Topic: Hey everyone, Hondamatic noob here!

[ebrown0104]

Hello, figured I'd stop in and say hi, I just bought a 78 A model and I've begun working on it today.  I work at a Harley dealership and a guy traded it in so I was able to snatch it up for pretty cheap.  It looks to be all there, the only thing I've noticed that's missing is the parking brake cable.  Anyway, here's some pictures:











Took the carbs off to clean them out:


I think the valve cover gasket is leaking, so I'm gonna fix that while everything's out of the way, too.  I haven't decided if I want to change carbs out for the K model versions or not.  Part of me wants to keep it stock, get it running right, and sell it cheap (I already have two other bikes), and the other part wants to tweak it a little bit (carbs, 4-1 exhaust, cafe seat) and ride it for a while.  I dunno yet.

So I guess I can ask if anyone has a cheap set of carbs, 4-1 exhaust, parking brake cable, or cafe type seat setup.  I'm kind of looking.

I guess I can also ask, if anyone is looking to buy that backrest/luggage rack or windshield, I will gladly sell it to you for a very good price

[raymond10078]

That is a nice looking bike!

76 seat - but I personally prefer how they look.

How many miles?

I would drop the pan and make sure the oil pickup screen is clean.  It is a 6,000 mile maintenance item that is often overlooked.

Otherwise - sending you a PM about parts.

[dave the welder]

how much for the windshield shipped to michigan???zip is 48051 thanks

[ebrown0104]

25,xxx miles on it.  Got it idling this morning - cleaned the carbs out, put in new plugs and fresh gas.  I do plan on doing an oil change, so I'll pull the pan then and clean it all out.  I also might remove the engine covers and polish them, we'll see how ambitious I'm feeling.  I also removed the backrest/rack and rear fender - it looks like the bike is half the size now.

kandrtech - I haven't received any PMs, maybe something is messed up on my end?

Dave the welder - I checked shipping and it's going to be around $15.  If you want it, send me $25 to cover Paypal and packing stuff and you can have it.  Let me know.

I do have a few questions about the bike... Does the torque convertor usually rattle while idling?  I have a Ducati Monster so I'm used to loud rattling transmission parts, but just want to make sure it's not a problem.  Also, when you switch carbs I'm assuming you lose the high idle setup, so would I just unplug everything and leave it off the bike?  And finally, the thing in this picture:



... is this a breather setup?  So I could just put a filter of some sort on the valve cover nipple if I would run pod filters?

Once again, thanks everyone!

[raymond10078]

Lower engine rattle is almost always one of two things: idle speed way low and/or carbs need synched.  Normally, there is no rattle.

Rather than send a pm, I sent an email.

Yes, a filter in lieu of the breather/oil separator can be used, just may end up with oil vapor/residue where you dont want it.

Yes, when going to round top carbs, you lose the idle control.  I've personally been tempted to take a A carb set, and try to marry the idle control parts onto a 77/78 keyhole carb set.  Still thinking about it.  I just have a nagging part of me that just wants to try it - since I've never heard it being done before.  Nice to be the first to try - and spread the knowledge. 

[dave the welder]

EBROWN send me your address to use paypal and we will take it from there

[salukispeed]

PM sent

[ebrown0104]

OK, so I've been screwing with the carbs for a while now and they've been screwing me back.  I cleaned them out, put them back on, and it idled fine for one day.  The next time I started it, it wouldn't idle at all unless the choke was nearly completely on.  So I took them back apart again and cleaned them again, and that fixed it up - it idles fine.  It would now bog down and stall if you rolled on the throttle any more than just touching it.  Checked the accelerator pump and the bowl was empty - somehow the hole in the diaphragm that allows gas to drain down was completely sealed shut.  Drilled that out and now it works fine.  But, it's still bogging down just a tiny bit if you roll on it fairly quick from idle.  It hesitates for just a second in 1st gear (and then takes off strong) and will hardly accelerate in 2nd gear.  I have the mixture screws at 2-1/2 turns out.  I synched the carbs and I've also turned the points from full advance to full retard and that doesn't really change anything, though it seems best somewhere in the middle.

Any advice as to what to do next?  I'm so close to getting it perfect!  Thanks for any help.

I also pulled the valve cover, adjusted the valves, and then re-installed the cover using the original gasket and some Hondabond, so no more leaks!

Also, I've been working on a fiberglass seat pan.  The original one is just so big and doesn't really seem to fit on the bike that well.  Plus the only fiberglass work I've ever done was building a sub box into the spare tire in my S10 Blazer, so I wanted some more practice.  Here's after two layers:

[Yoshimatic]

Hi, if you decide to get the 4into1 exhaust I will buy your old pipes if you want to sell them?
Thanks,
Mick

P.S. I think the mixture screws should be around 1 1/2 turns out.

[POPS 911]

Yamaha XJ750R SECA carbs and the F-BOOTS, KN filters , and good luck trying to find a 4-1 set up for a 1978 Hondamatic and good luck finding valves for the 78's as they are different then the 76-77 model.  I got 5 - 1978's  2-1976's and extra motors for all.

[MarshallCS]

Hello, figured I'd stop in and say hi, I just bought a 78 A model and I've begun working on it today.  I work at a Harley dealership and a guy traded it in so I was able to snatch it up for pretty cheap.  It looks to be all there, the only thing I've noticed that's missing is the parking brake cable.  Anyway, here's some pictures:











Took the carbs off to clean them out:


I think the valve cover gasket is leaking, so I'm gonna fix that while everything's out of the way, too.  I haven't decided if I want to change carbs out for the K model versions or not.  Part of me wants to keep it stock, get it running right, and sell it cheap (I already have two other bikes), and the other part wants to tweak it a little bit (carbs, 4-1 exhaust, cafe seat) and ride it for a while.  I dunno yet.

So I guess I can ask if anyone has a cheap set of carbs, 4-1 exhaust, parking brake cable, or cafe type seat setup.  I'm kind of looking.

I guess I can also ask, if anyone is looking to buy that backrest/luggage rack or windshield, I will gladly sell it to you for a very good price

I am very interested in that backrest and luggage rack. PM me your price and I can pp you!

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