Hi, u chaps are great. Thanks for the help. I need a bit of clarification, what do u mean by "saddles" are these the standard Honda washers? If that's the case can u loosen off the flanged nuts, put sealant on the eom washers and to torque up the bearings as per the workshop detailed pattern? Thanks for all the help guys.
The "saddles" are internal. They are the flat mating surfaces on either side of the main bearings, top case to bottome case. To a layperson it appears one could get away without sealing these, and just seal the perimeter of the cases. But as I have learned, all mating surfaces need to be sealed just in case. That just in case in this case is if you convert to studs (as I did too) there is more of a chance of oil wicking thru the saddle area to the studs, down the studs to the nuts (and washers) and out on the ground.
The first line of defense is the saddle area. APE's experience has probably been predominantly with people who knew to goop up the saddle areas.
The sad part about the external fix is we lose the continuity of the pattern of torquing the nuts. But better they don't leak, IMO. And yes, your description of the fix is correct: loosen the flange nuts or remove altogether, put gasgacinch or your favorite sealer on the studs threads, shove it up the hole with a QTip, goop the washers, let them a set up, and reinstall. I just did the 3 on mine that were leaking and I think I cured it.
