Chain case site glass has Milkie color

[stingray719]

I've seen this happen on other mfg sleds. Polaris, Ski doo.

A buddy had a 600 ski doo that had tons of water in it.
I've seen a Polaris not move because of ice in the chain case from the moisture building up.

It all depends on how you store the sleds. A cold sled brought into a warm environment will produce condensation.
Until the sled equalizes to the room temperature.
Do enough cold heat cycles and you will get moisture build up.

When I store my sleds in my 4 place trailer in between trips I always leave a door open to eliminate the cold heat cycles that cause condensation build up and to get more ventalation in there.

It only takes a small amount of moisture in a chain case to create a milky color.





It usually will evaporate when the chain case gets warm and run hard.

Unless allot has built up then the oil should be changed.

This is an EXCELLANT post.

 

[Apex1958]

Just got of the phone with my dealer he tells me he doesn't think it is the gasket because it was perfectly clean around the cover. He did tell me that pure synthetics will turn to a dark milky color and asked Yamaha what was in the chain case and they did not know. He would not have changed it if it was a synthetic but because Yamaha didn't know he went on the safe side and changed it. Yamaha chane case oil is not a synthetic, when I change it I always used Mobile one pure synthetic gear oil for low temp.

 

[Sled Dog]

Do you park the sled in a heated garage after every ride? If so that is probably where it is coming from.

Agreed, it is worse if you leave a sled in the trailer closed up in the summer....I have seen more than one crank fail from rust that way. I would explain the physics behind it but Sled Dog says it is Arctic Cat issue so we must defer to his wisdom.

Stingray719 you started a thread to ask about the problems of the viper and you now want to defend AC on a Yamaha site, hmmmmm makes a person wonder. I have stored my yamaha sleds (3) in my 3 place trailer for 10 years now and have never seen the oil get milky from parking my sleds in their all summer and never lost a crank and where I live we gets lots of rain and high humidity along with very hot days. So yeah I am going to say this is a AC problem along with a bunch of the other problems this viper has seen. Why are all the chains so loose its like AC who built these sleds are setting them so this part fails.

You have bashed the Viper and Cat in your last two or three posts that is why I called you out on it. You bash this sled (Viper) and Cat every chance you get and add nothing to the conversation. Yamaha and Cat are partners get over it.

Hot days in Canada? Here in the western US parking a vehicle in an enclosed trailer cause condensation that wicks its way into gas tanks and crankshafts. The conditions have to be right but when they are this occurs. Having rebuilt more than a few of these when I worked at a Yamaha dealership long ago I do not feel the need to explain further. But here is an entire thread talking about trailer condensation - http://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/show ... for-winter

And look closely I have been a Yamaha fan for a long time, but I am also smart enough to see this partnership is good for Yamaha. Enough so I bought a new Yamaha Viper and would not have bought a new Yamaha without a competitive chassis. My 2014 M8 will probably go towards a Mountain Max next year, so save the "hmmm makes a person wonder" eh?

LOL come on now. You had better go re read!

 

[IA Rider]

The only time I have had milky chaincase oil is when the drive shaft to chaincase seal was damaged. The seal has two lips one keeps oil in the other keeps snow out. The lip that keeps snow out was half gone allowing snow and ice to get into the chain case. I park in a heated shop and have never had condensation issues.

 

[IA Rider]

I always run synthetic.

 

[jp111]

I have had trailers condensate so bad that it literally runs down the walls and drips off the ceiling. We sled in areas that are cold and then travel 6 hours south to go home and the temp change causes the dripage. It will also do it during the summer time. My buddy's doo sleds always have milky chain case oil when we change them.

Stingray, I am starting to feel a little like you do. Its getting a little old that everything that occurs in a Viper owners life has to get on the forum. Its a machine that is built by humans. Things happen. Just be happy some of you guys are riding yours , Because the weather here has yet to cooperate!

 

[Sled Dog]

The only time I have had milky chaincase oil is when the drive shaft to chaincase seal was damaged. The seal has two lips one keeps oil in the other keeps snow out. The lip that keeps snow out was half gone allowing snow and ice to get into the chain case. I park in a heated shop and have never had condensation issues.

Now this is an EXCELLENT post!

 

[cannondale27]

I have had milky oil many times. Cross a water crossing or even a puddle and the nice warm chaincase and shaft will suck water in no matter how good the seal. Thats why there is a sightglass or a dipstick to look at the oil. Get a Evac unit and suck the contaminated oil out. Takes 5 minutes.

 

[FAMILYMAN]

Familyman so you have noticed this also? Do you think the oil is crap that AC uses?

Yes same milky window, in garage nut not heated. Not sure, but I added full synthetic. I will change it out at 500 miles. Not concerned, that's what warrantee is for.

 

[Sled Dog]

I must be lucky then. I have rode in very wet conditions in the spring, crossed many unfrozen shallow fast moving creeks and stored my sleds in the sun in my enclosed trailer where all the ice will melt off the sleds three of them in fact. Yet not once has my chain case oil turned milky.

 

[canadianhunter]

After 1st ride, 46 miles the chain case oil was a slight bit milky or aireated. Chain 2 turns loose, left at 1/3 turn or 2 flats slack. Second ride and 119 miles, a bit more milky or aireated, I think. Still at 1/2 in site glass. Should not git water in oil on a smooth trail.
May check chain tension again and keep an eye on chain case oil but will not drain oil till 500 mile service.

 

[stingray719]

Checked girlfriends Viper today, chain was right on at 96 miles. Lucky I guess.....or she rides slow.

 

[canadianhunter]

Anyone know where the chain case vent is or if it even has one ?
Here is my thinking:
We have never had a chain case quite like this one. I will check the case temp. next ride. Likely will be 165*F normal and up to 195* F or ? under low snow or ? because of engine oil temp.
As much as I check things I do not recall how hot the case on other sleds got. Will check also.
This chain case will heat to at least 165 every time we use the sled and cool down when we shut down. There will be water, snow and ice on/near the seal on drive shaft, but should never get into case unless there is a vacuum. Same as all our other sleds with less of a temp. swing. Cold or warm storage should have no bearing.
Moisture in non syn. oil will settle out at least somewhat, that is why the sleds mentioned froze up. How often was oil changed ? Some sleds never get a chain case oil change till there is a problem.
The syn. oil we have used ( mostly engine oil, but some diff. oil ) will never settle out. At least the syn. oil in clear jugs at hunting camp from the many drowned ATV's has not settled out in 4 or more years.
The chain case tension debate may have something to do with different operating temps. than we are use to.
If there is a worry or some reason that condensation or ? is getting in the case guess we could use Amsoil marine gear lube as it is supposed hold somewhere around 20% moisture. Hopefully this will get solved first.
Your thoughts ?

 

[stingray719]

Anyone know where the chain case vent is or if it even has one ?
Here is my thinking:
We have never had a chain case quite like this one. I will check the case temp. next ride. Likely will be 165*F normal and up to 195* F or ? under low snow or ? because of engine oil temp.
As much as I check things I do not recall how hot the case on other sleds got. Will check also.
This chain case will heat to at least 165 every time we use the sled and cool down when we shut down. There will be water, snow and ice on/near the seal on drive shaft, but should never get into case unless there is a vacuum. Same as all our other sleds with less of a temp. swing. Cold or warm storage should have no bearing.
Moisture in non syn. oil will settle out at least somewhat, that is why the sleds mentioned froze up. How often was oil changed ? Some sleds never get a chain case oil change till there is a problem.
The syn. oil we have used ( mostly engine oil, but some diff. oil ) will never settle out. At least the syn. oil in clear jugs at hunting camp from the many drowned ATV's has not settled out in 4 or more years.
The chain case tension debate may have something to do with different operating temps. than we are use to.
If there is a worry or some reason that condensation or ? is getting in the case guess we could use Amsoil marine gear lube as it is supposed hold somewhere around 20% moisture. Hopefully this will get solved first.
Your thoughts ?

Checked girlfriends yesterday at 96 miles, chain slack was right on. Oil has slight discolored/aerated look but diff oil should not look like oil out of the bottle if checked anywhere near the time you have ran it. My 2014 M8 has fluid in it with a hardener added due to aluminum gears and it looks like milky oil almost silvery, could this fluid have also found its way into the Viper? If so the mystery of milky oil is solved.


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