How clean oil level sight glass on clutch cover??

I've done my best to clean the oil level sight glass that's on the bottom of the clutch cover of my 1978 kz1000 A2.

To reach into the little metal plate that has holes in it -- you know, the plate right behind the sight glass -- I used a 'spring removal' tool that has an L-shaped tip (this tool looks exactly like a regular screwdriver except the tip is either L-shaped or is a hook -- this type of tool is typically used for removing springs and such.)

I'm wondering if it's possible to remove the metal plate that has holes it, the metal plate that sets right behind the oil sight glass??? So I could then clean it directly without a funky spring removal tool?

Here are the pix of my clutch cover with that DIRTY LITTLE SIGHT GLASS that has captured my attention, my international reputation for being a clean freak is riding on getting this oil level sight glass cleaned up:





It looks better because of the camera flash than in person, it's dirty -- can I remove the metal holey plate behind the oil sight glass, and if so, how?

The Final Option :laugh: :laugh:

Tried a pressure washer, or maybe even the dishwasher ?

Am vaguely recalling an older thread about this topic.
Found it - - - Click here >
kzrider.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&...d=2&id=250098#250194

Good Luck!

pop it out and clean it! :laugh:

Replaced it.
They're very inexpensive, and very easy to install.

Dishwasher is a good recommendation...

Nine out of ten times they don't need cleaning. What's needed is that the bike's run long enough to get the whole engine and transmission up to temp to boil off the oil emulsion that has resulted from repeated starts and shutdowns before the whole machine is up to temperature, usually 20 minutes of operation.

KZCSI

TeK9iNe wrote:

Replaced it.
They're very inexpensive, and very easy to install.

Dishwasher is a good recommendation...

I looked at the parts diagram and this oil level sight glass is a 1-piece part -- but how do you pop them out of the clutch cover? Mine is stuck way tight, and -- since the parts diagram doesn't show an O-ring -- gets me thinking the sight glass has to be *pressed* in real tight for it to seal against the oil, so - does it call for a whack job with the rubber mallet or hammer?

The thing that bugs me is why couldn't they make the durned metal screen part of it *removable* so I could directly clean that screen and clean the glass part with direct finger contact...hell this thing's got the best of me apparently, beaten to a bloody pulp in a figurative sense by a durned oil screen....outsmarted again by an inanimate cycle part....wouldn't be the first time.....

tap out from back with screwdriver

replace with new one - I think less then $5

Just put some gasket form and press in - tap with appropriate socket to set

these are low pressure systems, so not much pressure, therefore just a good snug fit makes it work

newOld_kz1000 wrote:

TeK9iNe wrote:

Replaced it.
They're very inexpensive, and very easy to install.

Dishwasher is a good recommendation...

I looked at the parts diagram and this oil level sight glass is a 1-piece part -- but how do you pop them out of the clutch cover? Mine is stuck way tight,

I used a small modeler's paint brush dipped in acetome to reach through the holes and rub the glass clean.

bountyhunter wrote:

I used a small modeler's paint brush dipped in acetome to reach through the holes and rub the glass clean.

Excellent, didn't even occur to me, thanks bountyhunter!

I have removed a ton of them. Every time i Gun-Kote a sidecover, I have to remove it. NEVER put the entire sidecover in the dishwasher, using a standard dishwasher detergent. The chemicals in the detergent will make the Aluminum turn black. you should NEVER put anything Aluminum in a Dishwasher. You should remove the sight glass using constant steady pressure, never tap on it. I have reused the old glass over. It comes molded in its own seal and fits quite tight even when removed. The paint brush or a pipe cleaner work very nicely. Also any kind of citrus cleaner works well and so does carb cleaner.

otakar wrote:

I have removed a ton of them. Every time i Gun-Kote a sidecover, I have to remove it. NEVER put the entire sidecover in the dishwasher, using a standard dishwasher detergent. The chemicals in the detergent will make the Aluminum turn black. you should NEVER put anything Aluminum in a Dishwasher. You should remove the sight glass using constant steady pressure, never tap on it. I have reused the old glass over. It comes molded in its own seal and fits quite tight even when removed. The paint brush or a pipe cleaner work very nicely. Also any kind of citrus cleaner works well and so does carb cleaner.

Heck that was a BREAKTHROUGH, I happened to have pipe cleaners for cleaning some of the carbs' through-passageways and was able to thread a pipe cleaning into one hole then out another hole on the litte metal plate on the site glass.

Then I sprayed carb cleaner in the site class and went to town back-n-forth with the pipe cleaner -- that allowed me to clean the inside metal plate surface, the surface that's visible when the clutch cover's installed on the bike.

That inside metal surface was dirty - NOT NO MORE!

The pipe cleaner and carb cleaner was a breakthrough, had it all the time too, thanks.

Glad I could help.