Just bought a 70 600 sedan- repair oil leak.

[William Silver]

Honda top end job takes me about 6-8 hours, from start to finish, but I have only had to do it three times on the same car lately.....
Cleaning the gasket material off often takes a good hour, depending on what was there before. Early model cars had the o-rings at the cylinder base, then it was changed to a flat surface not requiring O-rings.
After wrestling with my engine several times for mysterious oil leaks, I finally removed the fan, plugged off the breather hose for a few moments, while the engine was running and only then discovered that the camshaft housing was cracked, drooling oil back past the cooling fins and down the back and sides of the cylinder block. The fan picked up the oil and flung it everywhere, but it also dripped down both sides of the crankcases, leaving you with the impression that there is oil leaking at the cylinder base... it wasn't!
If you have an original engine, probably the O-rings have collapsed and are beginning to leak.
You have to dissect the whole cylinder head's valve train to get the head off, then reassemble it all again, piece by piece.
DON'T FORGET the two small bolts on the back of the cylinder head and block, that seal the intake manifold and tie the head to the cylinder block. I left them out twice before I saw the empty holes on the 3rd disassembly. They are easy to overlook by us novices.
Bill Colford was VERY helpful with gaskets and a good used cambox housing, plus endless advice on the small details that are entailed in doing this job successfully.
Take notes and take your time when you are working on these engines.
Bill Silver www.vintagehonda.com
PS, I have a 72 AN600 (no oil leaks now!) for sale, here in SoCal...

[Miles]

Paint remover works nicely to remove old gaskets. Paint it on heavy and leave over night, Wear rubber gloves & goggles, No Compressed Air for cleaning until you neutralize the stuff.
Miles

--- In
2cylinderhondas@yahoogroups.com
, "William Silver" wrote:
> Honda top end job takes me about 6-8 hours, from start to finish, but I have only had to do it three times on the same car lately.....
> Cleaning the gasket material off often takes a good hour, depending on what was there before. Early model cars had the o-rings at the cylinder base, then it was changed to a flat surface not requiring O-rings.
> After wrestling with my engine several times for mysterious oil leaks, I finally removed the fan, plugged off the breather hose for a few moments, while the engine was running and only then discovered that the camshaft housing was cracked, drooling oil back past the cooling fins and down the back and sides of the cylinder block. The fan picked up the oil and flung it everywhere, but it also dripped down both sides of the crankcases, leaving you with the impression that there is oil leaking at the cylinder base... it wasn't!
> If you have an original engine, probably the O-rings have collapsed and are beginning to leak.
> You have to dissect the whole cylinder head's valve train to get the head off, then reassemble it all again, piece by piece.
> DON'T FORGET the two small bolts on the back of the cylinder head and block, that seal the intake manifold and tie the head to the cylinder block. I left them out twice before I saw the empty holes on the 3rd disassembly. They are easy to overlook by us novices.
> Bill Colford was VERY helpful with gaskets and a good used cambox housing, plus endless advice on the small details that are entailed in doing this job successfully.
> Take notes and take your time when you are working on these engines.
> Bill Silver www.vintagehonda.com
> PS, I have a 72 AN600 (no oil leaks now!) for sale, here in SoCal...