I think shes turning into a BRITISH vintageM/C - leaving oil wherever I park!

[andy_c101]

Help!
CB550 rebuild just developed a leak!

Anyone know if it is possible to remove & replace the shaft seals for the final drive sprocket shaft & the gear change shaft WITHOUT dismantling the engine/gearbox!!!

Q: (once the cover plate & sprocket is off) Do I just punch a hole into each seal & then gouge it out with something pointy?

[matthewmosse]

split the cases if I were you, the seal is held in by the cases pressing in on them so any bodging of this kind has a slim chance of success, and some chance of perhaps damaging the bearings behind the seal. Do-able in a day but not the best news. has the bike been stood for some time? I had a US inport engine that for it's first few weeks in service leaked like a sieve but then after a bit of regular use it stopped leaking, I recon the seals had dried out and re soaking them by use oil and heat was what sorted it.

[Bryanj]

Gera change shaft can be done in situ sprocket have to split cases.
Common leak is the oil pump top cover for which Honda dont supply an "O" ring But I got some in a set of 4 oil pump "O" rings if you need them

Also oil pressure switch can leak.

You need to clean all the crap out and trace exactly where the leak is from

[andy_c101]

New seal on the gear change shaft seems to have cured it!

The oil leaked rom the gear change shaft; the first photo shows the oil about to drip.
On removing the cover, again the oil was coming from the gear change shaft seal, marked "A" on second photo.
Main drive sprocket shaft seal seemed to be perfectly dry ( & now signs of oil flinging up&around fromthe rotating shaft, tends to confirm it).

But what I also noticed to the front of the drive sprocket, was a rubbing mark on the casing; ("B" on the photo)
The chain rivets have been just kissing the case.

I now realise that having used a modern 530 o-ring chain, that it is wider than the original seal-less chains!
I don't know if anyone else has seen that problem when fitting modern sealed chains to old Jap bikes?

I've decided that it isn't going to get any worse; I have inspected the inside chain rivets and side-plates, but they all look fine).

I've done 10miles around the block to test for oil leaks, & she seems to be free of leaks!
- Yessss! result.
So no need to worry about then main drive seal for now.

Andy C

[florence]

I think the answer is to avoid the modern chains altogether and fit a standard chain and a Scottoiler.  I've never used an o-ring chain - too expensive.

[SteveD CB500K0]

I always had 530 chains on my 500 in the 70's (I've just checked - still have the receipts) - however, they weren't o-ring chains which IIRC are wider, hence the case damage.

[Yoshi823]

I had a Renolds 530 non-'O' ring chain on the wife's CB550F2 & it was fine...no clearance problems at all.

It was still going well after 12,500 miles using OEM sprockets.

[matthewmosse]

I have an O ring chain fitted, no issues and lasting really well although the bikes laid up now, there was little if any chain stretch in 2 years sidecar use, which would normally have seen at least 1 chain completely worn out.

[andy_c101]

Thanks for sharing your expeiences.
I've forked out for the 530 o-ring chain-n-sprockets now, so I'm going to just keep a very close eye on it.
But yes I think the replacement will be a standard non-o-ring.
- I seem to remember those were fine ffor a goodly period, back in 'the olden days'!

PS: She's still free from oil drips; -the gear change seal did the trick!

Andy

[Spitfire]

I've gone back to standard on my CB750F1, back in the 70's I fitted a Renold chain 3/4 conversion, no problems with clearance, but I don't think they make the chain anymore so I went for standard gear.

Cheers

Den