How to remove the rear engine cover – Honda CX500, GL500, CX650, GL650

So, you’re at the stage where you want to remove the rear cover from your Honda CX500, GL500, CX650 or GL650 motor. First, make absolutely sure that:

  • Water pipe + Impeller cover have been removed
  • Impeller has been removed
  • TI motors: Pulser cover has been removed
  • TI motors: Pulse generator and ATU have been removed
  • Starter motor has been removed
  • Gear shift lever has been removed
  • Water jackets drained via drain bolts on front of motor
  • Remember to push the gearshift spindle in as you remove the cover – see below

At this point you should be looking at something like this:

Here are some photos showing the rear engine cover removal procedure for a Honda CX500, GL500, CX650 or GL650 motorcycle as featured on MotoFaction.org.

There are thirteen bolts holding it in once the impeller cover is removed:

Here are some photos showing the rear engine cover removal procedure for a Honda CX500, GL500, CX650 or GL650 motorcycle as featured on MotoFaction.org.

There are two sizes of socket required for the bolts; 8mm and 12mm. Remove the smaller bolts first – they’re 6x32mm with an 8mm head, part number 90005-HA7-670 (eBay) or 96001-0603200 (eBay):

Here are some photos showing the rear engine cover removal procedure for a Honda CX500, GL500, CX650 or GL650 motorcycle as featured on MotoFaction.org.

We like to crack the smaller bolts first, then the larger, then remove the smaller bolts, then the larger – all done in a criss-cross order. Some of the smaller bolts:

Here are some photos showing the rear engine cover removal procedure for a Honda CX500, GL500, CX650 or GL650 motorcycle as featured on MotoFaction.org.

12mm socket for the big bolts, which are 8x40mm and part number 95700-0804000 or 95701-0804000 (eBay):

Here are some photos showing the rear engine cover removal procedure for a Honda CX500, GL500, CX650 or GL650 motorcycle as featured on MotoFaction.org.

Here are some photos showing the rear engine cover removal procedure for a Honda CX500, GL500, CX650 or GL650 motorcycle as featured on MotoFaction.org.

One of the bolts in this motor was a different style; looks like a previous owner lost one. Now, check, double check and triple check that you have found all of the bolts and removed them, and check that the water pump cover and water pump impeller has been removed. If you have a TI motor check that the rear pulser cover and pulse generators/ATU have been removed.

You’ll probably find that the rear cover won’t budge with just pulling. A deadblow or rubber mallet can help…

Here are some photos showing the rear engine cover removal procedure for a Honda CX500, GL500, CX650 or GL650 motorcycle as featured on MotoFaction.org.

Tapping all around the seam where the rear cover meets the crankcase can help loosen the cover. It can take some time and a lot of tapping! If that doesn’t work you can try other techniques like carefully driving in a blade – not near where any of the locating dowels or water pipe dowels are (we will do a phot of their locations) – at a right angle into the join:

Here are some photos showing the rear engine cover removal procedure for a Honda CX500, GL500, CX650 or GL650 motorcycle as featured on MotoFaction.org.

Be very careful doing that, if you choose to – you don’t want to mar the gasket surface on either the rear cover or the crankcase and if you try to drive the blade in at any angle other than straight in it will probably snap.

Once the seal is broken, make sure that you are pushing in on the gearshift spindle as you pull off the rear cover to ensure that it does not come with the cover. If that happens the spring that’s attached to it will be stretched and you may have to replace it.

Here are some photos showing the rear engine cover removal procedure for a Honda CX500, GL500, CX650 or GL650 motorcycle as featured on MotoFaction.org.

Cover removed:

Here are some photos showing the rear engine cover removal procedure for a Honda CX500, GL500, CX650 or GL650 motorcycle as featured on MotoFaction.org.

Other than the gearshift spindle, the collar around the gearbox output shaft can fall off:

Here are some photos showing the rear engine cover removal procedure for a Honda CX500, GL500, CX650 or GL650 motorcycle as featured on MotoFaction.org.

The big water pump dowels may as well, but all of the motors we have had apart have had them stuck in fairly firmly:

Here are some photos showing the rear engine cover removal procedure for a Honda CX500, GL500, CX650 or GL650 motorcycle as featured on MotoFaction.org.

Rear cover removed. If you’re doing this as part of the triple or quadruple bypass, click here to go back to the bypass page.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top