Author Topic: 1977 CB550F IDK (first build)  (Read 173442 times)

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Offline minimo

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Re: 1977 CB550F IDK (first build)
« Reply #75 on: July 21, 2013, 12:12:42 PM »
Thanks, bambuhiphop! That button has been marked as "UNNOTIFY" meaning that it's currently in the notify setting... Could it be that I have the topic opened on my iPhone and computer? Hmmm... Thanks for your kind words and help!

Tap notify next to the reply button. That will enable emails to you about responses to a thread.

Great job on the build so far. Looking really good!

Offline edhaeuser

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Re: 1977 CB550F IDK (first build)
« Reply #76 on: July 25, 2013, 08:59:05 AM »
Thanks, bambuhiphop! That button has been marked as "UNNOTIFY" meaning that it's currently in the notify setting... Could it be that I have the topic opened on my iPhone and computer? Hmmm... Thanks for your kind words and help!

Tap notify next to the reply button. That will enable emails to you about responses to a thread.

Great job on the build so far. Looking really good!

I had issues getting email notifications.  I eventually found about four months worth in my email spam folder. 

Offline minimo

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Re: 1977 CB550F IDK (first build)
« Reply #77 on: July 28, 2013, 01:23:17 PM »
OMG, edhaeuser! That was it! All in my Junk folder. egah!
Thank you so much!

Thanks, bambuhiphop! That button has been marked as "UNNOTIFY" meaning that it's currently in the notify setting... Could it be that I have the topic opened on my iPhone and computer? Hmmm... Thanks for your kind words and help!

Tap notify next to the reply button. That will enable emails to you about responses to a thread.

Great job on the build so far. Looking really good!

I had issues getting email notifications.  I eventually found about four months worth in my email spam folder.

Offline minimo

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Re: 1977 CB550F IDK (first build)
« Reply #78 on: July 28, 2013, 01:40:32 PM »
So I'm settling more on a look/aesthetic for the IDK; perhaps to the point of now relinquishing the "IDK" name. That's not important.

E3 Motorcycles, Steel Bent Customs, and some Wrenchmonkees -- all names probably familiar to this forum -- have done bikes that fashion the flat brat-style of seat with no rear hump for battery. Which means that I'll have to relocate the battery some place as I've already gone and removed the side cover tabs.
Dime City Cycles sells a ready made seat that looks decent. I'm not sure if it's necessary to have a hoop, though I imagine that it completes the look. Also on the fence about the handle bar situation. Should I go clip-ons or drag bar style? I imagine that if I go with clip-ons, the posture would require that I get rear sets, right? Would a drag bar alleviate the rear set implementation?
I like the patina on the bike and hope that I scrub the areas and parts that really need the cleaning but keeping it still looking rough around the edges to show that the bike really is as old as I am. Just some thoughts.

Here's kinda what I'm after. This one is by Steel Bent Customs (link above). This has the drag bar which looks nice with the brat-style flat seat (w/ a lil' flip on the back end, which DCC also sells for an additional fee. I'm more for the straight flat look, personally):

Offline Ewan 500K1

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Re: 1977 CB550F IDK (first build)
« Reply #79 on: July 28, 2013, 02:46:40 PM »
that stell bent bike looks fantastic ... but where the F does that battery / rectfier  regulator etc go ;)
jings, crivens, help ma boab

500 four K1 cafe racer build thread at :
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=100883.0

Offline minimo

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Re: 1977 CB550F IDK (first build)
« Reply #80 on: July 28, 2013, 03:59:18 PM »
I agree, Ewan.
I've read with bikes that have knocked out the side covers, small batteries like a Lithium Ion 4 Cell unit can mount under the swing arm in a custom battery box.
E3 had mentioned how thy did it on their Tumblr: http://e3mc.tumblr.com/post/27611365310/on-the-75-cb550-where-did-you-hide-the-battery-can
I've also seen the same technique but with a custom box mount somewhere above the air filter pods or under the fuel tank...

that stell bent bike looks fantastic ... but where the F does that battery / rectfier  regulator etc go ;)

Offline minimo

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Re: 1977 CB550F IDK (first build)
« Reply #81 on: September 30, 2013, 01:37:59 PM »
<a href="Not a valid vimeo URL">Percussive Maintenance[/url] from Duncan Robson on Vimeo.</p>

Offline minimo

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1977 CB550F IDK (first build)
« Reply #82 on: October 18, 2013, 12:15:56 AM »
Back from the depths...

Can anyone tell me if there's anything wrong here? When I get the clutch basket on, I can't seem to manually turn the engine. Something wrong with the gears, perhaps? Pistons, maybe?

« Last Edit: December 04, 2013, 11:38:54 PM by minimo »

Offline minimo

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Re: 1977 CB550F IDK (first build)
« Reply #83 on: October 21, 2013, 07:12:50 AM »
...the reason I was wondering is because I was trying to get the cam sprocket back into position after some struggle of getting the chain back on it, and the only way I think I could even get the two bolts to mount that whole piece would be walk the chain a bit, but I had zero movement with that nor any movement that I could force out of the pistons. I almost feel like I have to break it all apart again and crack open the crank case, reexamine the gears and start from scratch. Ugh. Well, if it must be done...

Offline jojo

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Re: 1977 CB550F IDK (first build)
« Reply #84 on: October 25, 2013, 08:17:07 AM »
i had read somewhere that using assembly lube was with moly was bad for wet clutches. Know if this is true ? or was it just people being paranoid about their clutches  ???

Nice build by the way- I feel like mine is neverding as well.

Offline Bankerdanny

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Re: 1977 CB550F IDK (first build)
« Reply #85 on: October 25, 2013, 08:39:59 AM »
Why would you put assembly lube on a clutch?
"The problem with quotes on the Internet is that you never know if they're true" - Abraham Lincoln

Current: '76 CB750F. Previous:  '75 CB550F, 2007 Yamaha Vino 125 Scooter, '75 Harley FXE Superglide, '77 GL1000, '77 CB550k, '68 Suzuki K10 80, '68 Yamaha YR2, '69 BMW R69S, '71 Honda SL175, '02 Royal Enfield Bullet 500, '89 Yamaha FJ1200

Offline minimo

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Re: 1977 CB550F IDK (first build)
« Reply #86 on: October 25, 2013, 08:55:01 AM »
The only parts I applied assembly lube on were the bearings. Meanwhile, instructions on the clutch said to leave them soaking for a little while in fresh motor oil to get them lubed, which I did.
So I started to peel back the top end of the engine and seems that piston #2 is stuck in the cylinder; all others are loose. What does this mean and what's the best way to get this out? Could this have been the cause of the cam chain not moving?

Offline jojo

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Re: 1977 CB550F IDK (first build)
« Reply #87 on: October 25, 2013, 11:53:21 AM »
Why would you put assembly lube on a clutch?

didnt put it on the clutch, something about moly sticking to your clutch plates when it mixes with your oil and causing issues. Found this link.  Just wanted someone else opinion thats all  8)


http://www.sportbikeworld.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-6663.html

Offline minimo

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1977 CB550F IDK (first build)
« Reply #88 on: October 25, 2013, 11:59:57 AM »
Could the stuck piston be from inadequate ball honing the jug? It felt like I was being consistent in all the jugs and the crosshairs were evenly matched on all. If I manage to ram the piston out today I will give the jugs another go with some balls (honing).

Offline Tews19

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Re: 1977 CB550F IDK (first build)
« Reply #89 on: October 25, 2013, 06:47:23 PM »
You should PM Dave500.. He can help you out.. Also, not sure if my eyes are playing tricks but the pic from the bottom side of the engine, the chain looks misaligned....
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Offline minimo

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Re: 1977 CB550F IDK (first build)
« Reply #90 on: October 25, 2013, 07:48:25 PM »

You should PM Dave500.. He can help you out.. Also, not sure if my eyes are playing tricks but the pic from the bottom side of the engine, the chain looks misaligned....

By golly, Tews19... I think you may be right. Can it get misaligned like that though? I mean, I'd have caught it if it was off... But this could explain why I can't walk the chain other than a stuck piston :-/ Thanks for pointing that out. I feared the worse would be to gut out the crankcase again but oh well. I'll consider it training; hopefully I'll get good at it.

Offline Bankerdanny

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Re: 1977 CB550F IDK (first build)
« Reply #91 on: October 26, 2013, 07:47:27 AM »
Why would you put assembly lube on a clutch?

didnt put it on the clutch, something about moly sticking to your clutch plates when it mixes with your oil and causing issues. Found this link.  Just wanted someone else opinion thats all  8)


http://www.sportbikeworld.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-6663.html
Oh, OK. Your question just seemed to come from out of the blue, so I didn't see the connection.

The assembly lube only goes on a couple parts and you should change the oil after a couple hundred miles anyway. So I don't think it should cause an issue for you.
"The problem with quotes on the Internet is that you never know if they're true" - Abraham Lincoln

Current: '76 CB750F. Previous:  '75 CB550F, 2007 Yamaha Vino 125 Scooter, '75 Harley FXE Superglide, '77 GL1000, '77 CB550k, '68 Suzuki K10 80, '68 Yamaha YR2, '69 BMW R69S, '71 Honda SL175, '02 Royal Enfield Bullet 500, '89 Yamaha FJ1200

Offline minimo

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Re: 1977 CB550F IDK (first build)
« Reply #92 on: October 27, 2013, 04:26:41 PM »
Making incremental progress removing the stuck piston using a technique mentioned in CafeDawg's Kafe' Kahagon 550 thread, using a couple of SCREW JACKS (bolt/washer/socket) placed as close as possible to the jug and raised up slowly and evenly as possible. I've now had to switch out a couple of sockets to adjust the height and I see the piston coming up from the other side, oh joy!

Offline minimo

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Re: 1977 CB550F IDK (first build)
« Reply #93 on: October 27, 2013, 05:41:18 PM »
Well, the screw jack worked. But check out the mangled piston ring, ouch:


Otherwise, the jug looks/feels smooth. Further on the brighter side, the engine turns. cranking the rotor by hand, baby! At any rate, I will hit the jugs again with the Flex-Hone balls. Sigh. Gotta replace the ring(s); gotta hit up mah homie in Japan... Onwards!


Offline minimo

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Re: 1977 CB550F IDK (first build)
« Reply #94 on: October 28, 2013, 12:13:54 AM »
Well, luckily it was just one of the two rails sandwiching the oil spacer that got mangled on piston #2. Glad I kept the old rings as they still look decent so I'll replace it with one of those.
Meanwhile, I'd like to make note of how important it is to inspect groove clearances on your pistons. In my case, the oil spacer groove still had residual carbon which most likely resulted in the rings to seize up, preventing ring compression, and basically it got mangled in the cylinder during installation. One simple and obvious way to check to make sure your grooves are clean is by squeezing and spinning the rings around while they're installed and in their respective grooves. If rings move about freely, you should be in the clear. If any of them stick, remove the ring from the piston and take a piece of Scotchbrite and a small flathead screwdriver and scrub all around the inside of the dirty groove, wipe off the excess, reinstall the rings and squeeze/spin them around again until they move freely.

Next: Making sure cylinders are reamed clear/clean and within wear limits.
Moving on :)
« Last Edit: October 28, 2013, 10:39:05 AM by minimo »

Offline minimo

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Re: 1977 CB550F IDK (first build)
« Reply #95 on: October 31, 2013, 02:14:36 AM »
Happy Halloween! Woo-hoo!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEAS7U_mVt8

Offline Tews19

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Re: 1977 CB550F IDK (first build)
« Reply #96 on: October 31, 2013, 09:46:23 AM »
The video is hilarious! I need to get that costume!
1969 Honda CB750... Basket case
1970 Honda CB750 survivor.

Offline minimo

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Re: 1977 CB550F IDK (first build)
« Reply #97 on: November 05, 2013, 06:55:59 PM »
The slowest CB550 rebuild is tightening up!

Can I use Hondabond to attach the 6 rubber seals on the cylinder head? Bad idea? Use the normal RTV silicone gasket goop instead?

Also got the basket in. Gonna finish scrubbing the clutch cover and call that part of it done. Ahhh, slow progress.

Offline mrtanner101

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Re: 1977 CB550F IDK (first build)
« Reply #98 on: November 05, 2013, 07:51:52 PM »
Have you decided to sell any of the stock parts that your not using on this build yet?
1977 Honda CB550F - The long term project
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Offline minimo

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Re: 1977 CB550F IDK (first build)
« Reply #99 on: November 05, 2013, 08:22:41 PM »
Hi, mrtanner101. I'll take a guess that you're interested in the side covers. I haven't put them up for sale yet. I quite like them just as a decorative piece, hanging on my wall at the moment. I was trying to sell the main chain and other bits and things that I've gone and replaced as far as the engine is concerned but otherwise, I'll keep y'all posted when I put anything up for sale. Thanks.

Have you decided to sell any of the stock parts that your not using on this build yet?