Topic: CB750, Went to change oil for first time and found this

[motomotard]

73' CB750

So i got this bike this summer and went to change the oil for the first time today. I took the pipes off for better access and looked under the bike. The oil drain plug is the larger one on the lower corner of the pan right? Maybe im just stupid, but im pretty sure what im looking at is the drain plug.

If not please let me know, if so then why do i have this rubber cement like compound on my drain bolt. I tried to scrap it off and it wouldnt budge. I guess someone tried to stop a leak. Let me know if this is normal and what i should do about it.

Thanks for the help, here are pics.

[roadkill savior]

someone had a leak and "fixed" it with JB weld.

Get another pan and a new bolt with a new crush washer and an oil pan gasket.

Mine was leaking and I just replaced everything, lucky enough I had a spare.

[motomotard]

you think i should replace the whole pan? id like to get that #$%* off, but i dont think its going anywhere.

[Kevin D]

I once cracked my oil pan by overtorquing the drain plug, I had it welded but it still leaked. A new pan was my remedy. You might find a used one if you look around.

[TwoTired]

My guess is that the threads are stripped, and the cheapo owner glued it on before selling the bike.  Welcome to PO bike mod "improvements".

You will probably need heat to remove the JB weld, like a soldering iron tip.  Then deal with the mess afterward.  I suspect a replacement pan would be the easiest remedy.

Cheers,

[Gordon]

you think i should replace the whole pan? id like to get that #$%* off, but i dont think its going anywhere.

Yep, definitely time for a replacement oil pan.  Even if you could get the JB weld off without damaging the pan yourself, there's a good chance it's already been damaged or cracked by the PO which caused him to go for that quick fix in the first place.  Good, used pans can be found pretty cheap on ebay or in a local scrap yard.  Get a new gasket for it, too.   

edit: looks like TT said basically the same thing

[MoTo-BunnY]

*ouch* yeah, that work is definitely a candidate for the "APO (a**hole previous owner) Thread - Your Worst Stories . . ."  post here:

http://www.sohc4.us/forums/index.php?topic=24582.0   

Maybe add your pictures to that post, read others encounters with their APOs and realize you are fairly lucky, compared to some others 'joyous' discoveries of previous owners' work done to their bikes . .  . .lol

[arbormystic]

Well if you have access to nitric acid or high concentration hydrogen peroxide (30% is what we have in my lab at work) you can desolve the JB weld but both are kind of dangerous to work with.  I only know this because we use JB weld every now and then at work and those are the  two chemicals that are most destructive to jb weld.  I would agree with everyone else and replace the pan.  

[BobbyR]

You may be able to chip away the JB if he left it oily when he slipped the junk on it. You can probably burn it off with a torch (gently). All of this is probably better done with the pan off. Maybe once it is off you can get someone to helicoil it.

[steam-powered man]

you could just drop the whole pan, clean out the gunk and check the screen while you're there.  really should be done anyhow, just to see what surprises the PO has left you.  or you could buy a used oil pan from me  

i have some misc parts for sale from a used engine in the "parts for sale" section.  according to bikebandit.com, the oil pan for a '73 is the same as my '78.  pardon the shameless self-promotion, gotta pay for my frame kit somehow!
bobp

[Tower]

You have two basic choices.
1.  The Replace route: oil pan (ebay-$15), oil pan gasket (OEM-$10), drain nut and drain nut washer (OEM-$9). plus shipping ($20- $30).  Total $54-$64, plus the fun of parts hunting and ebay.

2.  The Repair route: oil pan gasket (OEM-$10), peroxide (chem supply-$4), drill & tap, metric nut and washer (hardware-$2) plus shipping ($10)  Total $26, plus the enjoyment of saving $28, drilling, tapping, chemistry and the satisfaction of salvaging old parts.

Hmmm. Tough choice. (no sarcasm intended)

[TwoTired]

Here's another option.  Leave the drain plug alone and JB welded.  Drop the whole pan for each oil change.  Wear long chemical gloves.

Burn/delete the pictures you took.

When you are tired of the bike, sell the problem to the next owner. Maybe the guy that did it will miss the bike and want to buy it back?

Karmic relief, no?

Cheers,

[BobbyR]

Here's another option.  Leave the drain plug alone and JB welded.  Drop the whole pan for each oil change.  Wear long chemical gloves.

Burn/delete the pictures you took.

When you are tired of the bike, sell the problem to the next owner. Maybe the guy that did it will miss the bike and want to buy it back?

Karmic relief, no?

Cheers,

What all of the posts sum up to is would you rather burn or freeze to death?

[motomotard]

i tried to chip the jb weld off, but its not going anywhere. so i just pulled the whole pan, it was messy but whatever.

im gonna replace the pan and gasket. definitely the easiest thing to do. when i pulled the pan off the gasket fell apart, so now it just sucks that the bike has to sit until i get the new pan.

any suggestions on where to get the gasket?

[BobbyR]

i tried to chip the jb weld off, but its not going anywhere. so i just pulled the whole pan, it was messy but whatever.

im gonna replace the pan and gasket. definitely the easiest thing to do. when i pulled the pan off the gasket fell apart, so now it just sucks that the bike has to sit until i get the new pan.

any suggestions on where to get the gasket?

Honda may be able to provide you with one. You would be surprised at the parts available.

[mkramer1121]

Or, you could make one!  That is, if you have a scanner.  This is Bob Wessner's tip so don't give me credit.  Clean the pan thoroughly.  Place it on your scanner.  Scan, and print.  Trace where the gasket sits onto a sheet of gasket material bought from an autoparts dealer.  Punch the holes and Voila!  You have your new gasket!

[antiq]

Or, you could make one!  That is, if you have a scanner.  This is Bob Wessner's tip so don't give me credit.  Clean the pan thoroughly.  Place it on your scanner.  Scan, and print.  Trace where the gasket sits onto a sheet of gasket material bought from an autoparts dealer.  Punch the holes and Voila!  You have your new gasket!

Or you could do it the old school way. What I used to do was use a ball peen hammer but since this is aluminum use a small plastic hammer. Just put the gasket material over the pan and hammer gently on the edges of the pan through the gasket material and at the bolt holes. You may want to round one plastic head like a ball peen for the bolt holes. It may not cut the material all the way through but a sharp knife will complete the cuts and voila new custom fit gasket.

[Odge]

Everything gets blamed on this PO guy.

[mikedialect]

Honda should still make the gasket.

[motomotard]

Or, you could make one!  That is, if you have a scanner.  This is Bob Wessner's tip so don't give me credit.  Clean the pan thoroughly.  Place it on your scanner.  Scan, and print.  Trace where the gasket sits onto a sheet of gasket material bought from an autoparts dealer.  Punch the holes and Voila!  You have your new gasket!

the gasket is like $10 from honda

[Bob Wessner]

Or, you could make one!  That is, if you have a scanner.  This is Bob Wessner's tip so don't give me credit.  Clean the pan thoroughly.  Place it on your scanner.  Scan, and print.  Trace where the gasket sits onto a sheet of gasket material bought from an autoparts dealer.  Punch the holes and Voila!  You have your new gasket!

The idea was not original to me, but thanks for thinking it was.

[canyon750]

I don't want to worry you but when you run into "fix it" jobs like this there usually is another horror awaiting you somewhere else on the bike.  I was just helping my friend with a fuse blowing issue on his 83 Goldwing when i found speaker wire was used to wire the accessory turn signals along with clamp style jumpers to power them!    I also found that when the APO removed the old radio (remember this was a Goldwing) he left the in-line fuses in the lines and just cut the ends off! The bare ends were shorting against the frame right through the fuses!  

I'd take a look around and make sure your not missing a nightmare waiting to happen.  My $0.02 USD.

[mkramer1121]

I know you could buy one...But I posted it caught some of us like to do it ourselves!  Not really, but I thought it was cool.

And Bob, you enlightened me to it, so it is now forever your idea in my book!

[blackhog02]

Damn you must have bought your bike from the same guy I got mine from.  On mine I pulled the plug and no oil came out. I was like what the hell.  Then I pulled the pan and made a huge mess in the garage. 
the PO has JB welded on the inside of the pan all around the drain bolt because it had been over tightened and it was cracked.   I ended up replacing the pan and getting a new gasket from the Honda dealer.

[jonbuoy]

JB weld will soften up and crack with a blue flame from a  blow torch.