Topic: rebuilding a 550k engine

[mkarcz]

My '75 550k has started leaking oil out of almost every gasket and crack on it.  A decent amount seems to be coming from the shifter.  So I am thinking the whole thing could use a rebuild.  So I have two questions:
Is there anything that I can put on the outside of a bike to slow the leaking, especially around the shifter where it seems to be getting the worst?
How long would it take someone who is decent with mechanics but never done anything this big to do?  10 hours 20 hours 1 winter??
thanks
mark
Advice

[MetalHead550]

Leakin from the shifter huh?  Im guessing its your gear selector shaft seal.  Pull off the shifter lever then pull off that engine side cover so you can see the shifter shaft and sprocket.  Youll probably need an impact driver to get those phillips bolts out.  You will see that the shifter(gear selector) shaft has a seal around it where it enters the case.  These are prone to leaking since the shaft has a bit of side to side play in it.  You should be able to pop it out with a flat blade screwdriver.  The seal is much like a mini fork seal.  Get a new one(cheap) lube it with some oil and press it in evenly with a pipe or something.  Put your engine side cover back on then put a small o-ring on the shaft before putting on the shifter lever.  This will help minimalize that side to side movement and make that seal last longer.  Later.

[pmpski_1]

What he said.

I had the same problem, replaced the seal, viola, no more leak. Try to find as many of these "cheap" fixes as you can before you decide to tear your engine down.

Before I rebuilt my carbs I found a cheap beat up set on ebay. I took these apart and played around with them to get the idea before I started on my own. I was afraid of messing mine up

If you can find a cheap engine somewhere you could rebuild that one for practice and if it turns out good then swap them while you rebuild the current one. If you break something you still have another one left. And it's nice to have spares.

[bryanj]

Honda say 8 hours to change a crank which is the biggest strippdown imaginable, double for inexperience add 4 for corroded fittings and add 2 for gasket surface and inner cleaning gives you 22 WORKING hours for you assuming you have a decent 3/8 drive six sided socket set. QUALITY circlip pliers, torque wrench, proper workshop manual, some sort of cleaning bath with scrapers and a budy to assist with the lift out. Oh and all the bits you need.

If you are doing a full strip you will need a full gasket kit, full oil seal kit and advisedly a cam chain and primary chain as a minimum list

[mkarcz]

metalhead550-

do I need to drain the oil to change the seal, or can I do it reall fast and kind of sloppy??
And do you have the part number for that seal/?


mark

[MetalHead550]

No you dont have to drain the oil.  I dont think it took me more than 15 minutes to do mine.  Only problem I see you having is getting those damned phillips head bolts broke loose, unless you have an impact driver.  They WILL strip if you dont.  Sorry bud, dont have the part # though.  Good luck.

[TwoTired]

I just bought one from Honda.

91202-KFL-841  oil seal 13.8X24
cheers,