Topic: My 1974 CB550K -Brie! (First Build)

[igotalotofrice]

Update 11.02.2014

Took the carbs off and started replace the brass with the original.  Tews you were right, needed to the whole carbs off the bike. 

Everything but the mains were good.  Waiting for the OEM Kehin mains to come in the mail. 

All is good but this:

carburetor emulsifiers tube falls out pretty easily, but with the mains, they stay in. 

More to come!

[Edit: I re-linked the video]

[Tews19]

What pic did you post? Not showing up on my end.

[igotalotofrice]

What pic did you post? Not showing up on my end.

Sorry, fixed!

[Tews19]

That is fine that it falls out. The main jet goes on after and holds it in place.

[igotalotofrice]

Update 11.15.2014

Seat pan is at the upholsters!  I did the foam myself, shaped it to roughly what I wanted.  The upholsterer is taking care of the rest.

As for the Carbs....they now have the original stock brass in them and are back on the bike.  Now comes some new issues:
-Carb 3 fuel is coming out from the over flow, gotta re-adjust the floats.
-The bikes runs great......with the choke on.  Without the choke, the bike bogs and struggles.  I have to do some research.

I wanted to install my Dyna-Coils but the bolts holding the OEM coils are seized and will strip if I try to remove them.


BAHHHHH.

[Restoration Fan]

How come you changed out the original brass in the carbs? The "new" brass is kits isn't up to the quality of the original.

Is this true for just ones purchased in rebuild kits or true of all replacement jets?  I know I saw OEM ones listed on JetsRUs and was planning to buy some from there but wanted to solicit opinions before doing so.

[calj737]

Resto Fan - only buy OEM brass for your carbs. Too numerous members have bought aftermarket only to discover they don't fit, are the same shape, and orifices are very different sizes from originals.

Rice - sounds like your carbs aren't clean. Adding choke increases full, if you can't idle without it, you're too lean or fuel starved. The fact that #3 is overflowing could also be an indication that the float needle is clogged on one or more carbs, and preventing the appropriate fuel from entering the carbs. Worth a check on all four.

[igotalotofrice]

How come you changed out the original brass in the carbs? The "new" brass is kits isn't up to the quality of the original.

Is this true for just ones purchased in rebuild kits or true of all replacement jets?  I know I saw OEM ones listed on JetsRUs and was planning to buy some from there but wanted to solicit opinions before doing so.

Yeah, I have hear rumors too, but only to find out first hand that the ones in the rebuild kits sucks.  So far I have had the best results with the original brass in.

As for JetsRUs, they are not OEM, but they are the closest to them.  They claim to use one really good supplier and do not go with the cheapest ones to sell.  Comparing the OEM, rebuild kits, and JetsRUs brass, there is a pretty noticeable difference with the OEM and Rebuild kits.  As with the OEM and JetsRUs mains, I really can't tell the difference side to side. 


Additionally, Does anyone know where I can get OEM Jets, Mains and what not?

[igotalotofrice]

Resto Fan - only buy OEM brass for your carbs. Too numerous members have bought aftermarket only to discover they don't fit, are the same shape, and orifices are very different sizes from originals.

Rice - sounds like your carbs aren't clean. Adding choke increases full, if you can't idle without it, you're too lean or fuel starved. The fact that #3 is overflowing could also be an indication that the float needle is clogged on one or more carbs, and preventing the appropriate fuel from entering the carbs. Worth a check on all four.

Cal, I can ensure you my carbs are very clean.  The bike idles without the choke.  I think it's the floats that needs to be re-adjusted.  The last round of my carb rebuild (when I put the original brass in)  I re-adjusted my floats myself (last 3 times my mechanic buddy did them), and I think I messed it up. 

Thanks for farther confirming it's my floats and not that I have to move up in mains. 

[igotalotofrice]

Update 11.21.2014

I have decided it's too cold to test ride the bike so I am doing maintenance now.

Carburetors:
-Float height adjusted and fixed.
-Put in the original air/fuel mixture screw and spring.
-Benched synced for start up!
-What are your guys thoughts on inline fuel filters, Yay or Nay?  Got some just in case.

Petcock:
-No more leaky petcock!

Coils:
-Replaced the old coils with new Dyna 5ohm coils.
-Need to make spark plug wires, using OEM boots.

Seat:

Went from this:



to this:



Now I have to figure out the whole rear fender and turn/brake light situation along with securing the seat to the frame! 

[Bankerdanny]

Beautiful seat. I want to contradict calj on one point, the choke in not a fuel enrichment device, that is to seay it has no impact on the amount of fuel delivered. The choke does just what it sound like, it chokes off (reduces) air flow, causing the richer mixture you need to start cold.

Fuel leaking from your carb is typically (1) an incorrectly set float (2) a bad float needle and/or seat or (3) a cracked overflow tube.

Did you use the float seat and needle from the carb kit? Similar to the problem with the jets, these parts are often slightly smaller than they should be and so the needles don't seat properly and shut off the fuel flow.

Check for the crack in the overflow first. They can be very hard to spot. You can test them by removing the bowl and filling it will gas or alcohol and checking for a leak.

You can test the float needle by removing the bowl of the carb (it can be done with the carb in place with a 2" long #2 phillips bit and a 1/4 in wrench) and GENTLY pressing the float up with the fuel tap on. If fuel leaks out you know the issue is the needle (and probably the seat if you replaced both). If it doesn't then the problem is the float height.

[igotalotofrice]

@BankerDanny

I rechecked my carbs, it was a float.  Did not check to see if there are any cracks, but I am sure there are none.  If I am wrong, I have spares. 

As for the needles, I put the original back in.  Unfortunately I haven't run the carbs yet. 

I am going back to check my valves, just in case, I think I did them wrong the first time.  Good thing I didn't ride the bike more than 30 miles.