Topic: Do SOHC4 bikes kick back?

[Maurice]

Hello,

I'm currently building back a CB550 and a CB750. The 550 is a '77 motor in a '76 frame and the 750 is a '78 in cardboard boxes. I also own a '88 Hawk GT and '78 XS650. Those 2 are fully functional. I'd post pics of the CBs but it's a bit embarrassing right now.

As I am getting ready to fire up the 550, I am wondering if these kick back because I didn't wire the starter motor, just the ignition and charging system. Can the timing get stuck advanced and whack you? Are flip-flops a bad idea when kicking?

I'm asking because I'm a wimp and my xs650 taught me to set up timing dead nuts the hard way. Yet for some weird reason I made it kick only and it's my daily driver these days (yes I ride through the winter as long as roads are snow-free)

Cheers!

Maurice

[LesterPiglet]

You can start the 550 by using your hand on the kicker. You don't get much kickback from a 4 pot engine.

[WrenchMonkey]

Welcome Aboard!  IMO, flip-flops and anything motorcycle related can be a recipe for disaster.     YMMV. 

[TwoTired]

Flip flops in winter?

Would you fear kicking a 136 cc engine?  Only one of the four is on compression stroke when kicking.  But, if you pooch the timing just right, it may kick back, though.

[Maurice]

Cheers guys.

Now waiting for needle valves to show up so the carbs stop spewing gas. The wait, it hurts...

One thing that bums me is that I can't use the '77 exhaust on the '76 frame, the brake pedal is in the way big time. It's too bad because 3 of the pipes look decent, the outer left being in bad shape but that one pipe could have been replaced. Oh well, I'll put the other ones for sale here when I get a replacement. I'll also be ditching a '77 title-less frame with all its tabs intact, in case anybody's interested. I'll put up a post for it, need to strip a few more things from it.

[heffay]

Jersey Shore much?
Wow, just WOW.
Put on a pair of boots like you mean it, and put some miles on.
If I've offended you in any way... you are probably from Jersey... or Cali   

[Maurice]

Jersey Shore much?
Wow, just WOW.
Put on a pair of boots like you mean it, and put some miles on.
If I've offended you in any way... you are probably from Jersey... or Cali   

That's the spirit!

How in hell did you shave that cat? Did it retaliate?

[Maurice]

It took some work but the 550 is up and running. Bear in mind I am new to sohc 4, more used to twins.

Right now the wiring is bare minimum: ignition + charging system, hooked up a 4ah small battery and voltmeter says it works as it should ('bout 12v idling and 13.5+ higher up).

Initially I had trouble getting it to start at all. Checked compression got 120 psi across all 4. Then it would only run on 1 and 4 and with choke only. Since 2 and 3 share the same coil I checked spark but good fat blue flame across all 4.

Took out the carbs and thoroughly cleaned the pilot jets with a copper strand and set float heights. Now it starts first kick with choke on, first kick choke off when warmed up, but still runs way lean: bogs a bit on throttle open, spits out the carbs occasionally and races after throttle is closed. Also seems to heat up a bit.

But, it never kicked back As a matter of fact I inspected the points and static timing and it seems PO had brand new ones installed. Bit of a surprise considering the overall state of dereliction of the bike, amount of crud in the carbs etc.

I have a few questions:

- I have no experience with round slide carbs (PD carbs are called that aren't they??), is the symptom I see pilot jet leanness, meaning it's still not clean enough? Or do I need to up the main jet? I'm running pods and stock exhaust for now BTW.
- I did kick a lot, and sometimes the kicker would seem to skip a tooth every once in a while, say 1 kick out of 20 (I have good legs). Does that mean splitting the cases is in my near future? Now that it starts first kick it hasn't done it again but I'm a bit concerned...
- I want to have it kick-only. The thing is so much easier to kick alive than the XS650 it's not even funny. Has anyone done anything to the starter cavity? Oh and I need to figure out how to plug the starter hole...

Cheers!