Last thing I thought could happen

Long story but the short version is, I got water in my gas tank, was out in the rain and must have a bad seal. Anyway I put a bit of heat in my tank to help eliminate it. It made it so my bike would idle but could not drive it (no power). I would just drain the tank later on when I had time. 4 days later i go out and smell gas in my garage, my carb must have stuck again and gas poured out from the carbs onto the floor. As some of you know when gas comes out of the carbs and drips onto the engine it could fill the plugs. Great another problem. It has now worked its way into the oil, so oil change coming up and filter.
I went out to do it tonight and the sight glass that shows how full your oil is is gone and a big puddle of oil is on the floor. I found the sight glass had fallen inside. How does a sight glass fall in??? I tried to get it out and knocked it even further in so now the oil pan has to come out. I have never heard of this happening. once I get it out of the oil how to I get it back in?? And what makes sure it dont happen again.
Jeremy
92 xj600s

 

This is the very firt time I have ever heard of such a thing happening.
Somebody is sticking pins in a little doll they made of you!

Just to satisfy my own curiosity; I'm heading-over to have a face-to-face with a Professional Yamaha Certified Technician to see what can be done about re-seating the Oil Level Sight Glass.

I wouldn't dare speculate on this one.
I'll Post what the Yamaha People have to say about this as soon as I find out!

(But, I wonder if the additive found its way to the Crankcase and dissolved the Sealant holding the Window in place???)

 

Good on you for going the extra mile Rick, can't be too careful.
Epoxy is fuel and oil resistant. Ought to work fine IMHO. Of course a successful repair will be dependant upon absolutely clean bonding surfaces. I say that as the case is cast and porous so getting the area mentioned clean is going to be a heap of work in its own right.

 

I thought about the additive as well but still seems fishy. There is nothing around my bike that could have hit it and knocked it loose, it just fell in. I appriciate your feedback and asking a teck about it for me, that is just awesome. Thanks for your help. Jeremy

 

What I find particularly odd about this that the Part failed.

I routinely spray Windex directly on to the Oil Sight Window and then rub it with a paper towel to keep the glass cleaned-off of road grime and dirt.

I get right down there and do the perimeter of the glass, all around the edge, to keep it nice and clean.
I put some pressure on the paper towel because a trip or two over a section of road construction will make the thing filthy.

I've never given a second thought about dislodging the glass and having the sump contents pour-out of there.
THAT ... is most unusual.
In fact, I have NEVER even heard about it happening to anyone else but you in over 40-years of wrenching and being around race teams and dealership service techs.

That, right there, is a new one on me!

 

yeah me too, I just "refurbed" a clutch cover using both aircraft paint remover and gasket remover, degreased it, used Q-tips to clean the sight glass on the inside and out, and it never so much as gave any indication of MOVING. I always had the impression it is pressed in, like an oil seal. Are we going on the theory that something DISSOLVED whatever holds it in? And Jeremy, as long as you havent "sloshed" the bike around too much, (or put it on the sidestand) the piece(s) should still be laying in the bottom of the cluch housing area, they may not (hopefully) have gotten all the way in and fallen into the sump (yet.) You're gonna have to pull the clutch cover to fix it anyway, look in there first for the pieces.

 

Here's the scoop ... right after returning home from my visit to Yamaha!

The situation is MOST unusual; but not unheard of.

The Oil Level Sight Window on the '92 XJ600 is susceptible to loosening and falling away from its housing when exposed to distillates and solvents.

The Part is cylindrical, with an O-ring Seal.
A pressed-fit Part which has a rubberized laminate surrounding its Outside Diameter.

If the Part is exposed to Fuel, or a highly distilled solvent ... the Rubberized Laminate which holds the Cylindrical Window Part breaks down and deteriorates allowing the attacking distillate to contact the O-ring.

The press-fit and seal are compromised.
And, ... we all know what happens next!

The Part is available in the system:
Part No# --
3Y1-15361-00-00 -- GAUGE, LEVEL

Get yourself a new one.
They're only $115.95
I'm sorry ...
I messed that up.
The part is only: $15.95

For some reason I always think every part we ever need is over a hundred dollars.

That's all she wrote!
Have fun stormin' the castle.

 

HHHEHEHEHEH, scared the crup out of me with that 115.95. Ill get one ordered and start the dissasembly. So it just presses into place? I am thinking once I get the oil pan off it should be fairly easy to get to. Thanks for going the extra mile. Much appriciated. Jeremy

 

I don't have anything to offer this thread, but just wanted to say thaks for the laughs, RickCoMatic.

Good luck, Jeremy. Turns out it was only MOSTLY dead.

 

Jeremy, Isn't your sight glass in the clutch cover like the older XJ's? If it didn't fall in too far you may not need to pull the sump, just the clutch cover. GOOD INFO, Rick. I'm gonna have to keep a close eye on the one I refurbed.