Author Topic: Now What?  (Read 18389 times)

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Offline shade

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Now What?
« on: April 13, 2012, 10:45:44 AM »
This is my first attempt at motorcycle repair.  I've inherited a '74 CB550 from a neighbor that has not been touched in about 8 years.  I've taken the carburetors off and given them a light cleaning, sprayed some WD-40 into the cylinders and let sit for couple of days, rinsed out the gas tank,replaced the spark plugs, and installed a new battery.
I know there is a lot more to be done and what I have done should be more thorough, but I just want to see if it will even show some signs of life before investing too much time and money.
I just added a little bit of gasoline and tried kickstarting the bike but nothing happened.  Any suggestions?

Offline LesterPiglet

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Re: Now What?
« Reply #1 on: April 13, 2012, 10:46:48 AM »
Nothing happened as in it didn't turn over or it didn't fire up?
 Take the plugs back out and clean them. Connect the plugs to the HT leads and lay them on the engine metal to metal. Turn the engine over and see if all plugs are sparking.
« Last Edit: April 13, 2012, 10:48:33 AM by LesterPiglet »
'Then' and 'than' are completely different words and have completely different meanings. Same with 'of' and 'have'. Set and sit. There, their and they're. Draw and drawer. Could care less/couldn't care less. Bought/brought FFS.


Les Ross.            Certified by a Professional

Offline Dimitri13

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Re: Now What?
« Reply #2 on: April 13, 2012, 10:49:13 AM »
Lester's question needs to be answered before any more troubleshooting can continue.

Adjust valves, points, and timing. Change oil.

Offline shade

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Re: Now What?
« Reply #3 on: April 13, 2012, 10:50:56 AM »
The bike didn't turn over.  I am totally new to this, so I will try the spark plug test if I can figure that out.  Thanks, I appreciate the help.

Offline Really?

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Re: Now What?
« Reply #4 on: April 13, 2012, 11:08:22 AM »
So, when you tried starting the bike with the kick starter, your foot did not go down? 
I don't have a motorcycle, sold it ('85 Yamaha Venture Royale).  Haven't had a CB750 for over 40 years.

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Offline tlbranth

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Re: Now What?
« Reply #5 on: April 13, 2012, 11:08:39 AM »
Shade - first off, WD-40 isn't much of a lubricant. Squirt a little light oil in each cylinder and let it sit a day or so. Chuck old fuel and put in some new with some 2-stroke oil in it to keep things lubed while you're testing. Otherwise fuel will wash oil off the cylinders/rings/pistons in cylinders that're not firing and you'll do damage.
Make sure there's something in the battery or jump it from a car - even if you kick start it. At least CLEAN the points. Check for spark by laying a connected plug on the block. Got spark? Squirt a tiny amount of fuel in a cylinder thru the plug hole. Get a bang? This should at least point you in the right direction.
Don't own a Vanagon
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1975 GL1000
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Offline shade

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Re: Now What?
« Reply #6 on: April 13, 2012, 11:16:07 AM »
So, when you tried starting the bike with the kick starter, your foot did not go down?

The kickstarter moved up and down pretty easily. 

I will try the spark test Terry described.
Thanks

Offline shade

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Re: Now What?
« Reply #7 on: April 13, 2012, 11:30:16 AM »
I unscrewed a spark plug, attached it to the cable and placed it on the engine.  When I tried kickstarting there was a spark...

Offline LesterPiglet

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Re: Now What?
« Reply #8 on: April 13, 2012, 11:33:32 AM »
Do that with all the plugs to make sure they all spark.
'Then' and 'than' are completely different words and have completely different meanings. Same with 'of' and 'have'. Set and sit. There, their and they're. Draw and drawer. Could care less/couldn't care less. Bought/brought FFS.


Les Ross.            Certified by a Professional

Offline MCRider

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Re: Now What?
« Reply #9 on: April 13, 2012, 11:51:47 AM »
Shade: use your terms literally. "turn over" means did the engine turn over. That is, would the kickstarter go down with the result being that the crankshaft turned over and the pistons went up and down. Or did the electric starter spin the engine.

Start, means start. Did the systems work and the spark plugs fired, and the engine caught and ran.

Rather than "nothing happened", it did in fact turn over but would not start.

If so, (sounds like it did) don't squirt anything else in the engine. It turned over so its not stuck and doesn't require further penetrants ..which... pollute the oil. So..

CHANGE THE OIL. After 8 years, condensation cycles will dilute the oil with water. Change it before the initial start and be prepared to change it again after starting, to get the gremlins out that starting will dislodge.

Not beating you up. You said you were new, just trying to help.
« Last Edit: April 13, 2012, 11:55:00 AM by MCRider »
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1988 NT650 HawkGT;  1978 CB400 Hawk;  1975 CB750F -Free Bird; 1968 CB77 Super Hawk -Ticker;  Phaedrus 1972 CB750K2- Build Thread
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Offline lucky

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Re: Now What?
« Reply #10 on: April 13, 2012, 12:11:50 PM »
This is my first attempt at motorcycle repair.  I've inherited a '74 CB550 from a neighbor that has not been touched in about 8 years.  I've taken the carburetors off and given them a light cleaning, sprayed some WD-40 into the cylinders and let sit for couple of days, rinsed out the gas tank,replaced the spark plugs, and installed a new battery.
I know there is a lot more to be done and what I have done should be more thorough, but I just want to see if it will even show some signs of life before investing too much time and money.
I just added a little bit of gasoline and tried kickstarting the bike but nothing happened

"light cleaning"  What does that mean???
Did you take the idle jets out and look through them?

Offline cmonSTART

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Re: Now What?
« Reply #11 on: April 13, 2012, 01:29:07 PM »
This is my first attempt at motorcycle repair.  I've inherited a '74 CB550 from a neighbor that has not been touched in about 8 years.  I've taken the carburetors off and given them a light cleaning, sprayed some WD-40 into the cylinders and let sit for couple of days, rinsed out the gas tank,replaced the spark plugs, and installed a new battery.
I know there is a lot more to be done and what I have done should be more thorough, but I just want to see if it will even show some signs of life before investing too much time and money.
I just added a little bit of gasoline and tried kickstarting the bike but nothing happened

"light cleaning"  What does that mean???
Did you take the idle jets out and look through them?

+1
1981 GL1100 Interstate
1978 CB750F Project

Offline shade

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Re: Now What?
« Reply #12 on: April 13, 2012, 04:14:21 PM »
Shade: use your terms literally. "turn over" means did the engine turn over. That is, would the kickstarter go down with the result being that the crankshaft turned over and the pistons went up and down. Or did the electric starter spin the engine.

Start, means start. Did the systems work and the spark plugs fired, and the engine caught and ran.

Rather than "nothing happened", it did in fact turn over but would not start.

If so, (sounds like it did) don't squirt anything else in the engine. It turned over so its not stuck and doesn't require further penetrants ..which... pollute the oil. So..

CHANGE THE OIL. After 8 years, condensation cycles will dilute the oil with water. Change it before the initial start and be prepared to change it again after starting, to get the gremlins out that starting will dislodge.

Not beating you up. You said you were new, just trying to help.

I appreciate the help, trying to learn the new language...

The Electric starter doesn't seem to work.  I think the electrical system is a little messed up.  The turn signals and brake lights come on when I turn the key to the on position, but that's it. 

I wasn't going to change the oil yet, because it looked clean but I will do that tomorrow.

I did the spark test and all four sparked.

The kickstarter moves up and down when I kick it.  I don't know about the crankshaft, but it seems like the pistons are moving and when I remove the plugs they are a little wet.  Also I opened up one of the drain screws on the a float bowl to see if gas was getting in and it was. 
Don't if that makes sense or not.

It is difficult for me to work on the bike because it is in the back of my building in New York City, there is no clean place to lay parts out and leave them over night.  I already stunk up my apartment once and pissed my girlfriend off.  Just explaining that I'm not being lazy just trying to do things in spurts so I don't have to keep starting and stopping.

Again, thanks for the help!

Offline tlbranth

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Re: Now What?
« Reply #13 on: April 13, 2012, 05:07:50 PM »
If you've got spark, try putting a SMALL amount of gas through a plug hole, replace the plug and give it a kick. See if you get an attempt at starting (something fires).
Don't own a Vanagon
Don't work at Boeing
Life is good

1970 CB750 K0
1975 GL1000
1999 GL1500
2002 VT750-CDA ACE - Momma's bike
Terry

Offline shade

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Re: Now What?
« Reply #14 on: April 14, 2012, 04:54:32 AM »
If you've got spark, try putting a SMALL amount of gas through a plug hole, replace the plug and give it a kick. See if you get an attempt at starting (something fires).

When you say small amount, how much is small? And should I do this to one only one cylinder?  I won't be able to get to this until Sunday or Monday but will let you know what happens.

THANKS

Offline grcamna2

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Re: Now What?
« Reply #15 on: April 14, 2012, 05:38:07 AM »
shade,
    I would remove the carbs and ask us here how to clean out you're jets inside so they feed fuel to the engine.
75' CB400F/'bunch o' parts' & 81' CB125S modded to a 'CB200S'
  I love the small ones too !
Do your BEST...nobody can take that away from you.

Offline tlbranth

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Re: Now What?
« Reply #16 on: April 14, 2012, 10:08:47 AM »
If you've got spark, try putting a SMALL amount of gas through a plug hole, replace the plug and give it a kick. See if you get an attempt at starting (something fires).

When you say small amount, how much is small? And should I do this to one only one cylinder?  I won't be able to get to this until Sunday or Monday but will let you know what happens.

THANKS
Maybe 1/4 teaspoon. Just in one cylinder is enough. If it fires and dies straight away then you're probably mechanically sound and you probably have a carburation problem - then do as grcamna2 says.
Don't own a Vanagon
Don't work at Boeing
Life is good

1970 CB750 K0
1975 GL1000
1999 GL1500
2002 VT750-CDA ACE - Momma's bike
Terry

Offline shade

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Re: Now What?
« Reply #17 on: April 15, 2012, 08:50:29 AM »
When I removed the carburetors I cleaned the lower half well, if that makes sense.  The jets you can access by removing the float bowls were cleaned well...
If you think I need to do the entire carburetors I will.
Right now I am trying to change the oil and the Oil Drain Plug is stuck, I can't budge it.  Any suggestions?

Once again thanks for the help.

Offline grcamna2

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Re: Now What?
« Reply #18 on: April 15, 2012, 09:06:35 AM »
To clean every jet and passage through the whole carburetors will permit you're air cooled engine to receive the correct amount of fuel air mix so it can operate at it's correct mixture to feed the engine to run & has the added benefit of cooling the engine.Dirty passages and jets will make the motor run hot.I would follow the specific float height adjustment that's recommended in the service manual.The members here will walk you through the rebuild of you're carbs  if you'll post a few pictures.

Do you have the original airbox still on the bike ? and what type of muffler/exhaust is on there? these items will change the carburetor settings depending on what type of systems you have installed.  Any pics yet ?
« Last Edit: April 15, 2012, 09:15:31 AM by grcamna2 »
75' CB400F/'bunch o' parts' & 81' CB125S modded to a 'CB200S'
  I love the small ones too !
Do your BEST...nobody can take that away from you.

Offline shade

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Re: Now What?
« Reply #19 on: April 15, 2012, 09:14:50 AM »
Never mind the drain plug question, got it.
I will remove the carburetors again and take some photos.
Thanks

Offline grcamna2

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Re: Now What?
« Reply #20 on: April 15, 2012, 09:16:18 AM »
Never mind the drain plug question, got it.
I will remove the carburetors again and take some photos.
Thanks
+1  ;)  :).
75' CB400F/'bunch o' parts' & 81' CB125S modded to a 'CB200S'
  I love the small ones too !
Do your BEST...nobody can take that away from you.

Offline shade

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Re: Now What?
« Reply #21 on: April 15, 2012, 03:45:14 PM »
Ok....
I got distracted and started messing with the points and timing.  I adjusted the points following the manual, but don't have a proper tool to test the timing.  This part is very complicated to me but I am starting to get it.  The unit is currently removed from the bike and I will hold off putting it back on until I hear from someone.  If someone can offer some suggestions on how to properly complete this task I would really appreciate it.
I cleaned the points as well...
Thanks.

Offline cmonSTART

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Re: Now What?
« Reply #22 on: April 15, 2012, 04:30:11 PM »
What exactly do you have removed from the motorcycle? 

After you gap and time points a couple times you'll get it.  You can set the static timing with a simple 12 volt test light (cheap from any auto store) or even a multimeter showing continuity. 
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Offline shade

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Re: Now What?
« Reply #23 on: April 15, 2012, 07:22:55 PM »
This is what I removed from the bike:

Offline shade

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Re: Now What?
« Reply #24 on: April 15, 2012, 07:37:55 PM »
Will this work:
Gardner Bender 5-50 VAC/DC Low Voltage Tester

And if anyone can explain how to do it in the SIMPLEST way possible I would be grateful. 

This is both daunting and addictive.  I have never been that mechanical but I don't think I have ever want to fix anything this badly.