Forum

[PeteF]

Can I take the LHS engine cover off without draining oil?
Haynes says to drain oil but I'm sure a read I don't need to.

[windmill john]

I’ve watched five videos. Only one drained the oil totally, the others removed the case and caught what was in that side only.

This one actually tells you you don’t need to drain totally; video shows a 350 EFI.

https://youtu.be/mv0XmZVfGVk


John

[Rattlebattle]

Having done the job several times on my C5 I can say categorically that, yes, you can remove the t/side outer cover without draining the engine oil. Obviously the bike has to be on its side stand and some oil will come out but there’s no need to drain most of the oil. FWIW you’ll probably need a new gasket, though if you then use grease on one side of the replacement, you can reuse the replacement almost ad infinitum. Also, I would order an oil pump outlet o-ring. Whilst the original may be ok to reuse, it might not be. You should use a little grease on it to hold it in place while you refit they outer case, because a poor seal will result in a loss of oil pressure. The gasket will have an area on it that is redundant on the UCE motor, so you’ll need to cut off the excess bit ( it’s the same for cylinder base and head gaskets which are also used on earlier models G5? etc.).

It’s not a difficult job but it’s best to use an extractor to remove the generator.

[windmill john]

Unless I’m mistaken RB, it’s time to see a doctor. Clutch side?

[Rattlebattle]

Sorry wrong side!! The answer is the same. No need to drain all the oil. Put the mainstand left leg on a piece of wood. Same comment re gasket reuse. I have the clutch locking tool that enables the clutch centre nut to be removed easily though you can knock something up to do the same job. If you dismantle the primary drive be sure to reinstall the chain tensioner the right way round. If you are disssembling the clutch use two of the longer chaincase Allen bolts to compress the springs far enough to to start the threads on the proper bolts that are too short otherwise, then replace the two longer ones with the proper ones. Again, an easy job. I used a piece of wood to gently knock the tab on the bottom rear of the chaincase from the other side, to remove the chaincase. Don’t bother with the tool that fits into the filler hole, it’s not worth it.

[Rattlebattle]

Well, I did realise my mistake immediately I posted! Hopefully that post won’t be wasted anyway...

[windmill john]

Sorry RB, posted mine as you were typing

[Rattlebattle]

No problem; we don’t get a warning to advise of crossing posts on this forum. I usually ignore them anyway....

[PeteF]

Thanks Chaps, chapter and verse as always.
Did you find a gasket? Haynes says there may or may not be one. I can't see one at the joint.

[Rattlebattle]

Not on the drive side, no. But the chaincase is a lot easier to remove now that I’ve fitted one and greased it and I don’t need to spend time scraping off silicone sealant. I’d recommend fitting one.