Honda xl185 :simple question (sort of!)

fishfish · L Plate Warrior Joined: 09 Sep 2018 Karma :

good morning guys and gals,I have a 1981 honda XL185,after a knock we had no end of problems with running,after exhaustive messing about we looked at the generator,now heres the question,(no laughing please!) when we started to take the generator cover off it would appear to be filled with oil ,now ime sure this should be a dry area,but as i havent ever worked on an xl since mobey dick was a tadpole i wasnt sure if this was how its meant to be.
If it should be a dry area it would explain why it wont run! lol

any advice would be realy helpful.

Teflon-Mike · tl;dr Joined: 01 Jun 2010 Karma :

It would surprise me if it was a 'wet' generator... but then it caught me out on the VF-Though when we pulled its genny cover and dumped all its oil!

The XL185, though is basically a bored and stroked Small-Block SOHC motor, as XL/CB100, XL/CB125, and I believe shares common crank-case castings, if different machinings of them.

Ignitions and alternators then are generic 'dry' small-honda fare, as the other CB/SL/XL variants, with whatever revisions over the years twixt 6v & 12v, points & CDi etc.

In short I 'think' it aught to be a dry genny... but check Haynes etc.. lack of genny side crank-shaft seal on CMSL schematics, may mean its supposed to run 'wet'... or could just be that its missing in split between the crank-case/crank/generator views!
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jjdugen · World Chat Champion Joined: 03 Jun 2011 Karma :

They all have a moderate amount of oil in the alternator cover, general blow-by rather than a positive feed.
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jjdugen · World Chat Champion Joined: 03 Jun 2011 Karma :

They all have a moderate amount of oil in the alternator cover, general blow-by rather than a positive feed.
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The CBR900RR has been sold. Aprilia Falco worms its way into my heart.
Try Soi 23 on Amazon for a good read.... Self promotion? Moi?

fishfish · L Plate Warrior Joined: 09 Sep 2018 Karma :

bikenut · World Chat Champion Joined: 21 Nov 2011 Karma :

memories eh.......

using the exploded views in cmsnl i would say the geny in these is wet.....

post a picture of whats under the genny cover, the cam chain, flywheel and main bearing etc. ??

However, the "ignition cdi "sensor"" and centrifugal advance unit at the top of the engine is dry, being kept dry via the oil seal in there........i bet thats rusty as well......

Did the engine make a klack klack klack noise at tick over from the top of the engine area, a worn centrifugal advance unit, as well as adding to any cam chain noise....... :karma:
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