Author Topic: First Bike, First Build, 77 CB550K (Read 6196 times)

eoddom · « **on:** September 30, 2015, 05:00:01 AM »

Hey all, just wanted to document my build progress on this 77 CB550K I picked up this past Sunday (9/27/15). I bought the bike from a fairly eclectic fellow who owns a few buildings full of old SUV's, trucks and boats (and who knows what else) downtown. He says he hadn't ridden the bike since 2003, and it's just been sitting in his building, untouched. I negotiated a price that I felt comfortable with, found a ramp, called in some help and we got it loaded up into the back of my dads Dakota and brought it home. My hopes are that somehow, this comes out cheaper than what I'd spend building my BMW. So far what I've spent on the bike, and parts currently ordered, equal the cost of down pipes and 5" intercooler.

Now a disclaimer; I have never worked on motorcycles. This forum, YouTube and repair manuals will be the lifeblood of this project. I do, however, consider myself relatively mechanically inclined. Hopefully, that will help ease the pain through this lengthy and tedious process.

On to my intentions; My first goal is to hear this bike run. Knowing that I have a running platform will give me confidence and motivation through the rest of this project. I've picked up shells and cars in pieces in the past and 75% of the time, because i never got to hear it run, drive it and become connected with it, they ended up sold before I finished them. Once I hear it run atleast half way decent, the bike will go down to the frame and I'll give attention where it is due (everywhere it seems). Along the way I hope to end up with some kind of cafe/bratstyle/tracker-ish bike. I know the community kind of hates these terms (the forums tell me so) but it's the only way I feel I can explain what I'm after.

So here's how she looked fresh off the truck sitting in my tiny, newly acquired garage.

Cracked open the break fluid res, and looks like im going to need to clean out and flush the entire front breaking system...

Also appears that the tank isn't as rusty as I had expected, but will require some rust removal.

Here's how the bike sits now after a few nights of going in there after work and messing around.

Managed to get the carbs off with ease. Loosened all of the clamps, unbolted the airbox and moved it far enough back to push the tubes going from the carbs back off of them and downward to remove them from the airbox and out of the way. This gave me plenty of room to pull the carbs backwards off of the engine. I used a soft piece of 1X1 pine to help me pry the carbs back after giving them a good wiggle to loosen things up.

I removed one bowl just to get an idea of how it looks inside. Some gummy buildup but not as bad as some of the stuff I've seen on here so far...

So as of now, I'm waiting for gaskets, orings and float needles for the carbs so I can pull them apart and clean them. Also waiting for Points, condensers, plugs, oil filter, new fuelcock, small fuel filter and a points cover gasket so I can give the engine a basic tune up. I'll be going out to pick up some evapo-rust and fresh gas and the hopes are to hear this bad boy run this weekend.

marting100 · « **Reply #1 on:** September 30, 2015, 06:33:01 AM »

Great project! good luck!

FYI, your bike images are linked to you photobucket and your entire photobucket images
are available for us to see.

eoddom · « **Reply #2 on:** September 30, 2015, 07:03:06 AM »

Quote from: marting100 on September 30, 2015, 06:33:01 AM

Great project! good luck!

FYI, your bike images are linked to you photobucket and your entire photobucket images
are available for us to see.

Thanks, and yeah it's cool mostly just pictures of computer projects, car projects and the growing of MMJ.

Disclaimer: Any photos in my photobucket related to growing pot were done so in California, legally.

marting100 · « **Reply #3 on:** September 30, 2015, 10:48:37 AM »

cant wait for it be be legal in Canada

eoddom · « **Reply #4 on:** September 30, 2015, 11:41:13 AM »

Quote from: marting100 on September 30, 2015, 10:48:37 AM

cant wait for it be be legal in Canada

Haha it sure was nice. I'm back on the east coast though. No more exercising my horticultural skills. I sure miss variety.

MickB · « **Reply #5 on:** October 01, 2015, 01:03:15 AM »

Good luck.

Regarding your carbs, the prevailing wisdom of the forum is to use the original Honda brass jets (if still there - Harisluv on the forum can assist) in the carbs as the kits don't match the quality of the originals.

After 2 years on my resto, try and replace parts with genuine Honda, dearer but cheaper in the long run.

eoddom · « **Reply #6 on:** October 01, 2015, 04:11:26 AM »

Alright thanks for the heads up man. I wont be replacing any brass this go around if it all looks good. Just gonna crack these puppies open, give them a good cleaning and replace all the gaskets and orings I can. I have a guy that lives about 15 minutes away who specialized in rebuilding and syncing these old honda carbs, so worse case I can always drop the rack off to him to get supersonic cleaning, brass replaced and bench synced.

eoddom · « **Reply #7 on:** October 01, 2015, 10:14:21 AM »

Welp, my parts showed up a day early. Sometimes USPS doesn't completely fail at everything. And when it does, there's benefits to having a mom who happens to be a carrier at your post office, haha.

If anyone has tips or tricks for cleaning up these PD46A carbs from the 77-78 CB550, I'm alllll ears. Going to get them pulled apart, cleaned and back together and hope they work right.

eoddom · « **Reply #8 on:** October 02, 2015, 02:30:36 PM »

If I leave the carb rack assembled and don't pull the slides, but just give it a good cleaning, clean jets and replace whatever orings I can, will the carb need to be synced again?

eoddom · « **Reply #9 on:** October 06, 2015, 12:38:18 PM »

Just an update (more for myself I guess...), got the carbs put back together last night. Pulled everything from the bowl area and cleaned. Jets for #1 and #2 were completely stopped up and float needle for #1 was stuck shut. Threw the battery on today just to see if everything was getting power. Lights and all work, but when I hit the start button to turn it over, nothing. Not even a click. Looks like I'm going to have to start tracing where im not getting power.

Edit: a few wacks of a screwdriver to solenoid going to the starter and the electric starter works now.

eoddom · « **Reply #10 on:** October 09, 2015, 09:41:07 AM »

Another quick update. Cylinder 2 and 3 are dead. In the process of ordering new plug caps and a spark plug socket to see if this helps. Also ordering a filter and re-installing the factory airbox as per suggested by flybox so i can get it running well before i start changing anything. I'm also going to check timing and clean the points.

I need to address this shotty exhaust.

I also think I may need to replace this old fuse assembly. Almost looks like it's kind of melted....

SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan · « **Reply #11 on:** October 09, 2015, 12:32:40 PM »

You can get a modern blade fuse block for $5-10.

eoddom · « **Reply #12 on:** October 09, 2015, 01:17:47 PM »

I was thinking of supporting the forum members and buying the kit hondaman sells.

mrfish2 · « **Reply #13 on:** October 10, 2015, 01:10:13 PM »

I bought Hondaman's kit for my 550, worth every penny. It's plug and play, takes less than 5 minutes to install.

eoddom · « **Reply #14 on:** October 10, 2015, 02:19:46 PM »

Awesome I'll have to grab one. A little victory for myself today, got the bike firing on all 4. Looks like it was a combination between old plugs and plug caps on 2 and 3. Pulled the plug caps off, cut back some wire and put them back on and running half way decent now.

Edit, spoke to soon. Only running on the cylinders. I'm guessing the plug cap on number 2 is completely shot because the exhaust pipe is still ice cold.

eoddom · « **Reply #15 on:** October 12, 2015, 03:44:58 PM »

Alright, so after playing with the plug caps, she's firing on all 4. As expected, it still runs like crap though since no air filter what so ever, that crappy 4 into 4 exhaust and stock jets in a set of carbs that desperately needs an ultrasonic cleaning.

So, I ended up purchasing a set of cleaned and rebuilt carbs from a member on the forum and ordered a set of new NGK plug caps. The new carbs are already jetted for pod filters and an aftermarket exhaust. So now it's the decision between putting stock 90 main jets back in it and the stock airbox on it, or ordering a set of pod filters and keeping the 115 mains that are currently in the carbs.

Stev-o · « **Reply #16 on:** October 13, 2015, 12:06:29 AM »

These bikes run better with some back pressure from an installed muffler(s)

eoddom · « **Reply #17 on:** October 13, 2015, 12:13:19 AM »

I'm trying to find unique ways of telling my fiance I need an exhaust...lol.

But on a serious note, the Mac 4into1 is one of my next purchases. I hate buying something like that when there are soooo many other things that need to be addressed safety and electrical wise, but due to my lack of any real proper exhaust I gotta throw something on it. My neighbors would probably appreciate it as well.

I hope to have it running half-way properly by the end of the month so I can move forward with ripping the bike apart, rebuilding forks, replacing bushings and bearings, brakes, addressing this wiring harness, atleast new spokes (if not new rims and spokes), tires, etc. Also plan on getting the frame powdercoated, tank painted and some kind of proper seat.

I also grabbed a compression tester from my buddies shop, gonna make sure I've got solid compression across all 4. If anything seems off, will rebuild the motor and replace the clutches while im in there.

The end goal, is to have a very functional, well running and safe bike. If it happens to look cool, that's just a plus.

Stev-o · « **Reply #18 on:** October 13, 2015, 12:19:17 AM »

FYI - automotive compression testers do not always give accurate readings on these motors. Check it with WOT, expect low readings , there surprising ingle should rise after the motor is run for awhile. Most importantly, the trading should be equal all the way across.
I've brought many of these back from the dead, it will run!

eoddom · « **Reply #19 on:** October 13, 2015, 12:22:38 AM »

Alright thanks. So basically I'm just looking for close to the same numbers across the board?

I've literally only once ever had to do a compression test on a motor (MR2 NA) so it's kind of uncharted territory for me.

Stev-o · « **Reply #20 on:** October 13, 2015, 05:54:23 AM »

Quote from: eoddom on October 13, 2015, 12:22:38 AM

Alright thanks. So basically I'm just looking for close to the same numbers across the board?

Yes. As long as you get readings of at least 100 (hopefully higher), you should be fine.

calj737 · « **Reply #21 on:** October 13, 2015, 08:56:25 AM »

Quote from: Stev-o on October 13, 2015, 05:54:23 AM

Yes. As long as you get readings of at least 100 (hopefully higher), you should be fine.

You may not get those numbers with an automotive type tool. The length of the hose effects readings, the type of fitting, and the duration of the motor having sat all influences the readings. You won't really know the true compression readings until the bike has run fully hot and cold a few cycles. Then use a motorcycle type tool to get your best results.

Its true though that you should still get comparable numbers between the cylinders with any tool, though the accurate reading may be well off.

eoddom · « **Reply #22 on:** October 13, 2015, 08:59:31 AM »

Thanks guys. For now I'm just trying to rule out any dead cylinders being caused by any mechanical issues. Pretty sure 99% of my problems were the old plug caps combined with the carbs needing to be cleaned again. I gave them a decent cleaning last week but when I pulled them yesterday and drained the fuel out of them, all sorts of nasty black crap came out of them again. Wouldn't be surprised if a few of the jets are stopped up again.

Stev-o · « **Reply #23 on:** October 13, 2015, 06:41:55 PM »

Buy a new battery too

eoddom · « **Reply #24 on:** October 13, 2015, 07:23:15 PM »

I bought a cheap one that seems to be working for now. I keep a tender on it when I'm not turning the bike over. Haven't been able to run the bike long enough to see if the charging system works or not.

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Author Topic: First Bike, First Build, 77 CB550K (Read 6196 times)