Author Topic: Top End Oil Leak  (Read 802 times)

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Offline PhillyCheese123

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Top End Oil Leak
« on: November 08, 2020, 05:44:28 PM »
Hi everyone

Recently picked up a 73 cb750 engine. Previous owner said that when he parked the bike, the engine had been leaking oil pretty badly. He said that the leak is in the top case and he suspects a failed "rubber seal". I'm somewhat of a newbie to wrenching and motorcycles in general. Not quite sure what he meant. Any ideas?

Already started taking the top case apart so I'm wondering what I should be looking for.

Offline bryanj

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Re: Top End Oil Leak
« Reply #1 on: November 09, 2020, 01:26:35 AM »
There are rubber "pucks" between cam towers and head plus seals at head gasket and base gasket.
Also the studs/bolts holding the cam towers can leak down the threads
Semi Geriatric ex-Honda mechanic and MOT tester (UK version of annual inspection). Garage full of "projects" mostly 500/4 from pre 73 (no road tax in UK).

Remember "Its always in the last place you look" COURSE IT IS YOU STOP LOOKIN THEN!

Offline HondaMan

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Re: Top End Oil Leak
« Reply #2 on: November 09, 2020, 05:41:37 PM »
Bryan has one of the sources right: another can be leaks from the cam bearing studs, especially if someone took them out and didn't seal them when reinstalling.

Also:
if someone before you replaced the head gasket, they very likely introduced the oil leak by not installing thicker O-rings at the 2 oil ports at the back of the cam chain tunnel, on top of the cylinders. VERY common. You can also mill off the cylinder deck instead: I recommend both, and do that with all these engines I rebuild. This leak can be determined by WHERE the oil is coming from: if it is coming out of the front of the cylinders just below the exhaust ports, this is the culprit.

Also possible (but rare, have only seen it 3 or 4 times) the cam cover gasket may leak. This can be caused by a dozen things, including a warped, damaged, or cracked cam cover gasket surface, all usually at the hand of a poor mechanic.
See SOHC4shop.com for info about the gadgets I make for these bikes.

The demons are repulsed when a man does good. Use that.
Blood is thicker than water, but motor oil is thicker yet...so, don't mess with my SOHC4, or I might have to hurt you.
Hondaman's creed: "Bikers are family. Treat them accordingly."

Link to Hondaman Ignition: http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=67543.0

Link to My CB750 Book: https://www.lulu.com/search?adult_audience_rating=00&page=1&pageSize=10&q=my+cb750+book
Link to My CB500/CB550 Book: https://www.lulu.com/search?sortBy=RELEVANCE&page=1&q=my+cb550+book&pageSize=10&adult_audience_rating=00
Link to website: https://sohc4shop.com/  (Note: no longer at www.SOHC4shop.com, moved off WWW. in 2024).

Offline PhillyCheese123

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Re: Top End Oil Leak
« Reply #3 on: November 09, 2020, 06:46:55 PM »
Thank you both for the pointers. I’ll be on the lookout for each of those possibilities. Got the cam shaft out today so if I don’t find the culprit soon I may be back with more questions!

HondaMan - your book is serving me well!

Offline HondaMan

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Re: Top End Oil Leak
« Reply #4 on: November 21, 2020, 06:42:23 PM »
Thank you both for the pointers. I’ll be on the lookout for each of those possibilities. Got the cam shaft out today so if I don’t find the culprit soon I may be back with more questions!

HondaMan - your book is serving me well!

I'm glad it helps, thanks for getting one!
See SOHC4shop.com for info about the gadgets I make for these bikes.

The demons are repulsed when a man does good. Use that.
Blood is thicker than water, but motor oil is thicker yet...so, don't mess with my SOHC4, or I might have to hurt you.
Hondaman's creed: "Bikers are family. Treat them accordingly."

Link to Hondaman Ignition: http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=67543.0

Link to My CB750 Book: https://www.lulu.com/search?adult_audience_rating=00&page=1&pageSize=10&q=my+cb750+book
Link to My CB500/CB550 Book: https://www.lulu.com/search?sortBy=RELEVANCE&page=1&q=my+cb550+book&pageSize=10&adult_audience_rating=00
Link to website: https://sohc4shop.com/  (Note: no longer at www.SOHC4shop.com, moved off WWW. in 2024).