Topic: 1976 CB500/550 Project "Squirrel"

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Surprisingly, riding never aggravates my two herniated discs.  I dare say the stretch over the tank may even help.

[riverfever]

So psyched today. Yesterday I had a little trouble at the DMV (with plates and title issues) but I went back in this morning and was able to get it all sorted after they made a call to two different supervisors who said go ahead. So I've got plates now. It's totally legal. Unfortunately, it looks like it wants to snow today.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Congrats on the plates.

Snow in the Summer??  We are roasting out here in SoCal in the 90s.  It's almost too hot to ride with gear.

[calj737]

Don't ever think that, Don. It's never too hot to ride with gear... Maybe buy some lighter weight riding gear?

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Don't ever think that, Don. It's never too hot to ride with gear... Maybe buy some lighter weight riding gear?

Oh, that did come off the wrong way.  Yes, it is never too hot to ride with gear.  It is sometimes too damn hot to ride.  We're not there yet.  Right now, it's armored textile jacket weather.  Of course, in this neck of the woods, the humidity is usually more manageable, even if it is hot.  We don't quite approach "Texas" hot.

[calj737]

I knew what you meant. Just saw an opportunity to issue my PSA for the day. 

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

I knew what you meant. Just saw an opportunity to issue my PSA for the day. 

An important one, too, as your son would attest!  It boggles my mind when I see people riding in shorts, a t-shirt, tennis shoes and some less than 1/2 face helmet barely clipped to their nugget.  How are those multiple skin grafts going to feel?    

To each, his own, but I prefer some armor in my jacket, boots, and (most of the time) kevlar woven or reinforced jeans or pants.  I'd rather pay extra for good gear than hurt later.  I had a low-side on a mountain road about five years ago, but I was wearing my full leathers.  Other than scraping my leathers and replacing my gloves and full-face helmet, I had some bruises and that was it.

Hey, wait a minute.  This is river's thread!!

[calj737]

Yeah, but he needs to hear it too. Given his late brush with the river, you'd hope he wears an auto-inflatable next time he fishes.

[riverfever]

I use water wings. One on each arm and one around my neck. Doesn't even interfere with my casting.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

I use water wings. One on each arm and one around my neck. Doesn't even interfere with my casting.

Are those the ones shaped like a duck?

[calj737]

He got them with 3 box tops from Fruit Loops 

[Stev-o]

Don't ever think that, Don. It's never too hot to ride with gear... Maybe buy some lighter weight riding gear?

  It is sometimes too damn hot to ride.    We don't quite approach "Texas" hot.

Welcome to my nightmare.  I've come to hate 90+ degree weather.
In summer, I typically only ride in morning or early evening to avoid the hottest time of the day.

[calj737]

Ditto here. Though evenings are when the bugs are out. Come home to splattered face shields and jackets and bikes. Who knew Mosquitos had that much guts inside their little bodies...?

[riverfever]

He got them with 3 box tops from Fruit Loops 

Which reminds me...got any more you can spare? 

[calj737]

Still need the matching wader ring to complete your set? I can send you my daughter's Hello Kitty one, she's grown out of it at age 8 

[riverfever]

Just want to keep this updated with what little progress there has been. First off...I put some new decals on the tank.



Other than that there hasn't been much going on with the bike unless you count a little frustration on my part. This is what the plugs looked like after the last ride and these were brand new when that ride started.



I know this bike has issues but I also think it's come a long ways but Cal has talked me off a ledge several times now when I'm fed up (thanks buddy). Next up is a carb sync but I fear there are other reasons for these rich plugs (like bad rings) in addition to possible jet/needle issues. If these plugs lasted 20 miles I'm afraid that this thing will not get ridden until I can pull the motor and deal with it otherwise I'll replace plugs all the damn time.

[calj737]

Probably a good moment to post up your carb situation, Riv.

With a completely stock induction and exhaust, stock carb settings, but living at 9,000 Ft Elev., what adjustments should be made to his carbs?

He knows that #3 is getting oil into the cylinder and contributing to the fouling, and he just fixed the #4 "no fire", but to buy his some time this summer, wonder if leaning out his mixture would help as the air where he is, is quit thin already.

[rb550four]

Calj
Are we thinking he either has a wasted wiper ring , a valve guide seal issue  or both in #3? His compression numbers didn't look that bad (with oil)  a couple of pages back. Of course there is no easy way to inspect either of these items  and if he will break the engine down to change one issue he might better do the other for sure. And as you say the chains ,while he's got it open and the top end weight is off, might better take er out of the cradle and do a complete chain replace and check those bearings out along the way.
  Riv
  You'll be up to armpits with the top end anyways, and it's not as big a deal as you may think it is to split the cases especially once you've taken the top end down. I find that the biggest time consuming pita is the valves, cleaning , lapping cleaning some more ,then cleaning it again..... I magnetize a screwdriver to set the keepers cause I have sausage fingers  ( which has also interfered with the idea of playing a guitar), but that is really the hardest part and most time consuming for me. I need 4 hours of uninterrupted time just for that.  The rest is easy, if you let it be. So don't panic, it's all good.   Fun and worthwhile.

[riverfever]

Just to be clear, the cylinder that blows smoke is 4 not 3. It's interesting to me that the fouling plugs is the worst on #4 when #2 actually had less compression.

So the big question is: is there anything that can be done before the motor has to get yanked?

[rb550four]

There's a whole lot of summer to go yet, I could see syncing the carbs, finishing the season, then rebuild. A little smoke shouldn't hurt anything and even if it does... you're going to rebuild it anyways.
  I was wondering, since your air is so thin up there, if pods would work better than a clean stock air filter?
Just a wondering.

[riverfever]

The issue is that things are so rich that even brand new plugs don't last more than 20ish miles. So I need to know if I can change things in the carbs so that I can ride it. Thank you RB. 

[seanbarney41]

The issue is that things are so rich that even brand new plugs don't last more than 20ish miles. So I need to know if I can change things in the carbs so that I can ride it. Thank you RB. 

sounds like ignition problems to me

[harisuluv]

So as it is right now the internals are switched from OEM to aftermarket stuff.  It doesn't really matter what brand, but they are all bad and will give you flat spots, incorrect needle taper, on and on.  If you want to get your carbs sorted out cleansing of that stuff would be the first step.

Also but on your slide assy, someone has been into the slide arm and improperly reinstalled the little washer with the tangs that fold over to lock it into place.  If it's not right as pictured it will catch on the slide and at the very least cause the action to not be smooth.

[riverfever]

All brass inside these carbs is stock. Stock settings for everything. I put the carbs back together and saw those washers and wasn't quite sure which way they should go but I did move the slides through their range of motion to make sure that nothing was binding.

[calj737]

Jets and screws, Riv. Jets and screws.