Hey guys new to the bike and to this board but I need some help. My grandpa gave me a 1980 CX500 with 19k miles on it and it has slow coolant leak. I took off the carbs and there is a little tunnel on the bottom left side of the water pump housing that the coolant is coming out of. Can anyone tell me what this is for. The FSM says absolutely nothing about it (at least that I can find). Thanks for you help!
CX500 coolant leak
1 - 20 of 32 Posts
Joined
·
289 Posts
Welcome to the CX family!
That is the weep hole for the mechanical seal. Probably needs to be replaced.
You should give the bike a thorough look over. Go the the Quick Reference Thread and you'll find a ton of info on the bike.
That is the weep hole for the mechanical seal. Probably needs to be replaced.
You should give the bike a thorough look over. Go the the Quick Reference Thread and you'll find a ton of info on the bike.
Thanks. I found the Shep method but still have some questions as I'm more of a visual learner and there aren't many photos. Do I take out the black rubber boot around the cam in the photo:
![]()
Also here is what has come out so far:
https://www.quickbase.com/up/bdr4yc4b7/g/rcd/ej/va/IMG_4244.JPG
Is the spring looking thing supposed to go into the black rubber boot and be one piece? Where do I order this part from?
Thanks again!
Also here is what has come out so far:
https://www.quickbase.com/up/bdr4yc4b7/g/rcd/ej/va/IMG_4244.JPG
Is the spring looking thing supposed to go into the black rubber boot and be one piece? Where do I order this part from?
Thanks again!
Joined
·
8,422 Posts
Yes but don't freeze it as that's only if you were replacing the whole Mech seal including the metal cup which you are not.
http://www.pdsrecording.site90.com/cxgl500/Mseal.html
Also make sure you have the 10mm thrust washer on the cam shaft and only ONE of them.
http://www.pdsrecording.site90.com/cxgl500/Mseal.html
Also make sure you have the 10mm thrust washer on the cam shaft and only ONE of them.
Haha the famous shep. Thanks! What do you mean by metal cup? Is that visible in the pic? Do I need to remove that black rubber boot? If so does it need to be intact when I remove it? I read to use a lighter to heat it up to put it on.
Is this contained inside of a good mech seal?
![]()
Sorry for all the questions but I obviously want to do it right.
Is this contained inside of a good mech seal?
Sorry for all the questions but I obviously want to do it right.
Joined
·
8,422 Posts
The metal cup is the base that the inner seal fits into.This is normally inside the engine and why my method is easier as you don't have to take the engine out and get it out.You just get the rubber middle and spring out from the new one,clean out the old one in the bike with a bit of scotchbrite and a screwdriver and some carb/brake cleaner and make sure its clean and dry and then glue the new inner in with some Silicone Gasket sealer/RTV.
Keep reading my pages and it's will sink in,
http://globalcxglvtwins.hostingdelivered.com/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=355
http://www.pdsrecording.site90.com/cxgl500/Mseal.html
Keep reading my pages and it's will sink in,
http://globalcxglvtwins.hostingdelivered.com/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=355
http://www.pdsrecording.site90.com/cxgl500/Mseal.html
Joined
·
3,771 Posts
Haha the famous shep. Thanks! What do you mean by metal cup? Is that visible in the pic? Do I need to remove that black rubber boot? If so does it need to be intact when I remove it? I read to use a lighter to heat it up to put it on.
Is this contained inside of a good mech seal?
![]()
Sorry for all the questions but I obviously want to do it right.
Unfortunately, you pulled everything apart before anyone suggested going for a long ride before pulling it apart. Often when an engine has sat for a long time the mechanical seal will leak lightly until you put 50-100 miles on the bike and then it will often re-seat itself and quit leaking.
To truly do it right you pull the engine, take off the rear cover and replace both the mechanical seal and the oil seal.
That said, I have to say your camshaft has a lot of rust on it and I would recommend pulling the rear cover to get all the rust off.
If you don't want to do that and instead do Shep's method, you pull out everything except the cup that holds all those part in the engine. Then you heat the cup on the new/good mechanical seal and pull those parts out as a unit and put that unit into the old cup with sealant behind the boot so it doesn't leak. Be sure to replace the copper washer and make sure the steel washer is in place behind the impeller. Look carefully ... the steel washer is either on the end of the camshaft or it is still inside the impeller.
Everything should be spotless upon reassembly.
Be sure to replace the odd shaped o-ring on the water pump housing. Be sure to torque everything properly.
Thanks guys, I've read your write up dozens of times and I'm a visual learner so until someone shows me what the metal cup looks like I won't understand.So let me try to make this clearer:
![]()
The big arrow is pointing to the rubber boot. Is this going to come with the new mechanical seal I order (part picture is up in earlier post)? Do I need to remove it? If it does not come with the new seal do I need to reuse it?
The small arrow: Is this the metal cup? It fits around the camshaft so I'm guessing it's what is supposed to hold the mechanical seal in thus that would make it the metal cup. Correct?
![]()
Please help me identify these and put in order for replacement. I know #2 is the crush washer that goes on right behind the domed nut. #3 seems to be the 10mm washer everyone wants me to make sure I have on the end of the cam shaft. What are the rest for?
Thanks again for your help and hopefully this will be come a good visual thread for future people searching for help on this issue.
The big arrow is pointing to the rubber boot. Is this going to come with the new mechanical seal I order (part picture is up in earlier post)? Do I need to remove it? If it does not come with the new seal do I need to reuse it?
The small arrow: Is this the metal cup? It fits around the camshaft so I'm guessing it's what is supposed to hold the mechanical seal in thus that would make it the metal cup. Correct?
Please help me identify these and put in order for replacement. I know #2 is the crush washer that goes on right behind the domed nut. #3 seems to be the 10mm washer everyone wants me to make sure I have on the end of the cam shaft. What are the rest for?
Thanks again for your help and hopefully this will be come a good visual thread for future people searching for help on this issue.
Joined
·
8,422 Posts
When you get the new seal it will become clearer.You will see the Metal cup that the inner seal,which is the part you want to get out and use,sits in.The inner seal should be all one unit.
Ignore 4 5 and 6.They are parts of a destroyed inner seal.
Part 1 is the ceramic part of the seal also known as the,"Polo Mint".It sits inside a rubber cup that then goes into the impeller.
Part 2 is the crush washer that sits underneath the Domed nut when tightening the impeller on(Don't forget to use some thread lock and only decent hand tight using the knuckle of a socket an wrench,never the arm.You just have to be a good judge and not over-tighten.
Part 3 is the 10mm thrust washer that goes onto the Cam shaft.It's the part that sometimes cannot be seen as it welds itself and it's joint to the shaft but if the one in the picture is off your machine then you know that already.
Ignore 4 5 and 6.They are parts of a destroyed inner seal.
Part 1 is the ceramic part of the seal also known as the,"Polo Mint".It sits inside a rubber cup that then goes into the impeller.
Part 2 is the crush washer that sits underneath the Domed nut when tightening the impeller on(Don't forget to use some thread lock and only decent hand tight using the knuckle of a socket an wrench,never the arm.You just have to be a good judge and not over-tighten.
Part 3 is the 10mm thrust washer that goes onto the Cam shaft.It's the part that sometimes cannot be seen as it welds itself and it's joint to the shaft but if the one in the picture is off your machine then you know that already.
Thank, I figured once the new seal came in it would shed some light on what to do. I just didnt want to remove the black rubber boot if the new seal was supposed to go around it or something. It's kinda confusing since everything just popped off when I took of the 10mm washer so tell me if im wrong here: Once I get the new seal I heat up the metal cup and remove the seal. I put the new seal around a freshly cleaned already installed metal cup and put RTV sealant on the back that goes against the motor. Then the "polo mint" goes after that, then the 10mm washer, then the propeller, then the crush washer and the domed nut. Is that accurate?
Joined
·
1,206 Posts
Anneal the crush washer before you put it all back together - or buy a new crush washer - I've found it easier just to anneal them.
nice photos too...
also put a bit of dishwashing liquid on the polo mint faces when assembling - helps on first startup there is something slippery to run with.
nice photos too...
also put a bit of dishwashing liquid on the polo mint faces when assembling - helps on first startup there is something slippery to run with.
Joined
·
3,530 Posts
Is that you engine in the pic? If you have it out of the bike, you can replace the whole seal without separating it. You will need to open the hole a bit with a drill and a flapper wheel.
If the engine is still in the bike, then the Shep method is the best way to go.
If the engine is still in the bike, then the Shep method is the best way to go.
Engine is still in the bike. This is the biggest question I have, the black rubber boot in the above picture with the arrow, I need to remove that from the back of the seal and then that is what the new seal is RTVed to correct? I think it all gets clearer to me if that question is answered. Thanks!
Joined
·
8,422 Posts
looks like you just missed out! Contact Doward here on the forums to see if he has any mechanical seals left from the group order.
1 - 20 of 32 Posts
Join the discussion
