So I recently picked up an immaculate (I thought) 2000 CB750 Nighthawk. Super clean bike, looks like new, ran great all the way home, etc, etc. Then I forgot to turn the petcock off, and it puked fuel all over. Except... this is a vacuum petcock!
Long story short, the carbs were full of dried-out seals and the float needles didn't seal right. So I rebuild the carbs.
In the process of that I discovered that the push cable from the throttle had been pulled off and zip tied to the frame.
Then I went to tighten chain, and found it's just about due for a replacement.
Carbs clean and back in, chain tightened, time for an oil change... quart and a half low, and black as midnight. Either the guy lied about the oil change (and really, the last three oil changes!), or this thing's guzzling oil like a '78 Ford.
Went for a ride, and halfway through I found my front fender was missing two bolts, had flopped down onto the tire, and melted!
Got that sorted with a hardware store run, kept riding, and one of the guys remarked that my bike smelled like burning oil. Sniffed the left pipe... fine. Sniffed the right... burnt oil.
Got home, checked the brand new oil- chocolate brown and burnt smelling. So I'm seriously pissed at the PO now. I paid a premium for a bike in showroom condition, and now I find it's full of idiot mistakes.
My question to you, oh grand masters of the Honda Four: Do you concur that burnt smelling oil and a burnt oil smell off the right (but not the left) pipe indicates a stuck piston ring? And if so, is there a way to free that bastard without cracking the top end? I've done that before, but I really, really don't want to do it on this one.
