Topic: 1973 CB750 Four K3 -- Project "Terry's Fault" -- BUILD RESUMED

[edwardmorris]

Been working on bits here and there as I make time, so not a great deal of progress to report. The parts washer has been busy as I ready engine internals. The trans is cleaned up and put away for now, gear dogs are pretty much toast and will need back-cutting. I have some good new ones but I'm more inclined towards trying the back-cut ones this time, all depends on costs in the end I guess.

The caliper was quite the pain to take apart, right from the get go. Overtightened and fully corroded bolts were stripped at the allen heads, took the cave man approach and undid those. Of the 3 I've worked on so far, this has to be the worst brake fluid crystallization I've seen. Compressed air didn't cut it, so had to resort to the messy and wasteful grease gun approach, made quick work of it after that, and used the excess grease to lube up my trusty bench vise. All cleaned up and a couple cycles in the US cleaner its all shiny new.

Also undid the fully butchered final drive chain oiler screw. Edges were fully rounded off by some hamfist, so I took a file and reshaped it back to a hex, then took it off with a long wrench. I really don't wanna reuse it Frank, please spin me up a new one Switching out the final drive with a single-row bearing one that I got from Bill.

Young oil pump (also from Bill) cleaned up nicely without needing a single screw to be drilled out, thanks to the JIS big boy impact driver The pump is really low miles with pristine impellers and caps, and all the screws are pretty shiny. All the passages cleaned out immaculate. The big pain was getting that pesky oil seal out of the pump body. Last time I had the machine shop do it for me, even though I knew how to get it out. What a difference doing things the second time without being terrified of hurting something Also, I actually got to see the method applied by Ron when he redid Phaedrus' oil pump not too long ago. This one is ready for an Elan super-kit!

The kickstart shaft had some rust on the outside, I was concerned that it may not seal well (actually I'm still thinking about looking for a better one) but it cleaned up well. Need to double check how far in the seal sits and if it will be of any concern.

[edwardmorris]

Well, schit! My PC guy sent me home with the engine covers saying I need to get the chrome off of them first. He's cool with chrome being on steel (fenders and such) but he's convinced that PC won't last on chromed aluminum. All the engine covers except for the clutch cover have chrome on them. Not shown below is the dynamo cover, that was smashed badly and coils were toast. Got a nice replacement from Bill, and guess what? Its chromed! Anyone care to trade? (Ignore the cam chain tensioner cover).

[Restoration Fan]

What are you saying you need, Rafi?  Stator cover?

[edwardmorris]

What are you saying you need, Rafi?  Stator cover?

Have in chrome

Dynamo cover
Valve train cover
Shifter cover
Front sprocket cover
Oil filter cover

Need all the above without chrome, preferably via trade + small $$.

[edwardmorris]

Still need to sort out the engine covers, have a couple leads on individual bits but nothing concrete yet. Busy too, so not much has happened but I did make time last night to make these. I don't have a proper crimping die for this particular size so ended up taking it to a local shop and had them do the final crimp. Turned out ok I guess?

[hotdog]

Still need to sort out the engine covers, have a couple leads on individual bits but nothing concrete yet. Busy too, so not much has happened but I did make time last night to make these. I don't have a proper crimping die for this particular size so ended up taking it to a local shop and had them do the final crimp. Turned out ok I guess?

Exactly what I had the guys do at my last job. One set is on the K2 and a spare set for the next project.

Sent from my HTC_M9u using Tapatalk

[Restoration Fan]

What are you saying you need, Rafi?  Stator cover?

Have in chrome

Dynamo cover
Valve train cover
Shifter cover
Front sprocket cover
Oil filter cover

Need all the above without chrome, preferably via trade + small $$.

Let me see what I can round up for you, Rafi.  I'll get back with you next week after Christmas.  May amount to nothing but I'm pretty sure I can find a couple of those for you.

[seanbarney41]

Rafi, if I already have a chrome clutch cover, an c.f. I think I do, I will trade ya...lets see some more better pics of that valve cover...the valve covers always seem to peel first, if that one is presentable I want it and all the others

[edwardmorris]

@Ron thanks, but I think I may have it all sorted out soon here.
@Sean check PMs.

So still doing the little bits here and there, mostly cleaning out remaining bits. Took a break from that and readied the engine for PC today. Took a while to get rid of the old gasket goop and two kinds of hondabonds on the cases I took them to my local auto shop and blasted out every single nook and cranny for any remaining blast media in the threads and such. Closely going through each bit I noticed that there are a couple missed spots on the cylinders  they're going back to the machine shop tomorrow for the fix.

Anyway, brought everything back home and power washed it, stuck a garden hose through all the oil passages, then a hot water Dawn soap bath and rinse. They look so clean now I had dropped off the frame + bits at the coater's last week and brought home some of their tape for the engine. Ran it by Powderman Marc, glad to know its the good stuff and PM approved  All taped up, will be dropping these off when I go to pick up the frame and stuff. Will get the cylinders taped up soon I hope.

[edwardmorris]

More

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Rafi,
What kind of plastic are you using to mask? Will it hold up to the PC heat?

[GritCity750]

Still need to sort out the engine covers, have a couple leads on individual bits but nothing concrete yet. Busy too, so not much has happened but I did make time last night to make these. I don't have a proper crimping die for this particular size so ended up taking it to a local shop and had them do the final crimp. Turned out ok I guess?

Those hoses look great! Mind if I ask what ID size of hose and brand/type of crimp those are? The local hose shop only seems to have brass crimps, those look WAY better.

[edwardmorris]

Rafi,
What kind of plastic are you using to mask? Will it hold up to the PC heat?

TLDR??    Its a PC tape, came from the PC shop when I dropped of the frame and stuff, checked with Powderman, its good to go. Just called green PC tape I think.

Those hoses look great! Mind if I ask what ID size of hose and brand/type of crimp those are? The local hose shop only seems to have brass crimps, those look WAY better.

I don't remember exactly, I was attempting this months ago, quit after a few setbacks and only now revisited and finished it. Some info here

http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,145140.0.html

While I love McMaster Carr, I like Fittings and Adapters better for this as they have more sizes and types

http://fittingsandadapters.com/ststhofe.html

[edwardmorris]

Reblasted (free), re-psycho-cleaned, all taped up and ready to go. Cleaned out the oil tank as well, not too terrible insides, fogged with some heavy CRC sprays for now. Debating if I should paint it or get it coated too. Thoughts?

[edwardmorris]

Picked up frame + everything, dropped off engine + everything else. One more trip for the engine covers when they get here. Even after significant discounts for having the engine ready for preheat, it still hurts

[Restoration Fan]

LOL, you're a better man than me, Rafi. 
Rattle can VHT Black works fine for me on those parts and is much cheaper. 

Ron

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

PC that bad boy!

[edwardmorris]

LOL, you're a better man than me, Rafi. 
Rattle can VHT Black works fine for me on those parts and is much cheaper. 

Ron

Ha! I've had rather $hitty luck with rattle cans and these parts

http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,126735.msg1555691.html#msg1555691

although I did well with the engine. There is no rattle can that matches the specific powder I'm after anyway. Putting away the K2 for the winter was a ridiculously laborious process with all the cleaning and polishing and whatnot. This time around, I'm after permanent finishes with 0%-1% polished aluminum at best (handlebar levers) and <10% chrome overall. All the rest is powder that needs no work once cured.

[edwardmorris]

Story on how I already have it later, these will be JMR bound next week. Pic 4 is Pic 1 with flash.

[edwardmorris]

So I got a call early today from the PC shop saying they were having trouble getting the bearings out of the Lesters. I drove all the way out there to pick them up, only to find that they were trying to save the bearings ! I said I never asked for that and I'm cool with them being destroyed by side loading, that's what I'm gonna have to do to get them out anyway, only caveman style. The shop had a blind bearing puller which will work better. While I was there, I saw my cases and the cylinders fresh out of the oven cooling off. I asked if I could take them home since I'm already here, that's how I got them so quickly. Bob hadn't gotten around to the head yet because he was going to go grab four new spark plugs before spraying. I had my old ones in the car at the time so I left them there. Hopefully the rest of it all will be home sometime next week. Biggest thing still missing are the covers but Bob assured me there will be no color mismatch if I bring them in separately. Will just have to do one or two more trips I guess.

All pix below are with the flash on, under a bright light. The PC color is called Black Magic which has <5% gloss. Almost no overspray, the very minor spots I noticed wiped clean with some Aircraft Remover paint stripper on a q-tip. Also did that to the upper left side of the mounting bolt hole to ensure electrical contact.

Lower case:

[edwardmorris]

Upper case:

[edwardmorris]

No flash, pic 3 is no light just flash.

[edwardmorris]

I never really removed the crankcase drain caps, figuring I'd get them out after all the blasting and coating was done. BIG MISTAKE. The first fail was that there were no o-rings under the caps! Second one was that since its and aluminum-aluminum contact, I feared the worst thinking they were melded together from the PC cure. The very frist try with a wrench botched the hex head. Used the Batphone and texted a pic. Bill suggested heat gun which I tried but I wondered if it'd work since both will expand together. So I heated up the surrounding area, then thermal shocked the cap by spraying some cold CRC on the underside. Had to resort to vice grip pliers but they came right off after that. Hopefully no more careless mistakes like this anymore.



Also picked up the aluminum side covers that were done and sitting wrapped up at the shop. Love how these turned out! Was thinking about drilling holes for custom logos, but now I'm thinking I'm going to leave them as is.

[Stev-o]

All looks good, Mo!   Where'd you source the aluminum side covers?

I've considered PC'n a tank but obviously couldn't PC the stock covers and wouldn't have a match.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Wow, Rafi, that PC looks incredible.