QuestionHi Mark, I have a question about a 1973 Honda CB 500. The bike has under 12,000 miles, but it has been sitting for a long time. I have it running, but it leaks a fair amount of oil around the headers. (Where the exhaust meets the engine, right?)How hard is that to fix, does the engine need to be taken apart?
I'm also not sure if all of the cylinders are firing because the engine seems to get flooded. At least, after running for a while, it likes to stop running for a little while. How can I tell if they are all firing, and if they aren't, how can I tell which ones aren't?
Many thanks,
Dan
AnswerHi Dan,
Carburetors usually become gummed or varnished with long periods of storage (winter). The carbs may need a thorough cleaning.
Is the valve cover gasket or tach cable drive seal leaking and running down the header? Try this: clean the existing oil from the engine with brake cleaner spray or other cleaner. Bu a can of Dr. Scholl's Foot Powder Spray ($7.00) and apply on the suspect leak area. The powder spray goes on white and drys as a easily removed powder. Any oil seepage appears as a very noticable brown through the white powder.
I can't imagine oil leaking from the exhaust ports. That's a shop job and will be expensive. It probably a valve cover gasket, loose valve cover fasteners, or a tach drive seal.
Those jobs are easy to perform in the garage at home with little to spend.
Respectfully,
Mark Shively
