Gray Gear OIl

mikeabbo47
Profile picture for user mikeabbo47
Posts
3
Joined
6/15/2014
Location
New City, NY US
mikeabbo47
Edited Date/Time 7/6/2014 6:22pm
I changed my gear oil on my 2006 YZ 250 yesterday and the oil was a grey color. I change the oil after 2 or 3 rides since I bought it new and its never been grey. I heard the coolant can be leaking thru the water pump seal, but the coolant level hasn't changed. I also heard it can be from the clutch. I'm using a clutch kit I never used before from Driven, it only has 4 rides on it. It seems funny the 1st time using this clutch and the 1st time the oil is grey. Any ideas and thought would be appreciated.
|
thormx11
Profile picture for user thormx11
Posts
187
Joined
12/2/2013
Location
Pembroke, KY US
thormx11 6/15/2014 6:27pm
6/15/2014 6:27pm
my buddy and me both picked up some 02 and 03 cr250s a few months ago, each time we have changed the oil it has been gray as well, never really thought anything about it.
partialperson
Profile picture for user partialperson
Posts
410
Joined
11/6/2006
Location
Murphysboro, IL US
partialperson 6/15/2014 7:30pm
6/15/2014 7:30pm Edited Date/Time 6/15/2014 7:32pm
If its the water pump seal it usually leaks on the seal that leaks out of the case, a 2 part sealing system, 1 internal 1 external. If it leaks inward, the oil will become milky and gooey. If it is grey and not slimy I would think it is deterioration of the driven clutch system or the clutch stack is not deep enough causing the pressure plate or boss to slip and what you are seeing is aluminum. I always recommend stock clutch kits on Yamaha.
Mickolobe7
Profile picture for user Mickolobe7
Posts
1076
Joined
9/5/2013
Location
Chicago, IL US
Mickolobe7 6/15/2014 9:09pm
6/15/2014 9:09pm
partialperson wrote:
If its the water pump seal it usually leaks on the seal that leaks out of the case, a 2 part sealing system, 1 internal 1...
If its the water pump seal it usually leaks on the seal that leaks out of the case, a 2 part sealing system, 1 internal 1 external. If it leaks inward, the oil will become milky and gooey. If it is grey and not slimy I would think it is deterioration of the driven clutch system or the clutch stack is not deep enough causing the pressure plate or boss to slip and what you are seeing is aluminum. I always recommend stock clutch kits on Yamaha.
oil plus water = gray
Jakes Dad
Profile picture for user Jakes Dad
Posts
1865
Joined
6/22/2009
Location
Brooksville, FL US
Jakes Dad 6/16/2014 3:24am
6/16/2014 3:24am
Aluminum plates using motor oil sometimes gives a gray color. A water pump seal is like $12 pretty cheap insurance.

The Shop

See All »
Falcon
Profile picture for user Falcon
Posts
10108
Joined
11/16/2011
Location
Menifee, CA US
Fantasy
798th
Falcon 6/17/2014 5:24pm
6/17/2014 5:24pm
Frothy white = water in the oil.

silvery? = metal and/or fiber plates in the oil.

Gray? Possibly both. (Hey, it happens.) I would change your pump seal first; even though you say you aren't missing any water from the radiator, it doesn't take much to change the color of your oil.
mikeabbo47
Profile picture for user mikeabbo47
Posts
3
Joined
6/15/2014
Location
New City, NY US
mikeabbo47 6/18/2014 5:48am
6/18/2014 5:48am
Thanks everyone. I'm going to change the seal and we'll see what happens.
MikeYamaha47 7/3/2014 8:05am
7/3/2014 8:05am
I changed the pump seals and bearing, but it is still gray. I guess I'm going to change the clutch plates to stock Yamaha. Any ideas what else it could be?
Falcon
Profile picture for user Falcon
Posts
10108
Joined
11/16/2011
Location
Menifee, CA US
Fantasy
798th
Falcon 7/3/2014 3:27pm
7/3/2014 3:27pm
Get a small oil sample and hold it up to sunlight. Can you see little chunks of metal in it? If so, look at your clutch plates, hub and basket. Those items wear down faster and faster as they go.

If all that is still good, I'm worried about your transmission gears.

What oil are you running? Maybe switch it up to another brand for a while. It may also be as simple as not getting all the old gray stuff out when you change oil - try "flushing" the tranny out with a few quick oil changes using cheap oil.
JM485
Profile picture for user JM485
Posts
5404
Joined
10/1/2013
Location
Davis, CA US
JM485 7/3/2014 3:38pm
7/3/2014 3:38pm
It sounds like the clutch fibers might be a different different material than stock. If you have only changed the oil once since putting the new clutch in, I wouldn't bother going through all the work of replacing that seal. Unless you see a milky color, more white than grey, it probably isn't you water pump seal.
FGR01
Profile picture for user FGR01
Posts
5112
Joined
10/1/2006
Location
AZ US
Fantasy
1222nd
FGR01 7/4/2014 5:37am
7/4/2014 5:37am
Water in the oil turns the oil milky, not grey.

Also, the water pump has 2 seals with a weep hole between them. So for water to get to your oil it would have to get past 2 seals and you would see coolant dripping from the weep hole (unless your weep hole is packed with dirt or corrosion).

The YZ250 has steel plates stock, not aluminum.

Like others have said, likely deterioration of the aftermarket fiber plates. Stick with stock.



Paw Paw 271
Profile picture for user Paw Paw 271
Posts
3640
Joined
4/3/2013
Location
Benton, LA US
Paw Paw 271 7/4/2014 2:31pm
7/4/2014 2:31pm Edited Date/Time 7/4/2014 2:33pm
If you are using an improper oil for your wet clutch it will allow excess clutch wear and turn the oil gray. You need to use an oil that has NO friction modifiers and the bottom of the oil rating seal is BLANK.
Aceofspades 7/6/2014 6:22pm
7/6/2014 6:22pm
I HAD to change oil in my 97 rm250 after every ride because the oil was aluminun-grey after one hard ride and shifting and clutch action would suffer. Get steel drive plates if u can and your oil will stay much cleaner and much better clutch action since that residue isnt coating your fiber plates.

Post a reply to: Gray Gear OIl