Topic: Pulling a cb550 engine and freshening it up.... need help/direction...

[rocs]

Hey guys,

I have a project 76 Cb550 I bought a few about a month or so ago and want to start working on it. It sat for god knows how many years and hasn't ran for a long time from what I was told. I put a new battery on it and new spark plugs and it fired right up.

Now I want to take it al apart and start my first build and figured Id start with the engine. Having basically next to know knowledge on motorcycles since I purchased my first one two months ago (I have 7 now ), What should i do with this engine? Is their a rebuilt kit? Should i just replace the engine gaskets and paint it? Timing chain replacement?

Its there a write up or step by step I can follow along? I basically want to build a bike and have a fresh engine to power it.

Help me please

[rb550four]

How many miles are on the motor? Started right up? how did it run? Interesting. ... What gaskets do you want to replace? are they leaking or just a general" gotta do something and gaskets sound easy"gasket change? When it fired right up did it run right or die?
Have you considered perhaps a carb freshening would be in order if it's been sitting? Maybe a 3000 mile maintainance is all it needs. I would try that and the carbs , points condensers, spark plugs,oil, oil filter, adjust the timing chain and check the valve clearances first and find out what you have before taking a perfectly good engine apart for no reason. That and it will give you a chance to get familiar with the machine before you get in over your head.
  Oh , get a new battery for every old machine you have, don't try to charge up that dead one that came with it. Down load or get a shop manual before anything else happens, read it once, then read it again don't just look at the pictures there's vital information in between that you will have to know and understand.
  And we need pics, gotta have pics, where's the pics.... of all your 550's, I see you have started a herd, let's see what you have.

[goldarrow]

you grew from 0 bikes to 7 bikes in two months?! very impressive   if it starts right up, i would run the life out of it and see if it needs an engine rebuild.   of course, 3k miles service first

[Adam_F]

Ditto what was already said.  If it runs well, there's no sense in rebuilding.  I ended up needing to take apart my top end because of a busted cam chain tensioner.  As mentioned above, do the 3k tune up.  If your tensioner adjusts easily and everything runs well afterwards your good to go!  If you really want to tinker, clean your carbs.... or wait until winter when you won't be wanting to ride the thing.  A rebuild will take a good amount of time and $.  Congrats on the bike!  Is it an F or a K model?

[rocs]

How many miles are on the motor? Started right up? how did it run? Interesting. ... What gaskets do you want to replace? are they leaking or just a general" gotta do something and gaskets sound easy"gasket change? When it fired right up did it run right or die?
Have you considered perhaps a carb freshening would be in order if it's been sitting? Maybe a 3000 mile maintainance is all it needs. I would try that and the carbs , points condensers, spark plugs,oil, oil filter, adjust the timing chain and check the valve clearances first and find out what you have before taking a perfectly good engine apart for no reason. That and it will give you a chance to get familiar with the machine before you get in over your head.
  Oh , get a new battery for every old machine you have, don't try to charge up that dead one that came with it. Down load or get a shop manual before anything else happens, read it once, then read it again don't just look at the pictures there's vital information in between that you will have to know and understand.
  And we need pics, gotta have pics, where's the pics.... of all your 550's, I see you have started a herd, let's see what you have.

Awesome! 3k Service it is. I wanted to paint the engine eventually and wanted to make sure of no leaks. This is why I was pondering a rebuild. Also, to learn along the way would be nice.

[rb550four]

Excellent choice!
So where's the pictures? The other addicts not only want to own as many as possible, they want to see what everyone else has, you know , just in case.

[timmangan]

Screw that advice, pull that thing apart

If nothing else, just to understand whats going on between your legs, Honda speaking.

Or wait a bit... thats cool too, riding is pretty fun i guess, but if you 6 others, have a crack at it.

Whether you do it now or later, this is what i just did to my '75 550:

Honed Cylinders - $40
New Rings - Cant actually remember, dont have receipt on me.
New points / Condensors - $25
CB650 cam - $ 100
New Gaskets - $50
Painted engine - $30
New Plugs (NGK D7EV)
Pod Filters - $10 (Yeah yeah, i know)


It can all be done pretty quick as well, a hard days work will almost have it complete. Apparently i didnt give it a hard days work, too me a bit longer.

But what i did above are options, and you have a rough price guide of what to expect with those ones.

Ripping straight into it may not be necessary, but it is fun and interesting

And where are the pics of thing at anyway?

[73hutch]

if it runs good look for another engine and rebuild it on the side.

[AJK]

rb550four has summed it up. If it runs, then ride it. Obviously adjust tappets, check/clean plugs, change the oil and filter and air filter & give the carbs an overhaul at a minimum. If its your first go, it wont be a day job. You can practice on one of your other 6 motors.