Author Topic: Trying to get my Dads old 1977 Honda 550 Four-K running  (Read 2364 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline FillionJ

  • Enthusiast
  • **
  • Posts: 119
Trying to get my Dads old 1977 Honda 550 Four-K running
« on: August 08, 2013, 12:42:20 PM »
So after my dad passed away 2 years ago we stored the bike outside under tarps and we blocked it. it was running at the time. Last weekend i took it out and brought it back home to try getting it running. I have run into several problems. First of all the electric start is not working at all but if i touch a screwdriver to the solenoid it does try and fire.  Is this just a wiring problem or possibly the kill switch is loose? When trying to fire it up with the screwdriver i can hear a slight pff pff but it just wont go. I just noticed tho that ther is some rust in the top of the gas tank, would i need to clean the gaz tank and the entire carbs? or is ther something i could simply run through to fix this.  This is my first time ever working on a bike so any help would be greatly appreciated.

Justin Fillion
21
WPG, MB

Offline goldarrow

  • one day, i'll be an
  • Old Timer
  • ******
  • Posts: 3,360
Re: Trying to get my Dads old 1977 Honda 550 Four-K running
« Reply #1 on: August 08, 2013, 12:53:15 PM »
tank off, carbs off, and clean them good.  remove spark plugs and put small amount of seafoam in the cylinders to lube them. 

but before any of that happening, please go to faq section and download manual, do not attempt to start again until then. 

welcome to the forum and good luck. 

and we love pics.....
Life Is Full Of Challenges - And My Backyard Is Full Of SOHC4's

CB550 K0
CB750 K0, K2, K23 JDM, K45, K5
And the little ones z50r, xr50r, st90


750k5 http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=114817.0

Offline Bankerdanny

  • Eventually I will be old enough in reality to be
  • Really Old Timer ...
  • *******
  • Posts: 7,623
  • Endeavor to persevere
Re: Trying to get my Dads old 1977 Honda 550 Four-K running
« Reply #2 on: August 08, 2013, 01:40:56 PM »
Is that 2 year old gas in the tank? If so you need to dispose of it, it's not good for anything but maybe a bonfire.

Goldarrow has it right, you know it turns over, which is good, but a bike that has been sitting for 2 years outdoors (even with a tarp) is going to need at the very least (1) an oil change (2) the tank cleaned. If the carbs had gas in them when it was parked then you will almost certainly need to clean out the carbs as well.

Personally I would order the carb gasket kit for your bike, take off the carbs and give them a good cleaning.

2 years ago I revived a '77 550K that had been sitting (with gas in it!) for 28 years. The only significant work I had to do was cleaning the inside of the tank and the carbs.

A couple of weekends of work should get it to the point where it will start. If you have to jump the solenoid my guess is that you will need to clean the contacts on the starter button.
"The problem with quotes on the Internet is that you never know if they're true" - Abraham Lincoln

Current: '76 CB750F. Previous:  '75 CB550F, 2007 Yamaha Vino 125 Scooter, '75 Harley FXE Superglide, '77 GL1000, '77 CB550k, '68 Suzuki K10 80, '68 Yamaha YR2, '69 BMW R69S, '71 Honda SL175, '02 Royal Enfield Bullet 500, '89 Yamaha FJ1200

Black 750K8

  • Guest
Re: Trying to get my Dads old 1977 Honda 550 Four-K running
« Reply #3 on: August 08, 2013, 01:57:41 PM »
Any gas engine that sits for two years not stored properly will have a hard time running. Do what goldarrow said. Good for you trying to get your dads bike going I'm sure he is smiling or laughing one. All the kill sw. does is stop power to the coils so the engine will turn over but not start with the kill sw. on. After oil in the cyl. overnight take the air filter off (get a new one) spray with starter fluid and it will fire for a short time.

Offline lucky

  • Really Old Timer ...
  • *******
  • Posts: 6,714
Re: Trying to get my Dads old 1977 Honda 550 Four-K running
« Reply #4 on: August 08, 2013, 02:03:27 PM »
So after my dad passed away 2 years ago we stored the bike outside under tarps and we blocked it. it was running at the time. Last weekend i took it out and brought it back home to try getting it running. I have run into several problems. First of all the electric start is not working at all but if i touch a screwdriver to the solenoid it does try and fire.  Is this just a wiring problem or possibly the kill switch is loose? When trying to fire it up with the screwdriver i can hear a slight pff pff but it just wont go. I just noticed tho that ther is some rust in the top of the gas tank, would i need to clean the gaz tank and the entire carbs? or is ther something i could simply run through to fix this.  This is my first time ever working on a bike so any help would be greatly appreciated.

Justin Fillion
21
WPG, MB

Sounds like it got left to the wrong people.
You better get some help.
I see the bikes demise coming.

Black 750K8

  • Guest
Re: Trying to get my Dads old 1977 Honda 550 Four-K running
« Reply #5 on: August 08, 2013, 02:13:13 PM »
So after my dad passed away 2 years ago we stored the bike outside under tarps and we blocked it. it was running at the time. Last weekend i took it out and brought it back home to try getting it running. I have run into several problems. First of all the electric start is not working at all but if i touch a screwdriver to the solenoid it does try and fire.  Is this just a wiring problem or possibly the kill switch is loose? When trying to fire it up with the screwdriver i can hear a slight pff pff but it just wont go. I just noticed tho that ther is some rust in the top of the gas tank, would i need to clean the gaz tank and the entire carbs? or is ther something i could simply run through to fix this.  This is my first time ever working on a bike so any help would be greatly appreciated.

Justin Fillion
21
WPG, MB

Sounds like it got left to the wrong people.
You better get some help.
I see the bikes demise coming.

That is why he came here. Take your time Justin and ask first most of us are here to help. just ignore the ones you choose.

Offline 70CB750

  • Labor omnia vincit improbus.
  • Really Old Timer ...
  • *******
  • Posts: 14,840
  • Northern Virginia
Re: Trying to get my Dads old 1977 Honda 550 Four-K running
« Reply #6 on: August 08, 2013, 02:24:25 PM »
Good luck, I am sure you will get it running!
Prokop
_______________
Pure Gas - find ethanol free gas station near you

I love it when parts come together.

Dorothy - my CB750
CB750K3F - The Red
Sidecar


CB900C

2006 KLR650

Offline davesee

  • Enthusiast
  • **
  • Posts: 226
Re: Trying to get my Dads old 1977 Honda 550 Four-K running
« Reply #7 on: August 08, 2013, 06:22:19 PM »
download the manual, get some good tunes going and spend some time going through what the others have suggested and do a full tune up. you'll learn a lot. anything you don't understand ask away here.
1980 honda cb650 with many weekends worth of modifications.

Offline Bootlegger56

  • Butch
  • Hot Shot
  • ***
  • Posts: 401
  • Nuthin' taps ya out quicker than cole corn likker!
Re: Trying to get my Dads old 1977 Honda 550 Four-K running
« Reply #8 on: August 08, 2013, 06:39:57 PM »
Don't give up on it.  It is not as difficult or expensive as it seems or as some would lead you to believe.  A little elbow grease goes a long way on these old bikes and nothing will beat the satisfaction you achieve when you bring it back to life.  Like everyone says...download the manual and study it and then work your way through a 3,000 mile tuneup and carb clean.  There are a lot of great people on here who will walk you through any difficulty.  Good luck.  I would hope my kid resurrects mine someday if it falls into disrepair.
Ya can travel near or ya can travel far; but no matter where ya go thar ya are!

750 K5
550 K1

Offline Frostyboy

  • Retired: Never was an
  • Expert
  • ****
  • Posts: 1,227
  • Circa 1951
Re: Trying to get my Dads old 1977 Honda 550 Four-K running
« Reply #9 on: August 08, 2013, 06:53:34 PM »
How good is that? I don't have kids of my own, but I do hope one of my nephews takes up my bike when I pass on. Good on you for taking this on.
Best bit of advice so far is to download the manual. There's lots of things to check with the start button that the wiring diagram might shed some light on.
Good luck mate, you'll enjoy riding that thing I'm sure.
Last year I joined a support group for procrastinators.
We haven't met yet.
[CB550F1]

Offline FillionJ

  • Enthusiast
  • **
  • Posts: 119
Re: Trying to get my Dads old 1977 Honda 550 Four-K running
« Reply #10 on: June 16, 2014, 09:25:07 PM »
It's been a while but I'm just finishing my dad's bike, tomoro a vacuum sync should help fine tune then add this new paint job to it ![
IMG]http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/06/17/buda9yva.jpg[/IMG]

Let me know what u guys think !


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Offline FillionJ

  • Enthusiast
  • **
  • Posts: 119
Re: Trying to get my Dads old 1977 Honda 550 Four-K running
« Reply #11 on: June 16, 2014, 09:26:06 PM »



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk