Topic: 1971 CL350 Craigslist find

[Desert-SOHC]

Nice bike!

[Scott S]

 Well, that's not good....



 Rode to the post office today to ship a package (only about 5 miles away). When I went to put down the kickstand I noticed it was shiny. Almost immediately a huge puddle of oil formed. I then noticed a trail across the parking lot.
 I haven't investigated yet, but my guess is the output shaft seal or shift shaft seal gave up the ghost. The odd thing is, this bike has been 100% leak free. Not one drop on the floor before this.
 The GOOD news is that I seem to have caught it just in time. No oil showing on the dipstick, but I seem to have lost it all at once, just as I was arriving. Good thing I wasn't tooling around the back roads. I probably would have seized the engine, for sure, as there was ZERO sign of a problem.
 Called my daughter to pick me up and I went back and fetched it with the Creepy Van. I'll dig into it soon and try to find the culprit. Oil is EVERYWHERE, though....swing arm, rear wheel, rear fender, etc. Got some cleaning up to do, I guess!

[MoMo]

I had a similar problem Scott.  Was fine and then out of nowhere an  oil leak-wound up being the shift shaft seal had come out of its seat in the motor. Cleaned it up, used a bit of Hondabond around the seal and it was fine ever since...Larry

[Bankerdanny]

I had an experience like that with my 550F shortly after I got it. I discovered, 40 miles from home at a friend's house, that the DPO had stripped out the oil drain plug and repaired it by slathering silicone around the plug.

My initial short trips hadn't compromised it, but the hour long trip to my buddy's, including about 30 minutes on the highway did the trick and it was leaking like a sieve. The swingarm and rear tire were soaked. I was lucky there were no high speed turns on my trip.

[MoMo]

^^you were very fortunate BD....Larry

[grcamna2]

^^you were very fortunate BD....Larry

That's for sure    plus it's good it was a fresh rear tire w/ plenty of tread.

[Bankerdanny]

Definitely. I am also fortunate to have the world's best brother-in-law, who hooked his trailer up and drove 60 miles at midnight to come and get me and the bike.

[Scott S]

Clutch push rod seal it is! Oughta be an easu enough fix. I'll get one ordered.

[grcamna2]

The Best way to install that seal is to assemble the cases and w/ it crimp it down tight.The seal can be installed w/o splitting the cases but much care needs to be taken to install it without deforming it plus pushing it in far enough.. Make sure the seal and cases are bone dry.

[Scott S]

 Oil seal ordered. Only $8 shipped and genuine Honda. I'll polish up the pushrod and use a light smear of Yamabond when installing the seal.
 I think I'll make one of those retainers for the seal, too. Apparently, this is a pretty common problem!

[grcamna2]

Oil seal ordered. Only $8 shipped and genuine Honda. I'll polish up the pushrod and use a light smear of Yamabond when installing the seal.
 I think I'll make one of those retainers for the seal, too. Apparently, this is a pretty common problem!

if you use the "light smear of Yamabond" only put it on around the outer part of the seal as a small finishing bead (wait 24hrs. before you start it)'after' you install it dry to the bare aluminum hole;maximum friction(nothing slippery) to keep the seal in.The old seal that came out is undersize/shrunk from age which is probably why it popped out.

Honestly the best way is to split the cases so you can crimp that new full size dia. seal down tight between them;if that seal comes out again while you're underway on a ride it can be catastrophic.  seized engine and lot's of oil on the back tire.. and i know you'd rather not wipe-out at speed. 

[MoMo]

I had a similar problem Scott.  Was fine and then out of nowhere an  oil leak-wound up being the shift shaft seal had come out of its seat in the motor. Cleaned it up, used a bit of Hondabond around the seal and it was fine ever since...Larry

Wow,  brain frat.  I meant clutch push rod seal....Larry

[bill440cars]

    I saw a deal on a CL350 once, and it also was a '69 and the price was right (though I don't remember how much now), so I made arrangements to meet the guy, where the bike was and was ready to take it off of his hands. He told me where to meet him and I was there, "Johnny On The Spot" and I waited, and waited.......... and waited..........Then I tried to get him on his phone, and I called... and called..
can you see where this was going? yeah, no where! I had been stiffed!! What a pain, and it was local too! I would have REALLY been irate, if I had driven for an hour or so. Anyway......