Oil Change - Honda Wave

[regedit]

A friend of mine was half-asleep when he was changing the oil on a Honda Wave, and started to put the new oil down the 'VSO' channel (ie. the hole on the opposite side of the bike to where the oil should have gone). He soon realised the mistake when the oil started seaping out the bottom of the bike. Before he starts the bike again, he'd like to know if any damage may have been done ? Thanks !

[Datsun240Z]

So where did you poor it in? Into the igniton part? Just take it to one of the trillion bike shops.

[regedit]

Just take it to one of the trillion bike shops.

Sound advice indeed...so we're still wondering whether to push/carry the bike there...or if there is any danger in starting it up and riding it there.

[ScubaBuddha]

Just take it to one of the trillion bike shops.

Sound advice indeed...so we're still wondering whether to push/carry the bike there...or if there is any danger in starting it up and riding it there.

I am still not clear what you have done here, but if you poured oil into the electrical system, I wouldn't try starting it!

[regedit]

I hope these pics clarify where the oil went in first time...

and where it should have gone in...

[ScubaBuddha]

Oh wow. Yeah, have someone look at that first, and soon. Petroleum based products like to eat plastics and other materials.

Edited August 11, 2009 by Scubabuddha

[Datsun240Z]

Seems it went at the ignition. Just take the cap of ( black ), few bolts, and check it, clean with water and let it dry.

Edited August 11, 2009 by Datsun240Z

[apetley]

Seems it went at the ignition. Just take the cap of ( black ), few bolts, and check it, clean with water and let it dry.

I would go along with this suggestion myself too.

If there is a huge amount of oil still in there maybe clean out with a little degreaser as well. That's all a Motorcycle shop would do.

[MaiChai]

Haha, we are all clueless You just found a different hole to pour it in, but it will end up in the same place! That hole is the timming mark inspection hole, so you can align the T mark on the flywheel and the mark on the cog that drives the valves; basically the valve timing chain. If you pour oil in that hole it will drip on the flywheel and then end up in the bottom of the engine, where it should be. So don't worry, it will be alright.

PS: oil is a great insulator; they stick huge power transformers in it.

[Datsun240Z]

Haha, we are all clueless You just found a different hole to pour it in, but it will end up in the same place! That hole is the timming mark inspection hole, so you can align the T mark on the flywheel and the mark on the cog that drives the valves; basically the valve timing chain. If you pour oil in that hole it will drip on the flywheel and then end up in the bottom of the engine, where it should be. So don't worry, it will be alright.

PS: oil is a great insulator; they stick huge power transformers in it.

Absolutely right. I'm trying to help him. Although I'm a great mechanic, I'm not familiar with Thai ( Asian bike engines ). Mainly the stuff is from Japan or Italy here. Thanks for helping him out.

Edited August 12, 2009 by Datsun240Z

[krading]

Haha, we are all clueless You just found a different hole to pour it in, but it will end up in the same place! That hole is the timming mark inspection hole, so you can align the T mark on the flywheel and the mark on the cog that drives the valves; basically the valve timing chain. If you pour oil in that hole it will drip on the flywheel and then end up in the bottom of the engine, where it should be. So don't worry, it will be alright.

PS: oil is a great insulator; they stick huge power transformers in it.

Then why was the oil 'seeping' out the bottom?

Did he replace the drain plug?

[Datsun240Z]

It's a 4 stroke, and oil should not be with the distribution area, nor the iginition part. Guess he allready took it to a bike shop....

[MaiChai]

Did I miss something about oil seeping out the bottom? These bikes are designed to be simple and very durable, so things are kept simple, including lubrication. Basically the whole engine gets lubed by the engine oil. This means the clutch, alternator, pulse generator (that lump on the flywheel), cylinder head, timing chain and valves. They call it a 'wet clutch' because it sits in engine oil. The alternator needs some lubing, specifically its bearings, and bits of oil fly all over the place within the engine, including the alternator. Thus pouring oil in via the timing hole will hit the flywheel (used for the alternator) and drip down into the bottom of the engine, where it normally lives. The alternator windings are actually static, with the flywheel providing the movement; its different to an alternator on a car where the magnetic metal bits are static and the windings rotate. Anyway its normal for oil to fly round everywhere in the engine, including hitting alternator windings.

You might say a bike like this does not have a clutch. Not true. It does not have a clutch operated by hand. When you shift gear, you probably finding the shifting requires some effort. This is because part of the shifting actually disengages the clutch via a lever. On a Suzuki Smash there is the traditional clutch operated as mentioned, plus an rpm based centralfugual clutch consisting of three fingers that swing out and hit a housing as the rpms increase. This centrifugal clutch allows the engine to idle without moving the bike forward (sitting at lights, junctions, etc!). Honda Waves/cubs/etc are similar.Hope this makes things clear.

PS: Just rebuilding an NSR at the moment; need some new bolts for the clutch as they have stretched and are in danger of snapping

[edwinchester]

Did I miss something about oil seeping out the bottom? These bikes are designed to be simple and very durable, so things are kept simple, including lubrication. Basically the whole engine gets lubed by the engine oil. This means the clutch, alternator, pulse generator (that lump on the flywheel), cylinder head, timing chain and valves. They call it a 'wet clutch' because it sits in engine oil. The alternator needs some lubing, specifically its bearings, and bits of oil fly all over the place within the engine, including the alternator. Thus pouring oil in via the timing hole will hit the flywheel (used for the alternator) and drip down into the bottom of the engine, where it normally lives. The alternator windings are actually static, with the flywheel providing the movement; its different to an alternator on a car where the magnetic metal bits are static and the windings rotate. Anyway its normal for oil to fly round everywhere in the engine, including hitting alternator windings.

You might say a bike like this does not have a clutch. Not true. It does not have a clutch operated by hand. When you shift gear, you probably finding the shifting requires some effort. This is because part of the shifting actually disengages the clutch via a lever. On a Suzuki Smash there is the traditional clutch operated as mentioned, plus an rpm based centralfugual clutch consisting of three fingers that swing out and hit a housing as the rpms increase. This centrifugal clutch allows the engine to idle without moving the bike forward (sitting at lights, junctions, etc!). Honda Waves/cubs/etc are similar.Hope this makes things clear.

PS: Just rebuilding an NSR at the moment; need some new bolts for the clutch as they have stretched and are in danger of snapping

I have had alot of m/cycles in my life but never had one where the alternator and windings gets lubed with the engine oil.

[Datsun240Z]

Did I miss something about oil seeping out the bottom? These bikes are designed to be simple and very durable, so things are kept simple, including lubrication. Basically the whole engine gets lubed by the engine oil. This means the clutch, alternator, pulse generator (that lump on the flywheel), cylinder head, timing chain and valves. They call it a 'wet clutch' because it sits in engine oil. The alternator needs some lubing, specifically its bearings, and bits of oil fly all over the place within the engine, including the alternator. Thus pouring oil in via the timing hole will hit the flywheel (used for the alternator) and drip down into the bottom of the engine, where it normally lives. The alternator windings are actually static, with the flywheel providing the movement; its different to an alternator on a car where the magnetic metal bits are static and the windings rotate. Anyway its normal for oil to fly round everywhere in the engine, including hitting alternator windings.

You might say a bike like this does not have a clutch. Not true. It does not have a clutch operated by hand. When you shift gear, you probably finding the shifting requires some effort. This is because part of the shifting actually disengages the clutch via a lever. On a Suzuki Smash there is the traditional clutch operated as mentioned, plus an rpm based centralfugual clutch consisting of three fingers that swing out and hit a housing as the rpms increase. This centrifugal clutch allows the engine to idle without moving the bike forward (sitting at lights, junctions, etc!). Honda Waves/cubs/etc are similar.Hope this makes things clear.

PS: Just rebuilding an NSR at the moment; need some new bolts for the clutch as they have stretched and are in danger of snapping

I have had alot of m/cycles in my life but never had one where the alternator and windings gets lubed with the engine oil.

Yeah, same same. Never saw that in my life. Must be new. Centrifugal clutch by the way is old as hel_l, used in Puchs here etc, bikes from the 70's.