Problems getting filler cap off final drive on my 250es..

[patblkwell]

Hey, I decided to check the final drive oil on my '87 250es and could not get the little cap/bolt thing off for the life of me. The guy who had the bike before me had painted the entire underbody axel and everything black so I guess this litte cap has been painted shut and has never been taken off before. After about 30 min. of struggling, the top part of the cap,which is an 11/16" bolt, had been rounded out. I'm not sure what I am going to do to get it off so I can check the oil level and all.

Any suggestions would be appreciated?? thanks

[Dirtcrasher]

That filler cap is aluminum and about the cheapest thinnest cap Honda uses - I have actually seen a few snap off when retightened. You should have used a good quality 6 point socket to start with but it's a bit to late now. I would try a sharp chisel on the outer skirt of the bolt with a good blow in the lefty loosey direction but don't whack the diff housing itself - then maybe a couple of halfway through slices with a dremel and then smack it a couple of times, it's hollow and will fall apart rather easily. Good luck

[atcmatt]

The same thing happend to me. I got to drilling the top off, then got stuck into it with a cold chisel. Make sure you tap the chisel in the direction that will loosen it as DirtCrasher said before. Good luck. BTW...you will have to buy a new filler cap.

Matt

[hondaATCman]

Yeah, it's a little too late now, but if you would have started off with a 6-point wrech and a 2 or 3 foot breaker bar (pipe) it would have came right off, but since its already rounded off... you might wanna try some vice grips before you chisel it off. The vise will have to be set very very tight and it might come off with the breaker bar. If that doesn't work.....start chiseling.

[patblkwell]

I have tried everything from a vice grip to who knows what. I did FIRST use the 6 point socket that came with the trike's toolkit...but I'm telling you, this thing is so week and was painted shut on the drive case! I am using a dremel with a cutting disk now to take it all off in pieces. I am going to order another one from partsfish.com, anyone know a faster way of getting one?? Do all Hondas use that same size cap or what??

[broook]

Hi Pat,

If you havn`t got it off yet , did you try a small pipe wrench on the OUTSIDE of the filler cap. A 10in pipe wrench should go on there.
If not another way to handle the problem would be to drill a hole right in the center and tap it to accept a 1/4in pipe plug. That would give you a filler hole about 7/16 dia. pleanty big enough to add oil. 1/4" pipe is about 1/2" outside measurement. You could also add a bit of heat to it to break the seal but be very careful if you do this as aluminum gives you no warning when it decides to melt.

[patblkwell]

Hey, thanks for the help but I actually managed to get it off yesterday by cutting it in half with a dremel cutting disk and then knocking it off with a flathead and a hammer. It was a pain the butt I tell you, I'm going to get a new cap and o-ring tomorrow for it. I will make sure that it won't be torqued on this time like the previous owner had done. Thanks again yall