Zed... never looked back..

This links to a thread about repairs to a head in the tach drive area where a chunk is broken from the head.

69.46.28.106/forum/2-engine/329181-crack...n-tacho-gear-removed

There are safer techniques for attempting removal of a "frozen" tach drive, besides pulling and twisting.
But when reaching the point where further effort risks damaging the head, would concur with RonKZ650 to leave well enough alone.

Good Fortune!

Patton makes a good point about the o-ring. I would order it along with the seal and the gasket.

Ronayers.com lists the o-ring at $1.95; the seal at $5.29; and the gasket at $1.61. So the set of 3 pieces should cost around $9. Ed

Polish the drive gear shaft.

I've seen oil pulled up tach drive cables actually filling up the tachometer.

Patton wrote: A leak-proof connection at the knurled fastener where the tach cable attaches to the drive allows oil that's leaking through the shaft seal to be contained within the cable sheath instead of escaping to the outside. It doesn't eliminate any existing leakage around the shaft through the seal.
When the cable is later disconnected, the accumulated oil will drool out from inside the cable sheath.
This isn't the recommended way to keep the tach cable lubed. :lol:


And such method doesn't contain any oil that might escape around the tach drive housing, where such leakage is often due to a faulty or missing o'ring, or damaged parts (cracked or broken tach housing or engine head), or incorrect installation of the tach housing.

With a correctly sealed and properly functioning tach drive, no oil escapes, even without the cable attached. And may ride cross-country without a tach cable, oil-tight and leak-free, same as if a plug is fitted instead of the tach drive.

Good Fortune!

This may be a stoopid question..but
Patton as wonderful as your diagram is i cant work out exactly where or which way round the seal goes (one with spring around it)
The only place i can see it going is stuck on the end but you mention about getting the remains out of the engine being a problem.
but thats where it looks like it goes on the Kawasaki parts drawing




or like this?



It seems like the bike didnt have one in when i bought it as i can see an old one anywhere.

After all remnants of the old seal are completely removed from inside the housing, the whole new seal fits completely inside the housing, and should be pressed in until it won't go any further. When fully installed, the entire seal nests down inside the housing and doesn't protrude from the end of the housing where the cable connects.

Am thinking (but not positive) that the large end of the seal inserts first into the housing. Which seems consistent with the local expert's advice.

Good Fortune!

Edit: Thanks to Motor Head for the following post advising that the small end of the seal goes in first.

Inside at the end with the threads for the cable to attach. Look at the inside on the threaded end, there is the Old seal. New seal should install with the Spring Lip end Inside the Bore of the Housing, and the flat end/ letters numbers out towards the cable fitment.

This is a picture taken of my spare 77 engine showing the seal pressed in from the outside of the housing with the spring towards the engine.



In your middle picture it looks like your old seal is still in there underneath the new one

Now I that I'm thinking of it, the rubber "O" ring # 670 in the diagram that Ed posted came the wrong size , I don't remember if it was to big or small but I had to take the housing to a auto parts store and found one that fit snug and stood proud of the groove a little bit if you know what I mean.

bluej58 wrote: This is a picture taken of my spare 77 engine showing the seal pressed in from the outside of the housing with the spring towards the engine.

In your middle picture it looks like your old seal is still in there underneath the new one

Now I that I'm thinking of it, the rubber "O" ring # 670 in the diagram that Ed posted came the wrong size , I don't remember if it was to big or small but I had to take the housing to a auto parts store and found one that fit snug and stood proud of the groove a little bit if you know what I mean.

I'm totally confused as my housing is not like yours
the end of my housing is solid metal so the rubber seal will no fit in.
see pic
btw it's my wife holding it, i'm not wearing nail varnish.. honestly.. that's only at weekends..
also i agree my o ring further down does not look sufficient and i might have to go get a slightly larger one