Author Topic: 1976 CB550F - making it good, one step at a time (Read 124832 times)

flatlander · « **Reply #200 on:** May 24, 2015, 12:16:31 PM »

the envolpe with the cam instructions still hasn't arrived... while waiting i have a good look at the head and rocker cover together, and decide to buff and polish some parts of the head.

it's mainly the top of the top find, edges of the fins and a bit along the edge of the top gasket surface. the rest is untreated, like it came from blasting. the idea is to create a transition from the matt cylinder to the polished cover. the effect is relatively subtle but catches the light nicely.

cal, you recognise this? yes that's the formerly rusty engine hanger! can't say i'm not listening

flatlander · « **Reply #201 on:** May 25, 2015, 02:15:33 AM »

thought that would make you happy. praise the rattlecan!

flatlander · « **Reply #202 on:** May 25, 2015, 11:56:54 PM »

i got these airbox rubbers off david silver spares. usually, i try to get oem stuff as long as it's not a conscious upgrade but these don't seem to be available any more from honda. so i got the repros and i must say, they make a very good impression.

top row - original old ones, bottom - new

didn't know what to expect and was mentally prepared having to remove molding marks but they're perfectly smooth inside. the rubber also seems good quality, and the ones for 1 and 4 even have that little knob for aligning them.

streak09 · « **Reply #203 on:** May 26, 2015, 09:52:55 AM »

Quote from: flatlander on May 25, 2015, 11:56:54 PM

i got these airbox rubbers off david silver spares. usually, i try to get oem stuff as long as it's not a conscious upgrade but these don't seem to be available any more from honda. so i got the repros and i must say, they make a very good impression.

I bought a set from DSS a while ago as well. Very nice quality, I couldn't tell the difference. You are moving right along!

flatlander · « **Reply #204 on:** May 26, 2015, 01:08:40 PM »

thanks man! how long ago did you get the rubbers? would be good to know how they age.
nice s90 in your profile pic

streak09 · « **Reply #205 on:** May 26, 2015, 02:33:12 PM »

It's been probably 1 1/2 - 2 years since purchased. Have not installed them on the bike yet

, but they have held up well in the garage! Haha. Slowly working on it though...

Thanks for the kind words on the 90. She is my baby. Still working on it here and there when I get the spare cash (which is seldom). It's a blast to ride, but I am antsy to ride something at 60mph that doesn't feel like a bicycle. I take every opportunity to show her off

flatlander · « **Reply #206 on:** May 27, 2015, 11:43:41 AM »

wow the s90 looks awefully clean in that picture. well done!
here's my ss50, pretty much same basic construction:

strynboen · « **Reply #207 on:** May 28, 2015, 09:56:28 AM »

hey small bikes...

here are my cd 50 from 1972

streak09 · « **Reply #208 on:** May 28, 2015, 11:35:45 AM »

Very nice! What year is that SS50? I really like the tank.

flatlander · « **Reply #209 on:** May 29, 2015, 03:42:44 AM »

the full name is ss50 z k3. from 1979. the tank was stock on these later ss'. earlier ones were in the style of yours and strynboen's cd.
these little hondas are fun

strynboen · « **Reply #210 on:** May 31, 2015, 05:58:26 AM »

the tank and fenders..and spedo looks like Yamaha fs1 1978

flatlander · « **Reply #211 on:** May 31, 2015, 01:15:03 PM »

yes right, honda wanted to compete with the fs1. of course, it couldn't really catch the 2-stroke yamaha. anyway, kinda funny that they called it a ss = supersport with 50cc

on the 550 front, i got the cam squared up. what a pain! i've become quite the expert in putting on - pulling off the rocker cover!
still need to check piston-valve clearance but the most fiddly bit of work is done.

strynboen · « **Reply #212 on:** June 02, 2015, 03:41:05 AM »

in the erly 80...i drove Honda cd 50,,and all my frends drove fs1..the yams vas easy to get to run 80..but more vas hard..the reed valve and narrov krank/case..gave a bad flow..so aktuly mine Honda eaten many Yamahas..it run abaut 90 kmt..it vas fien (i drove only 50 cc) had a hot cam and 20 mm kaburator
the problems vas puch and kreidler vith facktory tuning parts..they did go over 100..some 110-120..but at a heigh preise..specily if polisen took the hardvare...

flatlander · « **Reply #213 on:** June 02, 2015, 05:12:21 AM »

my ss has a 16mm carb and hot cam, goes up to 80-90kph no problem. if i have enough road i can outrun most 2 strokes but they do accelerate quicker. i think the ss head has larger valves than the cd?

Stev-o · « **Reply #214 on:** June 02, 2015, 05:35:46 AM »

What happened to the 550F thread?? ha.........

flatlander · « **Reply #215 on:** June 02, 2015, 06:03:58 AM »

the 550 is waiting impatiently to get clearances checked and for that rocker to be replaced that i had to send back. a forced break...
we're during intermission now which is used by the baby bikes to provide some entertainment. feel free to pop out for some popcorn or cold beer. the regular programme will resume soon

flatlander · « **Reply #216 on:** June 02, 2015, 06:08:53 AM »

by the way, if any of the present audience have some further tips for the carb setup, would be great to hear:
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,148291.0.html

flatlander · « **Reply #217 on:** June 04, 2015, 04:58:38 AM »

ok there is some news for the 550, after all:

the rocker arm has been sorted and mike is sending it back. should have it next week. i must say, it must not be easy to deal with a customer over such a big distance but he's been super helpful with all this.

i also test assembled the head and camshaft yesterday. the head was not torqued down fully and i also didn't spend the time to adjust the cam super precisely... but there's plenty of clearance between valves and piston, i stopped checking when i knew there were 3mm on TDC and +/- 15 degrees. so i don't need to worry about that.
also against head and rocker cover, there's enough space for this cam.

now i can confidently tie down and seal up the head.

VRodPete · « **Reply #218 on:** June 04, 2015, 11:23:53 AM »

Wow, am I late to this party. Just read all (9!) pages to catch up. I too have a 76 550F in the garage that I'm restoring, in similar shape to flatlanders when you started. Great great information in this post so far, I'm addicted and subscribed!

Are your plastics original, or have you replaced them? Mine were all cracked so I have new ones ready to paint. Before I started to tear mine apart I put a few miles on it, and ended up stranded due to corrosion on the fuse block - which I replaced with the Hondaman block that uses modern clip fuses. Have you checked that piece? - I know you had it off at least once.

Anyway, no hijack intended, now intently following your progress. Great work so far.

flatlander · « **Reply #219 on:** June 04, 2015, 12:54:28 PM »

pete, thanks for the kind comments. i'm glad at least some of the stuff here is of use to someone.
no worries about hijacking. i think as long as its loosely related to bikes, beer or anything else that goes with it, it's all perfectly on topic

the side covers are original (as in: they came with the bike and have seemingly correct markings in them) but repainted. other plastic parts also. the rubber bits i've replaced in almost all places with new OEM, except the airbox rubbers which are repros.

i've checked the all the connections of the fuse block. mine's generally in good shape still, i only cleaned the connections - like all other electrical connections on the bike. if you haven't done so yet, i recommend you to do that to minimise resistance in the system. with the hondaman block you have the advantage that you can use regular auto fuses that can be bought at gas stations etc.

do you have a thread for your 550? otherwise it would be nice to see some pics. sounds like it must be in pretty nice shape?

VRodPete · « **Reply #220 on:** June 04, 2015, 01:00:39 PM »

No I haven't started a thread yet. And I am terrible at pic documentation, I really need to do better. I'm leaving on a business trip for a month (west Texas, not any glamour location

) then I will tear into it and I promise pics and a project thread then.

Overall it's in pretty nice shape. I've respoked and re-sneakered the front wheel, rear is next. Then I will start hitting much of the same stuff you've hit in your thread here. I'm really looking forward to it, especially when I'm past carburetors (my nemesis) and inside the engine.

flatlander · « **Reply #221 on:** June 09, 2015, 02:53:12 AM »

pete sorry i missed your response as i picked up our new dog and was busy with that. your 550 sounds nice, great that you want to keep it close to stock. looking forward to your project.

flatlander · « **Reply #222 on:** June 09, 2015, 03:08:47 AM »

to further hijack my own thread: i picked up our new dog on sunday!
she's about 1 year old, a hungarian vizsla and it's a bit of a long story how we got her. apparently a guy in hungary got her as puppy as he wanted to use her for hunting. but then he didn't have the time to train her, or for anything really. so she ended up with his father who is busy running a farm and also doesn't have the time to properly deal with her. via a hunter friend of my father who knew someone who had heard from somebody... we got in touch with the old man who was happy to find a new home for her. her name is lily.

i'm trying to train her already to help with the bike. today a small package from mike arrived that included the last bits and pieces. she totally loves those cool stickers and immediately studied the timing card for the cam. in no time she noticed that it's a bit updated from the specs that megacycle publish on their site which is valuable info

flatlander · « **Reply #223 on:** June 14, 2015, 12:20:10 AM »

between the new dog and a friend staying over there wasn't any progress last week but now it's time to pick things up again.
yesterday i installed the head - this time for good. torqued the head nuts to spec and then left it sitting over night. today i'll re-torque them and continue with the final cam installation, then see how far i get...

i'm loosely following branden's thread on how to assemble a leak-free topend: http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,107040.0.html
between that and the honda shop manual, there's not much more to be said here.

Stev-o · « **Reply #224 on:** June 14, 2015, 06:17:40 AM »

FYI - I rebuilt my Kaw 500 H1 recently and retorqued the head after 1 heat cycle.

News:

Author Topic: 1976 CB550F - making it good, one step at a time (Read 124832 times)