[oxygenetic]

Hello all,



Well, I've searched high and low and can't find a direct way of replacing the transmission cover on my CX500. I tried to do this myself but now I need to ask.



The oil drain plug area of the cover broke and I have one that I am replacing. I've removed the radiator and am stuck. The fan housing is in the way of my removing the cover. I am trying to remove the housing but I don't know if this is necessary or can I just work around it? As far as I can see, there are 2 14mm bolts and 2 17 mm bolts (deep) holding the housing on the frame but the 17mm ones look like motor mounts and are just not budging.



What's the secret to replacing this cover? Can anyone point me in the direction of instructions with pretty pictures?



Thanks!

 

[Cobram]

Go to the "General" forum, at the top you will find a stickied post titled general reference. At the bottom of the first post, you'll see a link to free manual downloads. IF I understand what you want to do, you'll have to drop the engine. Not a big deal on the CX.

 

[Zach_Godel]

I believe you will have to pull the fan to get that cover off. To pull the fan you need to drop the radiator. you will have to remove the engine mounting bolts on the front that go through the radiator. Your engine should stay firmly mounted with those bolts gone. You will also need an axle or some such large, hard, threaded bolt to screw into the fan and pop it off.

Hope that helps!

 

[oxygenetic]

Thanks, Cobram. I downloaded the shop manual from one of those links before but the images are impossible to see. {z}, should I just pull the fan or did you mean to pull the housing as well?

 

[Shep]

You do not need to remove the engine if you are just replacing a front engine cover.





Once the Radiator is off.Then you need to get the fan off.Soak the hub area well with WD40 type penetrating oil and leave to soak.In an emergency the Front Wheel Axle can be used but is not advised.Better to get a bolt of the correct size if possible.If still no luck then I made a couple of wooden chisels out of some old broom handle and hammered these either side of the fan lightly alternating each side until the fan popped off.



Inspect the fan and post pictures if possible.



With access to the Front engine cover remove the Clutch cable from the clutch housing/arm.



Remove the oil sender wire and put it's small nut and washer back onto the oil sender so you know where they are even if you are going to swap them over to your new front engine cover.



As you are going to drain the oil anyway I suggest getting a new oil filter and remove the Oil filter housing and check that the there is an Oil filter,large washer and spring.The oil filter goes against the engine,the washer goes on the outer side of the filter against the outer rubber grommet and prevents the spring that holds the assembly against the engine from pushing through the Oil filter's rubber grommet which will render the oil filter useless.



You can now remove the 13 M6 bolts that secure the Front engine cover and a left top one usually has a small bracket to secure the oil pressure sender wire.Once removed if the front engine cover is stuck just use the clutch arm to operate the clutch and it will gently force the front cover away from the engine.



It's usual for several parts to drop onto the floor.These could be one of the 2 Oil dowels with their O-rings.The Oil orifice(Small oil pressure regulator+it's O-ring) and the Clutch actuator mushroom.Don't worry about these yet.





While you have the front engine cover off you should also remove and clean the oil pump and it's gauze strainer(on it's bottom)and the the sump area underneath it.Again when the oil pump is removed an oil dowel+O-ring may drop down.





When you have all these off and are ready to re-fit post back if unsure of anything.

 

[oxygenetic]

Shep, thanks for the details! I'll be working on this over the weekend and I'll probably be coming back for info. Cheers!

 

[drummertom]

Shep, thanks for the details! I'll be working on this over the weekend and I'll probably be coming back for info. Cheers!

As I posted in another thread, be careful when you put it back together. The gasket is easy to mess up in the upper left facing the motor. It is a little difficult to get the trans cover by the radiator mount in that corner. Also make sure you put the two metal sleeves and O-rings and the clutch mushroom piece in place before you re-assemble everything.

 

[ramprat06]

The radiator does have to come out to make it easiest. The above comment that the engine will stay in place is right, but I would put a support under it just for safety sake. The comments of the oil dowels are very true They just seem to fall out. In the top pic they are the #10's with the #14 gaskets. In the bottom pic the mushroom is # 10 and must be in the proper alignment for the clutch to work.



When I had my front cover off, I neglected to do anything with the oil pump, which I forgot during the task. I would follow Shep's advice and check it.



Joel in the Couve

 

[CXPHREAK]

The bolt for fan removal is M14 x 1.5.

 

[oxygenetic]

Thanks for all the great info, every one. Dummertom, would a gasket sealer hold it in place so it doesn't shift? I only have one gasket and would have to order another.

 

[Cobram]

I downloaded the shop manual from one of those links before but the images are impossible to see.

Download the GL500 factory manual available there, the engines are nearly identical, the GL manual is much better quality than the CX one.

 

[bandit]

The bolt for fan removal is M14 x 1.5.

correct,about 2 inches long would be fine[but not critical]

Thanks for all the great info, every one. Dummertom, would a gasket sealer hold it in place so it doesn't shift? I only have one gasket and would have to order another.

a very,very thin smear would.so would grease

 

[Benson]

Trying to get the trans cover to come off for two days now. Clutch arm did nothing.



I guess I need a torch to heat up the cover.

 

[murrayf]

if you feel on the bottom outside corner of the front cover on each side



or look under the bike from the back of the bike to the front on the outer edges of the front cover



there are 2 corner tangs sticking down one on each side place a block of wood against the corner tang and GENTLY tap against the block of wood and the front cover



will break lose,



when you get it off make sure that you dont lose track of the oil orfice part #4 if you dont get it back in you will wreck the motor very quickly



break off any old gasket material paint the old gasket with gel paint stripper and let it soak in then after its been on for 15-20 mins



gently scrape off the gasket re apply in any sections the gasket has not come off dont scrape so hard you gouge the mating surfaces

boy i wish i could take a picture easier for me to fix the motor lol

 

[Benson]

I did smack the shit out of those tabs on the bottom with a block of wood. Nothing. The cover seemed like it was gonna break.



I'm going to buy a torch now. (Gee, I hope the entire bike doesn't burn to the ground "accidentally") So frustrating.



Ok let me try again.

 

[Benson]

Ok ok, I tried it again with a cooler head. Cut a nicer block of wood, and it came off easy. Thanks for the help.



I guess I have to remove the motor mount bracket next to get the cover off, that was a stroke of design brilliance

.

 

[Benson]

No big deal removing the motor mount, the cover removal is an easy job once you get the seal broken. Man I appreciate the help, Thanks.



The cover is off, and I can see on the gasket where the oil was escaping, most of the gasket came off the motor side intact. No apparent cause for the gasket failure, I guess it was just that gaskets time after so many years.



The oil leaked happened last weekend, so I decided to upgrade to an electric fan at the same time while I had the rad off. The electric fan project is pretty fun.

 

[Old Okie]

My method of removing the front cover after all the bolts are removed....clutch cover still bolted in place...pull the clutch lever and pop the cover off.

I usually put the gasket on the cover with gasket cement and then apply a light film of grease on the surface of the gasket that mates to the motor. I have removed and replaced front covers using the same gasket up to 3 times using this procedure.

 

[Benson]

Thanks Chief, this gasket may have been original, don't think this bike has ever been apart. I was planning on doing the gasket with the grease like you suggested, works great.



Pulling the oil pump next and cleaning the screen, seems mandatory, and cleaning the oil galley. It's remarkably clean in there for 28k miles.



Glad that oil jet(part no. 4) was pointed out to me, that would have been easy to miss!!!!! Thanks Murry!!!!

Thanks for the tip on the paint stripper too.

 

[Benson]

Is the oil pump a self priming unit?



Do I need to bench prime it?