Author Topic: 1977 CB550F IDK (first build) (Read 174135 times)

minimo · « **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!

Quote from: bambuhiphop on July 21, 2013, 12:01:06 PM

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!

edhaeuser · « **Reply #76 on:** July 25, 2013, 08:59:05 AM »

Quote from: minimo 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!

Quote from: bambuhiphop on July 21, 2013, 12:01:06 PM
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.

minimo · « **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!

Quote from: edhaeuser on July 25, 2013, 08:59:05 AM

Quote from: minimo 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!

Quote from: bambuhiphop on July 21, 2013, 12:01:06 PM
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.

minimo · « **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):

Ewan 500K1 · « **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

minimo · « **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...

Quote from: Ewan 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

minimo · « **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>

minimo · « **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?

minimo · « **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...

jojo · « **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.

Bankerdanny · « **Reply #85 on:** October 25, 2013, 08:39:59 AM »

Why would you put assembly lube on a clutch?

minimo · « **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?

jojo · « **Reply #87 on:** October 25, 2013, 11:53:21 AM »

Quote from: Bankerdanny on October 25, 2013, 08:39:59 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

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

minimo · « **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).

Tews19 · « **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....

minimo · « **Reply #90 on:** October 25, 2013, 07:48:25 PM »

Quote from: Tews19 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....

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.

Bankerdanny · « **Reply #91 on:** October 26, 2013, 07:47:27 AM »

Quote from: jojo on October 25, 2013, 11:53:21 AM

Quote from: Bankerdanny on October 25, 2013, 08:39:59 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

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.

minimo · « **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!

minimo · « **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!

minimo · « **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

minimo · « **Reply #95 on:** October 31, 2013, 02:14:36 AM »

Happy Halloween! Woo-hoo!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEAS7U_mVt8

Tews19 · « **Reply #96 on:** October 31, 2013, 09:46:23 AM »

The video is hilarious! I need to get that costume!

minimo · « **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.

mrtanner101 · « **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?

minimo · « **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.

Quote from: mrtanner101 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?

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Author Topic: 1977 CB550F IDK (first build) (Read 174135 times)