• We are no longer supporting TapaTalk as a mobile app for our sites. The TapaTalk App has many issues with speed on our server as well as security holes that leave us vulnerable to attacks and spammers.

Chain case overfill - is it a problem?

Mills

Lifetime Member
Joined
Dec 4, 2007
Messages
764
Location
Elk Mound, Wisconsin
Country
USA
Snowmobile
'14 Viper RTX, '06 Apex, '99 SX 600, '74 TL433F, '79 Trail Fire
I changed the gears on my '14 RTX from 24/50 to 21/41. The new bottom gear is drastically smaller that the stock bottom gear so it has less total length of chain wrap on it vs the stock gear and it does not sit as far down in the oil bath in the chain case due to its smaller radius as compared to the stock gear. When I changed the gears I filled the case with the proper amount of oil. In less than 1,000 miles I had the jack shaft bearing in the chain case EXPLODE and take out the inner case. I had not had an issue with anything in the chain case prior to the gear change and everything was assembled and chain tensioned properly before & after the gear change. I am wondering if the chain was not picking up enough oil when running due to the smaller bottom gear. I am going to overfill the chain case when I get it back together this weekend to ensure the bottom gear and chain are wet out properly and carrying enough oil to the rest of the moving parts. Does overfilling them (oil above sight glass) hurt anything?
 

I was told no by my mechanic. I ended up putting 16oz in it and has been fine all year.
 
A little bit of something to make the oil cling a bit might not be a bad idea. In my case I used synthetic atf and a few ounces of Cenpeco gear oil that has temp tack.
 
I just got off of the 2006 Apex that I bought because the person that had it dared me to buy it for cheaper than I bought it. He had no idea what he had and didn't know what it was worth and I bought it because I had to. After riding it for the last 150 miles why the h*** would I want to get back on my Viper! The only thing different between the Viper and the Apex is the riding position and this Apex will smoke my Viper in a drag race in stock form any time. It will smoke anybody's Viper tuned the way they think it should be tuneed to. It will handle as good as a Viper but over a long ride I can see how the Apex might wear you out a little more than the Viper. Hey Yamaha go find the guys that designed the Apex and then put the motor clutches and chain case from the Apex in something those guys design with a rider forward position and you will win win win on the track and with the general public!
 
I accidentally filled mine to top of sight glass, didn't bother to take it apart an leak some out. It shouldn't make a difference with a few more ounces.
 
I just got off of the 2006 Apex that I bought because the person that had it dared me to buy it for cheaper than I bought it. He had no idea what he had and didn't know what it was worth and I bought it because I had to. After riding it for the last 150 miles why the h*** would I want to get back on my Viper! The only thing different between the Viper and the Apex is the riding position and this Apex will smoke my Viper in a drag race in stock form any time. It will smoke anybody's Viper tuned the way they think it should be tuneed to. It will handle as good as a Viper but over a long ride I can see how the Apex might wear you out a little more than the Viper. Hey Yamaha go find the guys that designed the Apex and then put the motor clutches and chain case from the Apex in something those guys design with a rider forward position and you will win win win on the track and with the general public!
I sort of agree with you... but the Apex also needs to go on a serious diet... that weight contributes to wearing you down

DF
 
I accidentally filled mine to top of sight glass, didn't bother to take it apart an leak some out. It shouldn't make a difference with a few more ounces.
Half sight glass is the minimum requirement. Spin it on the stand and see how fast it empties out. Top of sight glass, even just a touch above, is the most correct answer.
 
everyone has a different opinion on this. Last year when my vipers top bearing went out I really looked into this subject of oil capacity and type of oil to use. There where a lot of threads on this and it all led up to a common reason for wear in that chain case. Not quit enough oil and not changing it out frequently. What I did was use some 75/90 syn. gear oil with syn. chain case oil .The amount I used was a couple ounces more than recommended which was above the sight glass. I read that the sight glass was installed to low and thus creating enough oil to lube that top bearing. You got to realize that the engine oil tank is mounted to the case and that oil is very hot. Truthfully someone screwed up this and we have to live with it. Any kind of an additive to make the oil a bit "stickier", and a couple ounces more won't hurt. Better than blowing the bearings right?
 
everyone has a different opinion on this. Last year when my vipers top bearing went out I really looked into this subject of oil capacity and type of oil to use. There where a lot of threads on this and it all led up to a common reason for wear in that chain case. Not quit enough oil and not changing it out frequently. What I did was use some 75/90 syn. gear oil with syn. chain case oil .The amount I used was a couple ounces more than recommended which was above the sight glass. I read that the sight glass was installed to low and thus creating enough oil to lube that top bearing. You got to realize that the engine oil tank is mounted to the case and that oil is very hot. Truthfully someone screwed up this and we have to live with it. Any kind of an additive to make the oil a bit "stickier", and a couple ounces more won't hurt. Better than blowing the bearings right?
You and I are on the same page! I am going to add a full 16 floz. of synthetic oil and an additive to make it "stickier". I am also going to pack the jack shaft bearing with Mobile1 synthetic moly lube grease. I did swap the $#!+y wobble bearing and locking collar out for the '17 and new jack shaft and bearing as they wobble bearing concept was a bad design idea as well.
 


Back
Top