MarieKaramazov
XS650 Addict
Yeah, there's definitely something hard smeared on the metal there, but it doesn't look like it's covering the seal. Makes me wonder if there was a crack though on that raised circle par of the case where the pushrod comes out of... something I should try to remove and inspect I imagine? I'll try replacing this first and see if I have problems I supposeYou may have your work cut out for you changing that seal. It looks like someone JB Welded it in there, lol. Hopefully not though. Maybe that's just Yamabond gasket sealer smeared all over it.
I think you still have the ball in your worm gear. Yes, it gets pushed farther in like that when the pushrod fits into it. Put a wad of grease on it, both to help retain it in the worm and to keep it lubed.
Any recommendations as far as what type of grease to use for the ball?
((Rudimentary question if anyone has the time: Is there a rule/pattern about what takes grease and what takes lube instead, and then which type to use for each? Currently poking around online and in the owner's manual to see if there's a pattern of which type of grease in general for which parts, and then what takes lube instead...I'm falling into a lubrication worm hole. I know that grease is basically just higher viscosity lubricant and better at keeping out contaminants, I know there's chain and cable specific lube (actually manual recommends SAE 10w30 motor oil for a lot of its lube points), but it seems like some things take lithium grease and others high speed (?) (or high temp grease which seems self explanatory), and other parts just take lubricant. So far it seems like if something is a moving/pivoting part it needs lubricant (e.g. throttle cable, brake/clutch levers, stands, etc) and it needs grease if it needs to stay in place and/or is a friction location, or if not friction, then pressure? Sooo swingarm bushings? And then there's the interior oil lubrication of the bike. Sorry thinking out loud a bit here.))
It's definitely the pushrod seal, I'm just not sure if it's only that since the other oil I see could be it's own source or it could be runoff from the seal...If this was me and not being certain it is the Pushrod seal I would try to inspect behind the Sprocket