Topic: Valve cover removal; 1975 CB750F

[bikehenge]

Hi all,
My head/cylinder interface is slightly weepy so I thought I'd re-torque the head bolts.  I have the valve cover loose, and although I can move it around it seems to be captured.  Is there a trick I'm missing or must I reposition or even remove the engine to remove the valve cover? 

Thanks,
Rob

[754]

Unless you are willing to cut 2 tubes out of your frame, you have to pull the engine. Lots have cut them, I would only as last resort.

A guy on here sells a kit to make it removable.

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

Rob, Rob, Rob,

Bad news buddy. Take this gently from another 75 750F guy. You can not take the valve cover off UNLESS you remove the engine. Bummer, huh?! You can however carefully replace the gasket by cautiously manipulating it into place. The trick here would be to remove the remnants of the old gasket cleanly to achieve a good seal and prevent any of these remnants from getting into the head which could clog oil passages and burn up your engine from oil starvation. Good luck with this    

Now, with all this said and in your current state, you can retorque some of the bolts but not all. I don't think this is going to help much/any with the propensity of the 750s having leaky head gaskets.

The only current option as far as I know is to contact member Gordon (Ilbikes) and procure one of his frame kits that will allow you to remove the section above the engine in order to be able to remove the top end without removing the entire engine. (YES SOHCers, Gordon once again has these available). Downside here is you MAY still have to remove the engine then cut and weld the frame so you might as well do it. Guess all this depends on a few things: how much wrenching do you want to do and how long will you keep the bike. Oh yeah, replace those stretched out cylinder studs with new heavy duty ones and hopefully all that work you just did to cut and weld the frame section might never be needed again.

Don't you just hate it when a simple idea sucks  

[bikehenge]

Doh!
Well, at least now I won't waste more time trying to finagle it off.
Probably won't be cutting the frame, I'm sure those that have done it find it a good thing but it sort of gives me the willies.

Sounds like I just need to learn to appreciate the weeping and get on with life.

Thanks also for the tip on heavy duty studs, that may come in handy on a different project.  Where are those available?

Thanks for the input,
Rob

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

Rob,

Big Jay at APE is a member here. Check his site for the studs and other fine goodies. I've been trying to get him to start cranking out some of the old items they used to produce so perhaps if we (ah hem, Jay) increase the amount of business he gets maybe, just maybe he will be humbled enough to help out his bros.

[Steve F]

It most likely will go farther than the head gasket to solve the oil weeping.  Theres those plastic discs that fill up the access holes for the head bolts that have shrunk and need to be replaced.  They should be included in the gasket set.