VintageVmax.com

I need to change the water pump seal on my 81 SRX 440. The oil in the gearbox has a milky color to it. I know I have to pull the motor out to do it, but I'm wondering how long of a job this is? I'm a competent mechanic, have rebuilt several other sleds although I'm mainly an auto mechanic. I have the manual (on Microfiche, yech) so I should be ok there. The reason I'm asking is that I have a broken leg right now, and I'm off work and getting bored. I can get around my garage on a wheeled stool and my 12 year old son can help out as well so I'm thinking of tackling this job before it snows.

Thoughts?

Ryan.

I often wonder on these +/- 25 year old sleds how many times the gear case oil has been checked let, alone Changed.... Maybe, it would be best to drain the old oil, flush with new oil, drain then add new and see if the milkyness comes back before going to all the work of replacing the seal ? Condensation from a nearby hot engine over 25 plus years ?

Heck we are only talking about 25mm of oil !
Capacities- Chain case/ Gear Case Cap. (Type) 250cc/ 25cc (SAE 80W 90 API GL-4)


http://www.vintagevmax.com/1986_service.htm

Drain on the bottom of gear case housing. There may or may not be one on the 81SRX belly pan below the drain plug.

chrisrider63 wrote:Im trying to pull my waterpump housing and stripped the bolt for the water pump housing. its getting real hard to pull off...

Slow and steady with the puller, tap the end of puller with a hammer, tap gently around the housing, tighten the puller bolt, then Repeat over and over.

Parts....

Oh, and to top it all off. The bearings and seals were small enough to be sent in a bubble packed small envelope.

Sorry actually just saved my post. I ordered the bearing and seals. By the time it hit my door, Erie Bearing company cost me 100 dollars for two of Taiwan's finest junk bearings and seals. Not only were the prices expensive, I paid a 30 dollar HANDLING?? fee, big duty and huge shipping. Nice huh?
The only bonus for me was that I phoned Erie Bearing and UPS and got them both to eat some costs because it was just out of hand expensive. Good for them because I was a very unhappy camper.

xxxbuck19xxx wrote:Sorry actually just saved my post. I ordered the bearing and seals. By the time it hit my door, Erie Bearing company cost me 100 dollars for two of Taiwan's finest junk bearings and seals. Not only were the prices expensive, I paid a 30 dollar HANDLING?? fee, big duty and huge shipping. Nice huh?
The only bonus for me was that I phoned Erie Bearing and UPS and got them both to eat some costs because it was just out of hand expensive. Good for them because I was a very unhappy camper.

Erie was just my local dealer and those specifications and/or part numbers could be taken to any parts store to be cross referenced.

So,is there any advantage to updating from a 1983 to a 1984 or newer housing? Looks like the seals for the update or later years are also discontinued.

YES HUGE ADVANTAGE. YAMAHA CHANGED THIS WATER PUMP DESIGN IN 84 FOR THIS VERY REASON. LARGER BEARING AND TWO SEALS INSTEAD OF ONE. MY 83 HAS A 86 COMPLETE PUMP AND HOUSING ON IT. IF YOU HAVE A 1983 VMAX, IT WILL LEAK SOONER OR LATTER. 3:16 (yammie tony)

Ok, understand about about the upgrade but were do you get new seals??

GET A COMPLETE GOOD HOUSING WITH WATER PUMP INCLUDED AND DO A COMPLETE SWAP. AGAIN 84-87 WILL WORK. OR CONTACT THIS COMPANY ABOVE . THEIR SEALS ARE EXACT SIZE TO THE OEM YAMAHA. OR IF YA WANT OEM. CONTACT SPEED AND SPORT. I SAW YOUR 83 AT WHITEOUT, VERY NICE SLED. 3:16 (yammie tony)

OK, I am a bit slow I now see where sxr1000 said the 84 and up housing needs the 25x44x7 seal. I tried the 83 housing with the new seals and I was getting some water in the oil. When I took it apart last night, I found one of the springs off the new seal closest to the bearing. I believe the seal damage was due to inproper installation on my part. Further studing, I think the seal needs to be positioned so the spring lip is on the side with what ever you want to keep in place(water, oil).

I see very little difference in the update compared to the 83 when replacing the seals to the new after market single lip. I am not relying on a 30 year seal, since this is a rider, so I am going with new. The updated housing actually used a narrower bearing (.312") compared to the wider(.470") of 1983 to accomidate additional sealing surface. If you use the new seals you are still dealing with two single lip seals for both typs of housings. Using the new single lip seals, we are now down to three differences that I see.
1. Thinner bearing on the updated housing.
2. O ring on the shaft midway in bushing(updated version) vs. o ring on the end of the bushing smashed against the gear(1983)
3. Two small holes in the updated version housing between two seals to outside engine. (vent) vs. no holes in the 1983 housing.

YAMAHA UPDATED THESE WATER PUMPS FOR THIS VERY REASON. MYSELF AND OTHERS HERE JUST UPDATE 83 HOUSING TO 84-87 BECAUSE ITS A BETTER DESIGN. LOOK AT THE PARTS BREAK DOWN. 83 VS 84-87. NOW, LOOK SURE YOU CAN REBUILD YOUR 83 PUMP, BUT MOST HERE DO CASE SWAP. 3:16 (YAMMIE TONY)

93103-25118-00 supersedes to 93103-25133-00