Topic: Changing clutch and trans gaskets on CX500

[my78k]

2 of my fav resources for the CX appear to be DOA (Choppercharles and Elsham's page http://www.elsham.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/cx500/ ) so I am wondering if anyone here has changed these before?

At the surface it seems like a very simple re and re of the covers and gaskets but just wanting to make sure it is as easy as that? Also, is there anything in particular I should visually inspect while I have the covers off etc? Torque values would be great too! I would hate to over tighten and  snap one of those...

I know the CX is a bit of a toad (yada yada yada) but she's my toad and my only ride right now! She is leaking oil pretty darn quickly and I want to ensure I get is stopped pdq since I am sure the oild coating on the tire can't be good 

Thanks,
Dennis

[Jordan]

I had one, I really liked it, still have the shop manual somewhere, torque values were pretty standard for a honda, I found most of the gaskets to be fairly straight forward to replace, there was a tricky one that is a double seal it was around the upper rear of the heads about where the H2o pump is ( its been awhile), most people tended to just plug the hole with silicone cause it is time consuming to get to the other one deeper in engine, you will know it is bad by the trickle of oil going down the back past the cam chain tensioner which had a nasty habit of disintegrating on the early ones, When the manual says 8lbs torque on the valve cover bolts they mean it! don't ask went through 2 and they are expensive. I had a bigger headache with stripping the threads rather than breaking off the bolts.

[bryanj]

Not sure which ones you mean, it has been 20+ years since i worked on one!!

If you mean the big cover at the back you will need all the "O" rings as well PLUS the SPECIAL copper washer that goes under the dome nut holding the water pump impeller on---dont be tempted to try and use this twice, you will get a water leak that people will try and say is the seal assembly.

If you mean the front covers i think you can do those easier but you will need any "O" rings in there as well.

FINAL IMPORTANT POINT

Any time you have the engine out the first pint of oil MUST GO IN VIA THE ROCKER BOX COVER or you will oil starve the cam and wreck it along with the rockers

[750goes]

If you have the engine out - then finding the oil leak shoud not be a problem..

Rear case is simple enough - just be careful when removing it - water pump cover off, then dome nut & copper washer _it can be reused again bryan you just need to anneal it..

while you are in there you should replace the mechanical seal, timing chain etc....if your stator is good then leave it be..be aware you may need to get your case machined to accept the larger seal  as original size is nla
DO NOT fill up the weep hole with silicone - the reason it is there is to let you know the seal is no good and should be replaced - if you fill the hole with silicone it will only then go straight to the motor -nice thought of pumping water into your oil.....and not knowing about it..

try this link for cx information www.australiancx.asn.au

I am a member on there (81custom) and have recently completed most of this work by myself - not hard just a bit time consuming

[Jordan]

Yup that weep hole was the one I was thinking of. Which the PO had plugged on the one I had. I am trying to track it down and see if I can buy it back, doubtful though.

[kirkn]

Great bikes - I love 'em.  I've owned 3 over the years.  Replaced the water pump seal on two of 'em - piece of cake.  Just a lotta unbolting and bolting up again.

Clutch cover on the front?  No issues that I'm aware of.  Simple remove and replace, IIRC.  Bolt torque on the little 6~8mm screws is about 8 ft-lbs, as mentioned.  DON'T OVERDO IT.  You won't break the bolts, but you WILL strip the aluminum threads.

Transmission gaskets?  Not sure which one you mean, but if it's the large cover on the rear of the engine, it's a piece of cake, too, but the motor DOES need to come out.  Simple, as above.

My most recent water pump seal was just a few months ago, and it came right from ebay and included the seal and the new copper washer.  I reused all the old gaskets and O-rings and didn't have a single leak in the 1000 miles I put on it afterwards...

There's also a GL/CX500 / CX650 sub-board on the Naked GoldWing forum...   http://www.ngwclub.com/forum/index.php?sid=50163782d28c921115bf6aec4ebe7630

Kirk

[my78k]

Thanks guys! I should have been more specific. It is the front gaskets not rear. Also, I am changing these on spec since the oil leak is presistent and fairly significant. Engine is still in. I have checked the oilf filter cover gasket and bolt o oring to ensure a good seal and they look good so I am assuming it is the trans and clutch covers giving me my woes...

I am hoping to dig into it tonight if all goes well with my timing...

Also, thanks for the aussie cx site I will check that one out as well!

Dennis

[bryanj]

I found that annealing the washer didnt work as it deformed into the splinned hole in the impeller, so just ordered the 30p Honda one when ordering all the other bits----Dont forget i was doing these in a dealership and we guaranteed all our work so didnt want to do them twice!!

[Jordan]

here ya go if it loads

[my78k]

Hey thanks for the jpeg!! That helps!!!