Topic: Trad's 74 CB550 K0

[Trad]

True it's not complete necessity, but a modified cover saves huge time. If you have a junky early model cover do yourself a favour.

Exactly. I don't like the idea of taking the cover on and off so many times either. Seems like such a hassle. If I do it, I'm cutting a spare cover and hopefully done within a few hours. I just wish the grinds were accurate enough to use the stock marks. One can only dream.

[bwaller]

Use a dial indicator to check both opening & closing numbers for both intake & exhaust? The cams I'm using have equal lobe centers (in. & ex.) and I set them that way. Not to say you couldn't get the cam timing right the first time, but if it happens, buy a lottery ticket! As mentioned the key is finding"true TDC". Take your time, this is uber important. Use your piston stops & do this step before you install the camshaft so intake valves don't accidently tangle with the stop.

Removing & installing the valve cover multiple times would require re-setting "0 or running valve lash" each time as well, bloody nuisance. Modded cover all the way.  It's too bad there will be mulitple modifed covers out there when most people will only use it once, so choose an early beat up cover if possible.

[Trad]

I must do it all wrong then, or because I do it while assembling the motor the valve cover is superfluous. On my motor:
Block on, locate a true TDC for #1 piston. Made a mark on the crank (points side). Installed head and cam/adjustable sprocket. Rotated the crank with degree wheel attached, recorded measurements. Reversed crank, recorder measurements. Did the math. Spun the crank until #1 was TDC (used a piston stop in #1 plug to confirm). Adjusted the cam on the sprocket. Locked it down. Rotated crank fully. Confirmed lift on the degree wheel with mark aligned. Installed cover, set valves. Took about 30' start to finish.

What am I missing? Is it because you don't have a true TDC on #1 or a piston stop and you're using valve tolerances on the rockers? If so, I get it. If not, I'm confused as hell...

Cal, here' s the clearest real world example I have. I sent myself an email with various degreeing tips to study quite some time ago. Whoever wrote this, sorry I never saved the name.

THESE ARE THE STEPS AFTER YOU FIND TRUE TDC WITH A PISTON STOP. The opening and closing number will vary from cam to cam depending on the specs. You can just plop your numbers in from the timing card.

"-set your valves to zero lash

-set up a dial indicator on one of the valve retainers. zero it with the valve closed

-turn the engine through, and when the dial indicator measures .040" lift, look where the degree wheel reads. continue turning through until you are back at .040" just before the valve closes.

-do the math with those numbers: O (open #) + C (closing #) + 180 /2 - S (the smaller of the two numbers.

-if you're off by a few degrees, imagine what a change in either direction will do on the wheel, then redo the math. note that when one numbers increases, the other decreases, as they are relative to different point of piston travel.

-pull the cam cover, move the cam in the desired direction, reassemble and remeasure.

-so if O=26 and C= 55 and (O+C+180)/2 -S (i'm pulling these numbers out of my ass) , then you would get: 26+55 +180= 261. 261/2 - 26= 104.5 (ok, maybe they weren't totally out of my ass, because that's what you want for your lobe center). if you wanted to see what one degree advance would do, plug in the numbers O=27 and C=54, and you get (27+54=180)/2= 130.5. 130.5-27= 103.5."

[bwaller]

You've got the jist Trad. Remember to check both intake & exhaust numbers.

Get as large a degree wheel as possible for better accuracy.

[redwillis1978]

What do you do about the cam chain slack? I thought you never turn a Honda backwards?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Trad]

So, I figured I'd share this crazy story here because you think something like this could never happen to you, venting a bit maybe. ***If you want to read through this, keep in mind its graphic.***

The scariest events of my life started exactly two weeks ago tomorrow! On Monday Feb 22nd/2016 at 3am my wife and I were awakened to banging so loud it sounded like thunder coming from the aparment next door (same side of the hallway). It went on for a good 5-10 min then stopped. Once it was silent I got up and looked through the peep hole of my door and couldn't see anything so I opened it up, just to make sure everything was OK in the hallway. There was this tall lanky and seriously sketchy looking guy in the hall clasping his hand with what looked like blood dripping off his fist. He startled me as I could't see anyone through the peep hole. I tried to be calm and asked him if he was ok and if anyone needed help as we were awakened to loud banging. He replied "sorry for the noise, I'm just feeling with my brother" I replied, "alright, none of my business. I just wanted to be of help if someone was in need" I was about to go back inside when a heavy set Native woman came out of that apartment holding a guy by the back of his neck, helping him walk. This guy was so badly beaten I don't thing even his friends or family would recognize his face. I've never seen anyone in that state and immediately closed and locked my door. I called 911 anonymously, gave the location and stated that I witnessed what I speculate was a gang related assault. (Judging by how they looked/dressed it was fairly clear) We tried to sleep as best we could that night but it was light to say the least.

The next day my wife and little girl were home alone while I was working. At 10am, 5 gang members came back to my floor and were trying to bust my door down, intimidating and threatening my family!!! My wife called me and I called 911 from my work place, 45 min drive away. The fear in they're cries was the most sickening thing I've ever heard or felt in my life. Helpless is an understatement. THANK GOD THESE ARE HEAVY STEEL FRAME DOORS WITH DUAL DEADBOLTS!!!!!

Police arrived quick enough and were able to arrest 3 of the 5 men before they were able to gain entry to my home. The sad part is that Police didn't witness an actual crime commited against us so I could not press charges. All the people arrested were taken in on unrelated outstanding warrants.

I moved out of there that night with the help of friends and family. I couldn't justify family being there another night. My whole life has been uprooted in a single instance! Who knows why they came back, maybe that beaten guy died and they wanted to keep my mouth shut. I'm clueless as to that question but want to know the real answer.

What would have happen had they got in. Rape, kidnap, or worse. The thought has been driving me nuts.

Then last week I found out from police that all the people arrested that night are affiliates of the primarily Native American gang "Red Alert" I've been told many of these members are drug addicts and erratic behavior his very prevalent with this group.

Sorry for the rant. If you read it all through, thank you. Probably lots of typos as I'm writing this from my phone in a bit of a hurry. Hopefully you catch the gist.

I have some updates on the bike to post in a day or two, big headaches there but nothing like the violence from last month. It really makes any material issue feel so unimportant and small. I doubt I'll ever stress out about something motorcycle related again.

Hope everyone is doing well!

-JJ

[mystic_1]

WOW dude, glad you and your family are OK.

Good on you for getting out.

mystic_1

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Holy freakin' smokes, Jared.  I am so glad you and your family weren't hurt but completely disturbed by this.

You made a good call getting out of there pronto.

[Trad]

WOW dude, glad you and your family are OK.

Good on you for getting out.

mystic_1

Holy freakin' smokes, Jared.  I am so glad you and your family weren't hurt but completely disturbed by this.

You made a good call getting out of there pronto.

Thank you both. Honestly, if it was just me living there I would have started packing (illegally if need be. Canada is so tight on gun laws.) and reinforced my door even further. Since my family is home alone so often I just couldn't leave them with that risk. Man, I'm so pissed I could literally go find these people and do some damage of my own. UGH!!!

[FunJimmy]

Wow is right. You made the right call Jered.
Getting your family to a safe place was the only choice.
Hope everyone can return to a secure state of mind.

[redwillis1978]

I assumed from the writing that you were in Winnipeg. Checked and it was Edmonton. FYI- you can own a shotgun easily in Canada and it's actually best for home defense. Anyone can shoot it and you don't need to be a marksman to hit what is in front of you. You also don't need to worry about a bullet going through many walls.

[Trad]

Wow is right. You made the right call Jered.
Getting your family to a safe place was the only choice.
Hope everyone can return to a secure state of mind.

Thanks Jimmy, I'm good; It's just my girls I'm concerned about. It's not the kind of thing you easily forget.

I assumed from the writing that you were in Winnipeg. Checked and it was Edmonton. FYI- you can own a shotgun easily in Canada and it's actually best for home defense. Anyone can shoot it and you don't need to be a marksman to hit what is in front of you. You also don't need to worry about a bullet going through many walls.

That's good to know. I guess I know what my next purchase is going to be.



Edit: Also, I really don't want this to be a sympathy case. I needed to vent more than anything.

[bwaller]

Crap I hate reading this #$%*. I hope we can get to a point where these bastards finally realize having a job is a better solution. Honestly it reminds me of a different time long ago with the satan's choice.

Only you know where the safest places are to live, that's job one. Forget the god damned shotgun, you think your wife will be happy with that idea?...doubt it.

[redwillis1978]

Trad - Just move. Shooting someone is not a nightmare that will end quickly. Its one thing to need to use it, its a completely different thing to pull that trigger. I'd be just as excited as you over protecting my family. But easiest to move and feel much safer than deal with the trauma from dropping some goon.

IF you need, come on down. Plenty of room for you, your family and your bikes. The place down the road is up for sale, and theres not a gang banger within 50 miles of us. And those that are, keep very tightly to themselves!   

Actually, the RCMP would be very sympathetic to the situation. People don't realize the problems that Natives pose to the general safety of the public, since they typically run back to a Reserve and claim their right to Native justice. Despite Canada's strict gun laws (most likely because of), the law strongly supports a person's right to protect themselves, their family and their home. The feeling is that if you have the need to shoot someone, then you probably had a damn good reason. A gang of Natives trying to break down your door is one of them.

Under Section 40 of the Criminal Code, which deals with the defence of dwellings, Nichols says, "everyone who is in possession of a dwelling house is justified in using as much force as necessary, to prevent any person from forcibly breaking into or entering the dwelling house without lawful authority."

Cohen echoes Nichols' sentiments, adding that when it comes to defending themselves, Canadians have the most rights inside their own homes. 

"This area is less grey than others. The rule of reasonable force still applies, but most judges will give you the benefit of the doubt," Cohen says. "… You can use any force you deem necessary to remove the burglar from the house and eliminate the threat to yourself."

Since a lot of Canada is unpopulated, and unprotected by the RCMP, their is an "Old West" feel to it. Most truckers, or rig pigs, or miners, or anyone that works in the remote areas carries a shotgun. The office trailers usually have a stocked gun safe since Natives will try to "borrow" equipment. Living off the land means anything not bolted down or protected by bullets, is free to them.

Get your license, buy a shotgun and teach everyone in your family to use it. A shotgun is Non-restricted so no registration is required and you can freely carry a shotgun in public.

[bwaller]

+1

Red I won't jump into a discussion on this, no one ever wins these arguments, not that we're arguing. I'm a farmer, own a couple old rifles (handed down from my great grandfather) took a firearms safety course in 1969 and entered marksman competitions as a boy scout. I don't even know if I have ammunition for them it's been so long. If it would stop shootings and bring some kind of peace to our world I'd be the first to destroy the damn things. Arming ones self to possibly get into a shoot-out with a gang under the guise of protection is not a solution. Carrying a shotgun around in public is not my idea of a peaceful world.

There, I said I wouldn't and did.....I won't say another word.

[FunJimmy]

I assumed from the writing that you were in Winnipeg. Checked and it was Edmonton. FYI- you can own a shotgun easily in Canada and it's actually best for home defense. Anyone can shoot it and you don't need to be a marksman to hit what is in front of you. You also don't need to worry about a bullet going through many walls.

That's good to know. I guess I know what my next purchase is going to be.

Jered,

Do not allow American gun culture and fear cloud your judgment.
This was an unfortunate isolated incident that has undoubtedly impacted your family but loading up on firearms isn't the answer.

[redwillis1978]

Getting back to the bike- where did you get exhaust?

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

That's a MotoGP Werks 4-1 Yoshimura replica. 

So, Jared, hopefully the bike will provide some calming activity.  It sounds like you are pretty close to completion (in time for Spring riding). 

Do you still have your Rust & Bones bike, too?

[RAFster122s]

Jared, glad you and your family avoided a nasty situation and are safe.
I sent you a email a while back and haven't heard for you.
was wondering if all was well.
Glad everyone is safe.
David

[flatlander]

wow, just read this crazy story. i'm sorry for what you and your family had to go through. it's quite a lot to digest but you had the right instinct to get them out of there and move on.

don't know if it helps: i went through a similar thing many years ago when i lived in ireland. i was on my own, can't imagine what it must feel like if it affects your family. same as you, i packed up quickly and moved to a different house in a different area. i have a strong sense of justice and it didn't feel right to let the scum get away with it, but i let it go. you don't gain anything by letting their destructive way of living, enter your own life. time to move on to better things.

[riverfever]

Glad you and your family are safe Jared.

[Trad]

THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR THE SUPPORT! I knew I could be open here with something so personal here. I feel like I have an entire community behind me. I will reply individually as soon as I have a spare 30 min. Not enough hours in the day lately.

-Jared

[Trad]

Looking a new places to live in better areas. We've checked out a few promising ones, so hopefully we can start getting settled April 1. Just moving forward, no sense trying to dwell on the negativity.

Back to the bike. So the crankcase was on the way to Mark and while in transit it was badly damaged. The threads for the oil filter housing cracked. We decided to try and use the internals from the damaged crank case and source new empty cases. Another fellow member came through and stripped a decent shape 1974 and sold me just the empty cases.

Here's the damage.



Also decided to test fit the signal lights and see how bright they were, along with the tail light.

m-pin turn test 1 by Jared Chilko, on Flickr

m-pin turn test 2 by Jared Chilko, on Flickr

tail test 1 by Jared Chilko, on Flickr

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Damn!!  That looks like it got dropped right on the filter housing!  There's no doubt about it -- it sucks. 

I had to swap crankcases on my 650 build, so at least you could get a replacement quickly.  I HOPE that the carrier is giving you enough lucre to make up for their screw-up.

On the "bright" side, the LEDs look great (and bright)! 

[Trad]

Didn't bother with Fedex. Not worth the headaches.

Thanks. Those M-pin turns are a lot brighter than I expected.