Topic: To Bond, or Not to Bond? That is The Question...

[Dr. Frankenstein]

I'm getting ready to put the bottom case on my 550K project after a rebuild, and am just curious - the book calls for a thin coating of gasket goo (I have Hondabond, which I am not opposed to using), but the two halves themselves did not have any gasket material on them when I took them apart - I probably will use it, but I'm just wondering what the consensus is regarding its use...opinions??

[HondaMan]

I'm getting ready to put the bottom case on my 550K project after a rebuild, and am just curious - the book calls for a thin coating of gasket goo (I have Hondabond, which I am not opposed to using), but the two halves themselves did not have any gasket material on them when I took them apart - I probably will use it, but I'm just wondering what the consensus is regarding its use...opinions??

The cases are designed to use Hondabond (or Yamabond, similar stuff) to seal them. Spread it evenly on the mating surfaces of the cases and join them within 15 minutes, then start closing the cases tightly with the main bolts at the crankshaft. Then, moving from the crankshaft outward, do all the 6mm bolts.

Don't forget the special one by the clutch! It's a real long, thin, 6mm bolt, inside the engine.

[bryanj]

VERY THIN smear of Hondabond, thats why you couldnt see it

[Dr. Frankenstein]

No, there was None - it was bare aluminum, nothing on it.

HM, speaking of which, are there any torque specs for those 6mm bolts that go around the outside of the case? The book just says 'tighten', which is fine, but IIRC isn't there a torque spec for those on the 500?  No worries if not, but the anal part of my brain thinks there is a spec for everything...

[bryanj]

Comes under general torque settings at begining of manal i think, if there was no bond its been apart before and put together wrong!

[CycleRanger]

Be real careful with those 6mm bolts! They'll snap right off if you over torque them.

[Dr. Frankenstein]

I couldn't find a torque value, so as per the manual, I'm just 'tightening' them; all good so far.

[HondaMan]

No, there was None - it was bare aluminum, nothing on it.

HM, speaking of which, are there any torque specs for those 6mm bolts that go around the outside of the case? The book just says 'tighten', which is fine, but IIRC isn't there a torque spec for those on the 500?  No worries if not, but the anal part of my brain thinks there is a spec for everything...

I couldn't find a torque value, so as per the manual, I'm just 'tightening' them; all good so far.

The spec for the 6mm size is 90-100 in-lbs (in USA numbers). The longer they are, though, the lighter number I tend to use: on long ones I use the 90 in-lbs and one shorter ones, if they are far away from each other, I'll go to 100 in-lbs.  The only ones I've ever seen break were those real long ones, longer than 4", when someone went too far (like 120+ in-lbs).

He just didn't know the number and went too far...

[Dr. Frankenstein]

120 inch lbs - that's ten foot-pounds! That's way too much for those bolts...! So in this case I just tightened them good and snug, as per the manual.

I've only once had a 'Jesus' moment, when I was tightening the head bolts on my GL1000 - I was using a click-type torque wrench "to spec" and felt/thought it was getting way too tight when I felt/heard it go *SNAP* and I broke out into a cold sweat...luckily I was able to unscrew it. It had stretched, but luckily didn't break off inside its bore. After that I got a digital torque wrench (Tapha Tools) and it has never let me down, I love it.

https://www.amazon.com/Tapha-Direction-Notification-Calibrated-WP3N-T085BN/dp/B08RXRRSHP/ref=asc_df_B08RXRRSHP?mcid=b55c97e009eb31f5826a8a7b3a0c48b2&hvocijid=9491737643030330125-B08RXRRSHP-&hvexpln=73&tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=721245378154&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=9491737643030330125&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9008366&hvtargid=pla-2281435177858&th=1

[Little_Phil]

Although I don't see a specific torque for the 6mm bolts, this is from the ws manual and indeed some 6mms do go up to 10ft lbs tops.

[MauiK3]

I worry about those little threads in the aluminum, pretty fragile stuff. I tend to go a little lighter too.

[PeWe]

I have tightened the M6 max 10Nm
Even a little less on cam holders and engine covers.

[grcamna2]

VERY THIN smear of Hondabond, thats why you couldnt see it

+1 

[Dr. Frankenstein]

I did apply some Hondabond, but seriously, it was thinner than a politician's alibi.