Author Topic: CB550 - Issues for beginning rider - Help please! (Read 23810 times)

Maurice · « **Reply #100 on:** May 20, 2014, 11:52:57 AM »

Your carbs don't look like they'd warrant a simple green treatment. I've used the pine-sol method on some VERY nasty carbs (butterfly plates stuck, slides stuck, all orifices clogged) but that wasn't fun and stunk like a mofo. Simple green and such might eat away at the aluminum.

You may want to look into the chem-dip bucket, it's like a gallon can you buy at auto stores and even has a deep-fryer like basket to dip stuff. Warning: it liquefies anything rubber.

If you're methodical and take your time, just stick with the ol' can of carb cleaner and compressed air (always hold small pieces firmly, don't ask...).

For the airbox, it looks like you have the essential pieces. If you want you can just stick some filter behind the plenum. I've ghettoed together some ABS and a 3"x5" UNI filter (will take some pics soon) and it works really well for me.

Something like this (credit user nvr2old):

Koonendez · « **Reply #101 on:** May 20, 2014, 12:06:50 PM »

Pheww...thanks for quick reply. I will NOT be soaking the entire rack in Simple Green anymore! I guess I'll just give them a good wipe down and start breaking them down asap.

I will not lie, but I am extremely nervous about taking these carbs apart. So far I only have a few references including this video I found on YouTube

Carburetor Cleaning and Repair

And a Clymer manual, and a blown up diagram that I found on another thread which is as difficult to read for a novice mechanic. I don't know to what extent I should be taking them apart, but will follow what I've seen so far. I wish there was a nice "cleaning step by step guide" that I could easily follow. Wish me a lot of luck in this process!

Maurice · « **Reply #102 on:** May 20, 2014, 12:21:14 PM »

Do 1 at a time. Your bike is running, so I suggest not to separate the carbs from each other (the fuel lines between carbs don't leak, right?). THAT would make it a lot harder but still not brain surgery either.

Just remove all bits, jets, emulsion tubes, screws, etc. and blow carb cleaner/compressed air through all the passages. Pay extra attention to the emulsion tubes, I think there's 1 for pilot and 1 for mains, they have tiny holes through them and they need to be clear. Never use anything harder than brass to clean them or you'll enlarge the holes those things are easily dinged. Your bike looks more like it needs tuning than actual cleaning, as seen from this end of the internet of course, so...

Try this for rubber bits, the "gasket kit".

If you're nervous now, wait until you start taking apart that motor

Bankerdanny · « **Reply #103 on:** May 20, 2014, 12:34:20 PM »

There's no special trick to cleaning them.

Remove the jets and emulsion tubes (a small wooden dowel can be used to tap the tubes out tapping down wards from where the slides fit into the carbs) and soak in carb cleaner. I use guitar e-string to clean the jets, but be gentle, you don't want to enlarge the holes, just clean the dried and gunky fuel out. You should be able to get some scraps for free from your local shop.

goldarrow · « **Reply #104 on:** May 20, 2014, 12:35:38 PM »

Wooden dowel=chopstick

Maurice · « **Reply #105 on:** May 20, 2014, 12:41:05 PM »

I don't have access to E guitar strings, so I use copper strands from flexible electrical wires.

Bankerdanny · « **Reply #106 on:** May 20, 2014, 02:17:06 PM »

I find that copper wire is too soft and bends too easily.

Vinhead1957 · « **Reply #107 on:** May 20, 2014, 05:13:32 PM »

I use a welders tip cleaner

Joemetal861 · « **Reply #108 on:** May 20, 2014, 06:49:43 PM »

Torch tip cleaners work as said above. They are cheap and can get at any welding store like airgas.
As for the string you want a high E string preferably off a set of "10's"

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Koonendez · « **Reply #109 on:** May 21, 2014, 10:14:17 AM »

Guys I took off the petcock to put in some Prep and Etch and the only thing that came out was the petcock and a long plastic tube but I'm not seeing any filter of some sort. Is there something else in there to remove before putting in the rust remover?

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TwoTired · « **Reply #110 on:** May 21, 2014, 10:58:23 AM »

The stock bike has a plastic strainer pushed into the tank bung that surrounds the stand pipe (long plastic tube). It can be a #$%* to remove intact, particularly if rust has formed on the metal of the tank bung, wedging the nylon filter in place.

Ham hands usually destroy the filter trying to remove it. What's the bike's history? Either you haven't looked closely in the tank bung opening, or someone has already removed it for you.

Koonendez · « **Reply #111 on:** May 21, 2014, 10:59:53 AM »

Seems like someone must've removed it. All that came out was this...

Just plugged up the hole with a rubber stopper and filled the tank with Prep & Etch

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Koonendez · « **Reply #112 on:** May 21, 2014, 11:00:57 AM »

I'm assuming I should probably replace the petcock altogether as I imagine that filter was a necessary piece to the puzzle

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Koonendez · « **Reply #113 on:** May 21, 2014, 11:03:05 AM »

I should mention that that entire piece came out very easily if that helos

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TwoTired · « **Reply #114 on:** May 21, 2014, 11:05:31 AM »

Quote from: Koonendez on May 21, 2014, 10:59:53 AM

Seems like someone must've removed it. All that came out was this...

You're in denial.
The stock in tank filter never falls out when removing the fuel tap.

Good luck!

You can replace the filter screen without replacing the fuel tap.
Learn to drill down in parts diagrams like from: http://www.cmsnl.com/

Koonendez · « **Reply #115 on:** May 21, 2014, 11:38:06 AM »

Damnit. Didn't think to probe all the way inside of the hole assuming if there was a piece in there I wouldn't be able to remove it. Not to mention there was no fighting to pull the tube out.

Seems like it would've been a piece I would probably want to have replaced anyhow considering the age of the parts and the crud that must be built up on it.

How in the world do I remove that piece out after emptying out the Prep & Etch? And more importantly, insert the replacement in tank filter when the part arrives?

I assume the "fuel tap" is the piece I removed?

goldarrow · « **Reply #116 on:** May 21, 2014, 01:13:29 PM »

Fuel tap, fuel valve, petcock, all mean same thing. Fuel filter goes over on the long plastic tube.

TwoTired · « **Reply #117 on:** May 21, 2014, 01:22:07 PM »

Varying degrees of success. I got one out with an easy out. I also got one out with a close fitting machine screw sort of "tapped" into the soft nylon.
The fuel filter comes straight out of the hole. Rusticles that have grown into the soft nylon can bind it in there as good as glue. And anything that makes the nylon expand outward also increases retentive friction. Extraction is a balanced effort to grab but not so much as to wedge the filter sleeve into the hole. Insertion has never been an issue. The nylon lasts forever unless physical damage has occurred. These come out easily in like-new tank bungs.
I had one tank so rusty, the filter sleeve came out in pieces. I was still sad I couldn't save it.

Here's what they look like.

Bankerdanny · « **Reply #118 on:** May 21, 2014, 02:24:14 PM »

Putting the new one in is the easy part, just slide it over the tube and screw the assembly back in place, the petcock will push the screen up where it need to be.

Getting the old one out can be a challenge, I recall that I used an awl to get my old one out on my '77 K back in 2011.

TwoTired · « **Reply #119 on:** May 21, 2014, 04:51:17 PM »

Quote from: Bankerdanny on May 21, 2014, 02:24:14 PM

Putting the new one in is the easy part, just slide it over the tube and screw the assembly back in place, the petcock will push the screen up where it need to be.

Isn't there a flatted side to the screen/tube? Or, is that just the 75-76 models? I can't find my stash right now.

Anyway, if it has the flat, that must be aligned first during assembly.

Koonendez · « **Reply #120 on:** May 21, 2014, 09:26:14 PM »

Well came home from to rotate my tank with the P&E and found this...

Pretty upset right now and trying to think that maybe I can get the hole welded shut as I don't want to set aside money for a brand new tank just yet. It was definitely on my list of things to do but way down the road. Any suggestions? It's dark as heck outside so I'll have to examine the tank better tomorrow afternoon

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Stev-o · « **Reply #121 on:** May 21, 2014, 09:33:15 PM »

I'd buy a brand old tank.

goldarrow · « **Reply #122 on:** May 21, 2014, 09:53:36 PM »

Quote from: Stev-o on May 21, 2014, 09:33:15 PM

I'd buy a brand old tank.

Don't you have one like his to sell?

TwoTired · « **Reply #123 on:** May 22, 2014, 12:31:27 AM »

That's what acid does to metal, it eats it away. And, it's why I prefer the electrolysis method about which has been posted many times.
How long was the acid left in tank?

Still, if you are going to patch the holes, brazing is far easier than welding.

trueblue · « **Reply #124 on:** May 22, 2014, 01:24:28 AM »

I lead soldered my tank over 3 years ago now, still holding nicely. I used a large electric soldering iron, about 1" in diameter, some plumbers solder and bakers soldering flux. Soldered it up then sanded it back to shape, some of the holes in mine were up to 1/4" in diameter after it was cleaned up. You want to keep flame away from the tank at all costs.

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Author Topic: CB550 - Issues for beginning rider - Help please! (Read 23810 times)