Oil From Shift Shaft - Where exactly is the seal I need to replace?

[philodendrin]

Been trying (for years) to stop a slow leak from my '81 XS400 Special II. I believe my leak is coming from the shifter shaft. There's a rubber boot (which was covered in oil) that covers the shaft that the foot shifter attaches to, and a good deal of fresh oil below it. Anyway, I see that there's a part called a "shift shaft oil seal". Looks like the typical Yamaha rubber washer-like seal. But, I'm confused as to where that is and why the description on Mikes XS shows it as a crankcase cover seal. Anyone have any details on where it is and whether that might be what's causing my leak from the shifter? Do ya just take off the lock ring and yank out the shifter shaft? Any reason to be wary of doing that? I'm always wondering if something on the other end will collapse.

See: https://www.mikesxs.net/oil-seal-clutch-cover-shift-shaft-oem-fj1200-xj600-xvs650.html

 

[CaptChrome]

It sounds like you are looking for oil seal #13 in the diagram below:

This seal is Yamaha part number 93102-12321-00 and it is available directly from Yamaha OEM parts retailers on-line for about 8 bucks, so I would get it from them and forget about the MikesXS part. Also, you can't pull the shift shaft out from the left side, only the right side of the engine, so you would have to pull both side covers to do the job. I would just replace the seal with the shaft in place. BUT, if you do that, don't push the shaft (#12) to the right side of the engine or else it can/will come off the the shift bracket (#1 in the picture) and you will have to pull the right side cover to get it back on in the proper place.

 

[philodendrin]

Thanks. I guess I didn't see the seal, which made me think the shaft needed to be pulled. But, yeah, if I don't have to pull it, I won't. I've got it ordered and will give it a shot once it arrives. Must just be hard to see with the lock ring in place.