Topic: It has begun!!! Another 550 top end rebuild

[Adam_F]

ok,rotating the crank 360 or one revolution back to the 1/4 t mark will have the cam notch to the rear?itll take 720 or two revolutions to bring it back to the front,you can install the notch to the front or the rear.

Thanks so much Dave. All gravy w the timing. I must've cranked it 1080 or more. Whenever I hit the t 1 4 the notch was level w the matting surface. Now I just need to figure out that parts manual illustration and get this beast back in action.

[calj737]

Those SS bolts do not include the flange head bolts that go beneath the covers, only the exterior bolts that hold the covers on.

If you look at the cmsnl parts fiches, the product listing will include the schematic # and the bolt dimensions (ie, 6x35) to aide in properly identifying and locating the placement of your new bolts.

You're doing a beautiful job and have potentially one of the best (dave500) resources on these motors locked in helping you. The results will be smashing no doubt!

[Adam_F]

Those SS bolts do not include the flange head bolts that go beneath the covers, only the exterior bolts that hold the covers on.

If you look at the cmsnl parts fiches, the product listing will include the schematic # and the bolt dimensions (ie, 6x35) to aide in properly identifying and locating the placement of your new bolts.

You're doing a beautiful job and have potentially one of the best (dave500) resources on these motors locked in helping you. The results will be smashing no doubt!

Thanks man! Really appreciate it. Dave is definitely the man. If he didn't live all the way down under I'd have bought him many a beer already. Maybe I can ship him some good portland beer!?

I was afraid that I would need that missing flange bolt.  such a bummer. Was really hoping to button this up and ride around today! I'm gonna hit up some specialty shops around town and see if I can find a match. Otherwise I guess I'm gonna have to order it and wait.

I have the whole parts manual. The illustration just confuses me. Maybe its the angle. Hard to tell where all those floating bolts actually go.

[calj737]

Good luck finding that 8x145 flange head. I made one after fruitless searching

[Adam_F]

Good luck finding that 8x145 flange head. I made one after fruitless searching

Mine measure 6x32...  Part number 95700 06065  Number 29 on the illustration.  The kit includes the same size allen bolt...  very curious. 

[dave500]

look close at the parts fishce and youll see some of those cover bolts have an aluminium washer,replace those with new 6mm copper washers,also those brackets that hold the end caps,be sure they aren't slightly twisted or have burrs where the long bolt goes down through,use a new copper washer top and bottom of that bolt aswell,its a source of mysterious oil weeps.

also my wife said I have enough beer but thanks anyway man!

[calj737]

Good luck finding that 8x145 flange head. I made one after fruitless searching

Mine measure 6x32...  Part number 95700 06065  Number 29 on the illustration.  The kit includes the same size allen bolt...  very curious.

My mistake. Thought you were referring to a case bolt. Lost my head

[Adam_F]

look close at the parts fishce and youll see some of those cover bolts have an aluminium washer,replace those with new 6mm copper washers,also those brackets that hold the end caps,be sure they aren't slightly twisted or have burrs where the long bolt goes down through,use a new copper washer top and bottom of that bolt aswell,its a source of mysterious oil weeps.

also my wife said I have enough beer but thanks anyway man!

That fridge is amazing! Thanks for the tips. Copper washers all around. Check

[Adam_F]

Good luck finding that 8x145 flange head. I made one after fruitless searching

Mine measure 6x32...  Part number 95700 06065  Number 29 on the illustration.  The kit includes the same size allen bolt...  very curious.

My mistake. Thought you were referring to a case bolt. Lost my head

No worries. Found a bolt that is about 2mm too long. Nothin yee ol hack saw can't take care of

[Adam_F]

Guess my plan to finish was ambitious.  Managed to get a lot done, but still need to install the exhaust and oil her up before I can start it.

Head cover took a bit longer to install than I thought but it seemed okay.  My one concern was that I didn't remove the tach gear mechanism thingamabobber from the cover.  After I bolted down the head and was turning the crank, I didn't see the piece inside the mechanism rotate at all....  Shouldn't it be turning with the cam?  Is this a big problem?  Part of me wanted to stop there... but I just kept going... 



Adjusted valves and cam chain tensioner.  Almost couldn't fit the tappet covers by the new SS bolts



Installed the carbs.  It was much more difficult than removing them.  Took some blood, sweat and beers. 



Installed my airbox, and battery and called it a night.  Gonna get at it in the morning and see how she runs (unless anyone thinks that the tach gear issue mentioned above is really serious)!

[dave500]

that tacho drive should be turning,make sure it is,turn the engine over again.

[Adam_F]

that tacho drive should be turning,make sure it is,turn the engine over again.

What would it mean if it was not turning?

Thanks!

[dave500]

remove the tach drive and re insert it?you have the cam the correct way around?the drive gear on the cam is positioned above number 4 cylinder?does the tach drive spin with pointy pliers,or connect the cable and try to spin it?

just looked back through your photos the cam is installed correctly!.

[Adam_F]

remove the tach drive and re insert it?you have the cam the correct way around?the drive gear on the cam is positioned above number 4 cylinder?does the tach drive spin with pointy pliers,or connect the cable and try to spin it?

just looked back through your photos the cam is installed correctly!.

Feel like a moron... It spins.  Just checked again.  I pictured it spinning faster for some reason, so I didn't even notice that it was actually turning.  Wife is finishing grad school and we celebrated a bit too much last night.  Hung over brain at 50% I guess.  haha.

[dave500]

phew!yeah its not fast,sure you haven't been in my fridge?

[Adam_F]

phew!yeah its not fast,sure you haven't been in my fridge?

Ha!  In all honestly, last night is a little blurry... so anything is possible I guess.

[Adam_F]

Finished up today!  It wasn't without any setbacks... but I got it all worked out and went for a short ride 

Started the day by attempting to hang my exhaust.  I was gradually wrenching down the 10mm nuts onto the studs.  Working my way back and forth so they went on evenly.  It was really hard to tell how tight to go and on the very last one, SNAP! broke a stud 



Was so bummed...  Called my local honda parts dealer, but of course they're not open on Sunday.  I know DSS sells the studs, but that would mean I'd be waiting a while.  So I took the pipes back off the bike and removed the stud with some vice grips.  Luckily it came out rather easily.



As I was pulling the stud the thought occurred to me to call my local ACE hardware.  They had 6mm bolts in many sizes and offered the cut the head off for me with a bandsaw.  You just don't get service like that at Hardware stores anymore.  Most of the time when I walk into a hardware store and ask for something, the employee doesn't even know what I'm talking about.  This place is legit!  NW Portland for anyone local.  I will definitely be going there from here on out.  An hour later I was back at it.



I called around everywhere I could think of to try to find some new copper gaskets.  Found 1 shop that had them, but they only had 3 in stock.  So I decided to just try to reuse them.  I'm planning on ordering more just in case... but I really wanted to get this done.  Hung the pipes, again.  Carefully this time.



After that I oiled her up, put on the points and stater covers, and gas tank.  Let the petcock sit open for a bit to get fuel back into the carbs.  Forgot how beautiful the old girl is.



Then came the moment of truth!  Start up!!!  I have no idea how to post a video, but I did film it and you can watch it here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEyok73XP7Q&feature=youtu.be

Took a few second to fire up, but just when I started to worry, she came right to life!  I then realized I had the choke wide open, which was probably why it took a minute.  Before the tear down, on cold days, there is no way in hell the bike will start without the choke fully closed.  It was like 80 degrees here, so that probably helped. 

Rode the bike around the neighborhood for a while then came home and synched the carbs.  You can hear the cylinders battling each other in the video (knocking).  After the vacuum synch, it was purring away.  (Excuse the pile of trash in my garage in the shot below.  All the rebuild debris).



I've got a pair of Metzler Lasertecs on their way and new sprockets.  But my question is... now that she rides (and oh, she rides better and stronger than ever)... is there anything special I need to do to break it in?  Should I do another oil change sooner that normal?  I was easy on the rpms for my initial ride.  Should I be careful with that?  I'll probably make sure everything is still bolted up nice and tight in a few weeks, redo the tappet clearances and cam chain tensioner.  Anything else?

Just want to say a HUGE thank you to everyone that has helped me out through this!  Especially you, Dave!!!  We have a pretty special community here on this forum.  Its crazy.  I've never used a forum before this...  But people from all over the world talking about these old bikes and willing to help out oblivious people like me.  Pretty amazing.

THANK YOU!!!

[dave500]

great job man!dont let the new engine idle,just ride it normally but avoid 6500rpm for now,a little short soft lugging helps,change the oil after the first couple of hours,then again after a few hours,have a look here.
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=138262.0

[Adam_F]

great job man!dont let the new engine idle,just ride it normally but avoid 6500rpm for now,a little short soft lugging helps,change the oil after the first couple of hours,then again after a few hours,have a look here.
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=138262.0

Thanks Dave.  I did the cab synch and it idled for a short while.  5 minutes or so.  Guess I should've waited on that... 

[dave500]

itll be ok,its been ridden beforehand at least?

[Adam_F]

itll be ok,its been ridden beforehand at least?

Yeah.  I rode it around for like 15 minutes to get it nice and hot so all the gaskets set (and to do a proper synch).  Def won't let it idle like that again though for a while.  Thanks for the heads up!

[iron_worker]

Great to see someone's rebuild go through with minimal issues. Enjoy the ride.

IW

[Adam_F]

Great to see someone's rebuild go through with minimal issues. Enjoy the ride.

IW

Thanks man!  Definitely thankful that it went so smoothly.  Would've been a total disaster without this forum.  There's just so much that the manuals don't tell you.

[Adam_F]

Little update.  I've ridden about 200 miles and the bike had been running great.  Left for vacation for a week and rode to work yesterday.  After the bike warmed up, it had a hard time holding its idle.  At times it holds fine, then all of a sudden it'll just drop and quickly die.  I can give it some throttle and she'll roar back to life.  Wants to bog a little bit under 3k, but once I pull past 3k rpm, she rips through the rpms and gears perfectly.  I double checked my intake boots (airbox to carbs), and they're nice and tight.  Pulled to plugs and they look normal (a tad rich as usual....).  All my pipes are all hot.. 

So, my plan is to try to re vacuum synch later today and see if that helps at all (if I can keep her idling).  If not, I'm gonna have to pull the carbs and give them a proper cleaning.  I didn't go through them during my rebuild because the bike was running so well before (just a busted chain tensioner).  I did pull the float bowls and measure (all good there).  They looked perfectly clean inside so I figured I'd leave well enough alone.  Anyways, bike ran great for 200 miles which has me a bit perplexed.

I'll report back after the synch.  Open to any suggestions.

[iron_worker]

Sounds like a possible vacuum leak that is opening up with heat.

IW