*** Help needed - 1984 Honda 200es ***

[bkvette3]

Hello, guys. Just changing the engine oil in my '84 200es. Oil drained - simple enough. Would like to clean the oil filter rotor (as recommended in manual). All the bolts are out but the right side crankcase cover will not come off. What am I missing here - is there a trick to removing this crankcase cover??? :wondering Thanks in advance. BK3

[webbch]

Removal is further complicated as the tension from the clutch apply arm tends to help hold it in place. If necessary, you can loosen the locknut on the clutch adjuster and loosen it by turning clockwise (IIRC) to relieve some of that tension. However, some firm taps with a rubber mallet should help pop it loose. I believe there are a couple tabs on the cover where you may be able to tap from behind the cover. I'd recommend removing the plastic cover plate and possibly the oil dipstick to ensure you don't accidentally chip/break them.

This is assuming the 200es motor is similar to the 200s in that regard....

[bkvette3]

Thank you, webbch. Much appreciated. I did loosen the clutch adjuster and "gently" tapped the cover to see if I could break it loose. No go. Cover has probably never been taken off (my guess). Going to give it a rest for now and continue tomorrow. Guaranteed - when I get frustrated and start rushing things - something usually breaks and screws things up. Am I the only one these things happen to??? LOL.

[kb0nly]

Not the only one, my 200ES was just as bad getting the cover off. Then the damn gasket was half left on the cover and half left on the case, that took a lot of scraping to clean everything for the new gasket. Then i got the clutch cover off, which is the centrifugal oil filter, and that gasket ripped and left most of it in the clutch which is recessed so scraping that was another fun job.

As for getting the cover off, mine took a good beating with the rubber mallet and i used a couple small plastic wedges so that once i started to get some room i tapped them in between the case and cover to finally pop it off. Its a pain is the best i can tell you, just keep at it and you will get it.

[barnett468]

Hello bkvetta3;


Ok, one way to Neanderthal the cover off is to take a putty knife [because they have a fairly thin blade], sharpen the blade on one side only, round both corners slightly to reduce the potential for “gouging” then startong on the top, hammer that baby between the case and the cover about 1/2 the depth of the gasket on one end then the other and simply work your way across the top stopping to try and pull it off from the top occasionally. If the case or cover gets a small knick on it, it will not leak because it is avbve the oil level.

[cosmohawk]

It's kind of rediculous really....

I picked up my '84 200ES one month ago, and have been going through it from top to bottom...and the one thing I had in my mind was to flush out the old oil....and CLEAN THE OIL ROTOR!!!

Come to find out that the oil rotor has NEVER been cleaned on this 200ES. Getting the right crankcase cover off required taking a longer piece of 3/4" wood dowl, going underneath the motor from the left-hand side, and placing it against the small cover tab, and tapping firmly with a ballpeen hammer. It initially gave because I could see some dirty oil start dripping out. The baked on gasket has firmly bonded the case cover to the engine case...and of course it lets go on the bottom because it is exposed to the hot oil. Scraping the gasket off is quite easy on the lower 1/2, but much more difficult and tedious on the upper part. Care and attention must be given to not drop scraped gasket material back in around the clutch / one-way clutch.

You would not believe the CRAP it dug out of the oil rotor! By the end of it, I had a good little mound in the palm of my hand...what looked like old dirt / mud...and then a black, rubbery looking material with flecks of metal, shimmering away in the light.

Hard to believe that someone could go through all of the effort of buying the machine, have it for 30 years...and never read the owners manual, where it states to CLEAN THE OIL ROTOR!

I'm guessing that most people opt not to clean it, because it means potentially ruining the cover gasket. I assume that if you check it periodically...the gasket will not permanently bond to the case...and could be reuseable.

While you're in there, try and get rid of any sludge sitting in the bottom of the engine case.

I should have taken pictures...still could...and maybe will to show you folks what I'm talking about.