Topic: CB550 Engine Rebuild Checklist

[cprice9]

Hey now, I've been poking around the forum and I am finding great info on questions as I come to them during my rebuild... however, the info is spread out everywhere and even then sometimes you make mistakes because you do not know the questions to ask in the first place. 

My idea with this is thread is to provide a central source checklist for engine reassembly, the simple and maybe not-so-simple things one should do as they out these motors back together.  It is easy to take things apart, but when your engine is in pieces it is nice to know the right way to get it back up and running

If you have some advice please chime in, to start us off I will throw a few tidbits down that I didn't know going in and pose a question or two I've come up with.


My question is concerning oiling parts as they go back in.  Should I just coat the moving parts and fill up the cylinder head as a reassemble or just fill up the engine before I start it and let the pump do the work?  Standard oil or something special.  Is it necessary to soak any parts before reinstalling?

[cprice9]

-Take pictures, from what Ive read a lot of folks wish they would have taken more
-Bag and label fasteners
-The factory fasteners are not a philips head but rather a JIS, I was able to get some out with a philips but had to drill quite a few
-Impact drivers and wd40 are worth the investment
-If you are putting stainless steel bolt kits in make sure to coat them in antisieze
-Use a bungie or something of the like to keep the cam chain tight (if you aren't removing)
-Rubber bands work great to suspend valves and prevent bending
-Brake cleaner and a razor blade work as good as anything to get gaskets off
-Oil on rubber gaskets when installing to swell them into a tight seal
-The main gasket sets normally dont come with the "pucks," pick up separately Vesrah: AB-1001 Honda OEM:  91318-300-013

[reddyvv]

My question is concerning oiling parts as they go back in.  Should I just coat the moving parts and fill up the cylinder head as a reassemble or just fill up the engine before I start it and let the pump do the work?  Standard oil or something special.  Is it necessary to soak any parts before reinstalling?

Get some engine assembly lube from your autoparts store and liberally coat all moving parts and bearings when you are reassembling. Don't forget cams, rockers, etc.

[Dimitri13]

Be sure to prime your oil pump prior to installation. It can't move volume if there's no volume to move initially.
+1 on price's impact suggestion. Both the manual hit-it-with-a-hammer driver and air/electric wrenches are a god-send, especially for engines as old as ours.
Replace the aluminum washers on the cam cover side cover bracket bolts with preferably copper washers.
Replace the o-rings in the intake runners, they're the same as the tapper cover o-rings.
Replace the head studs, washers, and nuts. Be sure to torque in 3 stages following the pattern.
Pay close attention to the old exhaust gaskets. They may look like they're out, but it's a common occurrence to see gaskets stacked on top of gaskets.
A valve job couldn't hurt.

Last but certainly not least, send your head to MRieck and your crank to APE.