Author Topic: 1976 550K Project (Read 24195 times)

calj737 · « **Reply #75 on:** March 15, 2015, 04:31:23 AM »

Before you completely install your rocker cover (if not too late) double check the torque on your head bolts now that they've been installed overnight. I encourage you to "de-torque" them in sequence, then tell-torque them in 2 states in sequence back to their spec. Can eliminate them from losing their torque overnight after settling in, and the quick re-torque will keep them perfect for a long, long time.

Then replace the cover, set the valve clearances, and go forward!

mrfish2 · « **Reply #76 on:** March 19, 2015, 09:32:48 PM »

Thanks for the reminder on that Cal, checked the torques the next day and everything was good to go!

So since then I've gotten everything buttoned back up (after polishing a few parts on my bench grinder with a buffer wheel) and she's starting to look like a bike again.

I had a hard time getting her to fire up the first time, and discovered my 2/3 points weren't opening at all. Reset the gap and timing and she lept to life (albeit not very smoothly). So the next thing to check were the float levels via the clear tube method, and all 4 looked like this:

I had set the levels with a caliper to 22 mm before putting the carbs back on, but it seems another member was right in assuming that the new float needles require a different float height. I had checked all 4 today, but only got 2 adjusted before it started raining. I'll finish up the other 2 tomorrow. Also to make sure I wasn't getting any trash from my tank I attached some clear tube to the petcock and ran it to a clear jar, and luckily nothing bad came out so don't think anymore trash will be gumming up the carbs (for now....).

I'm also still having issues with getting the headlight to come on and having some oil weepage around the cam tensioner screw (i think). The headlight worked fine before I pulled the top end off but now it doesn't want to come on so i'll be checking all the connections tomorrow as well. I have an assortment of o-rings to try in place of the old one on the cam chain tensioner screw, hopefully that will solve the oil issue. I wasn't able to find anywhere around the head or base gasket that was leaking.

calj737 · « **Reply #77 on:** March 20, 2015, 05:07:35 AM »

To locate your oil leak, you can use the "baby powder" trick. Clean the areas you suspect, then sprinkle some baby powder on the cases. When oil seeps out, the wet spot is your answer. Foolproof!

mrfish2 · « **Reply #78 on:** March 20, 2015, 09:43:37 AM »

That's a neat trick, I'll have to try that!

Set the float levels all to roughly this level (+/- 1 mm):

But I'm still having an idle issue. It starts up fine, and even runs strong through all the gears, but won't idle for anything. I've adjusted the valves, cam chain, and set the timing. I benched synced the carbs before mounting them, still have to buy a vacuum gauge though. I'm not sure what else to check....

Oh, and the headlight decided to come on today for whatever reason. That thing is more buggy than my little cousin's ant farm.

jtran000 · « **Reply #79 on:** March 20, 2015, 10:44:27 AM »

subscribed! i'm about to tear into my build and the first thing to do is carbs. Thanks for all your info thus far!

calj737 · « **Reply #80 on:** March 20, 2015, 12:21:22 PM »

Completely won't idle without choke or revving? Or, does it idle unevenly with surging RPMs?

mrfish2 · « **Reply #81 on:** March 20, 2015, 12:35:24 PM »

If i turn the idle screw in (as in way past where it should be) then it'll idle fine for a minute around 1100, then go way up to around 3000. So yeah, it'll surge a little. Giving it any choke kills it. This has gotta be a fuel issue, right?

calj737 · « **Reply #82 on:** March 20, 2015, 12:42:13 PM »

I'd say it's an air/fuel issue, not simply a fuel issue. Surging idle (with carbs now fully cleaned and adjusted) might be settled by a vacuum synch. I saw where you torn them all apart and cleaned them fully, so they should now be truly good. By the way, did you replace the brass with original Keihin brass and not junky aftermarket, right?

Double check that at idle, all 4 pipes are equally hot too. (A quick spray mist o water in the headers after about 20-30 seconds is all you need to know). You've double checked for vacuum leaks around the carbs after install? I see a stock airbox, what about the exhaust? Are you running some crazy, short open pipe?

mrfish2 · « **Reply #83 on:** March 20, 2015, 12:53:22 PM »

Yeah my next idea would have been to adjust the air/fuel screw, right now I've got it at 1.25 turns out. I replaced bits and pieces from Napco rebuild kits a while back, specifically all the pilot jets, main jets, and float needles and seats. All of that was due to when i got the bike most of those pieces were missing. I left the original needles and emulsifier tubes alone though, simply hit them with a brass brush and some carb cleaner to make them shine again.

Yes, all four headers are equally hot.

The exhaust is the stock 4 into 4, but it's badly rusted out where the muffler is welded to the header. The baffles are still there, though it's definitely louder than stock.

Edit: I just remembered it's still got the original paper air filter in it, i haven't been able to find a suitable replacement yet.

calj737 · « **Reply #84 on:** March 20, 2015, 01:39:54 PM »

And have you checked for a leak around the carb intakes/manifolds since reinstalling the carbs?

mrfish2 · « **Reply #85 on:** March 20, 2015, 01:47:49 PM »

Yep, no leaks around the boots.

calj737 · « **Reply #86 on:** March 20, 2015, 01:52:10 PM »

Have you pulled a plug since reinstalling the carbs to check their condition?

mrfish2 · « **Reply #87 on:** March 20, 2015, 01:58:38 PM »

All 4 of them look like this, and they were brand new NGK D7EA's when I installed them roughly 20 miles ago.

calj737 · « **Reply #88 on:** March 20, 2015, 02:03:21 PM »

Worth reviewing the attached to help elicit a bit more info on tuning by using your spark plugs as a guide.

http://honda-tech.com/forced-induction-16/%2A%2A%2A-basics-reading-spark-plug%2A%2A%2A-3063102/

mrfish2 · « **Reply #89 on:** March 20, 2015, 02:13:15 PM »

That's some good info, I'll be sure to save that link. Going off of that it seems it's running pretty rich, but does that affect the idle?

seanbarney41 · « **Reply #90 on:** March 20, 2015, 06:28:55 PM »

How long did you let it run before you tried to set the idle speed?

mrfish2 · « **Reply #91 on:** March 24, 2015, 06:09:22 PM »

I let it get good and warm before trying to set the idle screw, but no matter what I did it still wouldn't idle. After it has sat overnight it'll start right up on the first kick, jump up to around 3k rpm and stay there for a few seconds, then drop down and bog out.

If I dropped down a size in pilot jet (from 38 to 35) do yall think it would help any?

Tried to go for a long ride the other day and when we stopped for a break i discovered I had lost about a quart of oil. Figured out it was my head gasket. Guess re-using the old one wasn't such a good idea.

mrfish2 · « **Reply #92 on:** March 29, 2015, 04:11:15 PM »

Replaced the old head gasket this past weekend, thankfully i had one on hand. Hopefully that fixed the oil leak. Now I gotta start doing some plug chops to make sure it's running good.

Stev-o · « **Reply #93 on:** March 29, 2015, 04:55:12 PM »

Did you change the "pucks" too?

mrfish2 · « **Reply #94 on:** March 29, 2015, 05:01:55 PM »

I didn't, should I have? They weren't hard or cracked, and no oil had seeped past them so I figured they were fine to re-use again.

Stev-o · « **Reply #95 on:** March 29, 2015, 05:30:48 PM »

Quote from: mrfish2 on March 29, 2015, 05:01:55 PM

I didn't, should I have? They weren't hard or cracked, and no oil had seeped past them so I figured they were fine to re-use again.

I would have. Do you feel lucky?

mrfish2 · « **Reply #96 on:** March 29, 2015, 05:46:31 PM »

Haha when it comes to this bike I don't feel lucky about anything. I've got final exams coming up in a month then summer break, so I won't put that many miles on it for now. During the summer I guess I'll be replacing those pucks along with upgrading to dual 750 brakes (finally got all the parts together for that).

Stev-o · « **Reply #97 on:** March 29, 2015, 06:37:25 PM »

Well, at least you can pull the head cover while the motor is in the frame if it does require changing them out. Not so on the 750.

mrfish2 · « **Reply #98 on:** June 01, 2015, 12:44:19 PM »

Small update (just to keep my thoughts in order): the bike is still weeping oil out of the head gasket so I'm not sure I got the gasket surfaces clean enough, and I still need to replace those "pucks" with some new ones that aren't as brittle. It's not enough to cause an issue but enough to keep the motor dirty.

It's still running extremely rich and I'm only getting about 20 mpg cruising on the highway. I've finally got a new air filter (Uni foam filter) to put in it and I've also replaced the float seats and float needles about a week ago and reset the float height. Doing that seemed to help with the issue of it flooding out when the petcock is turned on, but one of the floats is still sticking so I ordered another OEM float from Honda just for peace of mind. I've got some Progressive fork springs on their way here too.

I was going over everything I've done to the carbs in the past few months and it occurred to me that I've never checked the needle clip position so that might be the issue of it running so rich now. Gonna pull the rack off this week sometime and make sure the clips are where they should be.

I've decided to hold off on doing the 750 dual disc swap for now because I've still got to get the rotors drilled and surfaced, along with finding all the brake lines and fittings, and I've got to put my money towards buying my grandpa's truck. The truck's 4WD hasn't worked for a long time and needs a couple things, along with a set of tires, but at least I'll finally have the truck that was supposed to be mine with I was 16.

Tews19 · « **Reply #99 on:** June 01, 2015, 02:52:03 PM »

I didn't reread through but have you changed out the head gasket? If not I may have a brand new one laying around. I can look.

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Author Topic: 1976 550K Project (Read 24195 times)