Topic: 1974 cb750 fun "Spruce Goose" (STEP 2: frame/suspension)

[edwardmorris]

......Also on the topic of the primary sprocket, Hondaman pointed out that damage would inevitably occur to the transmission from the small knicks so i will order a new assay.

I figured as much, just wanted someone with more than 1 engine of experience to confirm  . Reach out to Bill Benton, he ought to have a replacement from a low miler laying around somewhere at Bill Benton's House of Honda Funland

[mashfu]

Good catch though! I ordered a set that looks fairly decent, but we will see when it comes; extra just means i can use it on the next project or a keychain .

[mashfu]

Today i plan to install the new guides that i got from cyclex, my uncle suggested that i pick up some dry ice to cool them down before i place them into the head. After installation Mike Rieck says the guides need to be honed for proper fitment so i will need to order a tool for that.
Grabbed the final drive out of my pile of parts and will begin soaking them aswell while i go pick up some dry ice. The next few weeks will be picking up orings and dowells and cleaning/plating bolts.

[edwardmorris]

I forget, did you get Mark's book? If you have the old guides out and aren't sending the head out to JMR/Mark, I highly recommend getting some port clean up done. Remember though, that it is VERY easy to screw up here, go slow and follow the incredibly detailed step by step in Mark's book.

[mashfu]

I did get a copy of Mark's book, have gone through it and now that you mention it will probably go over that section one more time. Its been an invaluable guide!

[mashfu]

Removed most of the carbon build up in the exhaust ports to get rid of the debris i am going to rinse in the dish washer and while its nice and warm i will insert guides.

[mashfu]

Well i installed all four exhaust guides! Woooo but lost 3 guides along the way....
Tried 3 drivers all too small which broke the guides, so out of desperation i used a socket to cup the end of the guide and it worked...  Time to ask cyclex if they sell individual guides! If not i will just buy another set and have 5 extra! Unless someone is in need of a few 

[Restoration Fan]

Mash, in those exhaust ports...that copper color you see?  That's the copper exhaust gaskets.  They used to be round (and need to be again) but they get pressed flat as the pipes are torqued down onto them.

Take a thin, flat blade screwdriver and stick it down there and you will be able to easily pry those out.  They're about 1 or 2 mm thick...try prying down from about that distance.

You need to get replacement ones to replace those.
Here's a set on eBay to show you what they should look like:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/4-NEW-COPPER-EXHAUST-GASKETS-SET-HONDA-CB-750-/181937317210?hash=item2a5c4f255a:g:UVkAAMXQxKxSASca&vxp=mtr

Ron

[mashfu]

Thanks Ron, i was having a go at them earlier with some picks but couldnt get enough leverage to get em out. Ill give it a go with the thin flat blade! I believe there are some gaskets in the yamiya kit that i got.

[Restoration Fan]

Quite possibly.  Mine came in my replacement gasket kit, too although we didn't use the Yamiya kit. 

[mashfu]

Worked like a charm! All four out, and i see four (in a little better shape) in the kit 

[Restoration Fan]

Worked like a charm! All four out, and i see four (in a little better shape) in the kit 

Outstanding.  Really enjoying your build!  Keep up the great work, man!

[mashfu]

Thanks, wish i had as many as you do under my belt! Having a blast, a little frustrated at times but love it!

[Restoration Fan]

Me?  I'm a newb.  This time last year, Logan and I were sweating through the build of Stella for his high school senior project. 
Of course, since that time, I've helped Bill Benton on a couple of his, as well as Mark52 to get his running.  And I've been working on this 500 and just getting started with the 550 as well.  But I'm an absolute rookie comparative to some of these guys around here.

But you have what it takes:  motivation, work effort and desire to ride.  Looking forward to seeing yours out on the road.  Because I have to admit that this past year was an absolute blast riding Stella. 

[mashfu]

Well, got as much done that i could by hand on the head. Left the intake chambers alone since they looked pretty clean already. Only thing left to do is take them to the car wash and pressure wash the insides out. The dish washer did a decent job on the brunt of it, but there still is some more dirt on the inside. Got off the majority of the gasket from the deck and double checked with a straight edge and feeler gauge.

[mashfu]

Still jealous hahaha. All your projects just look super fun and i havent even gotten past the engine yet! Its true, compared to some of the guys on here who have many many builds under them, we are rookies but youve finished an entire project and have more going on! Thats what is awesome about you and everyone on here. And i can attest to this, i already feel its never just going to be one!

[mashfu]

Over the weekend, i picked up an extra head for the 750. Not sure there is much difference (the combustion chambers seem to be a little different) between the two only the fact that the original head i have is an f0 and the one i got i believe is a k4. My hope is to experiment on one and use the other. Dissasembled the head in about 5 minutes as compared to the hours it took me the first try since i actully knew what i was doing this time... From what ive been reading, i could swap the k head onto the f bottom and get some more compression but will it be a significant change? Every swap ive read had been for the later f so im not expecting much. What will definitely happen though is f cam is going in the k head if i do swap.
With this being done is it recommended to also swap rockers or keep the og?
Cleaner head(f0)
Dirtier head(k4ork5?)
I guess the real question is which head should i play around with?

[mashfu]

Got some playtime in!

[BPellerine]

try to keep the camtowers and rockers together with the cam you will use,they have worn in together,billp

[mashfu]

try to keep the camtowers and rockers together with the cam you will use,they have worn in together,billp

As i suspected, wasn't sure if the towers/rockers stayed or not. Thanks bill

[mashfu]

Got a second pair of keihin 657a carbs, missing just about everything. I kept all of the parts from the 657b and plan to transplant those. From a post i saw, Hondaman said that the 657a and b are pretty much interchangeable they just got some minor exterior changes. Found a reasonable set for the right price because one of the float pillars on the 657b broke and tig cost just about the same as what i paid for this set. I will definitely be sending the broken body to jim french, but not quite yet!

[mashfu]

Got up close and personal with the chamber and see some pitting on the seats, will be ordering some tools from neway to cut the 3 faces once new guiides get in. Glad i have an extra head!

[BPellerine]

not cheaper at a machine shop?cutters are exp.bill

[mashfu]

not cheaper at a machine shop?cutters are exp.bill

It most likely would be cheaper but i will be having some extra time so figured what the heck.

[mashfu]

Thought i would be having some extra time to work on the project but that ended up not happening... Got even busier with work... While ordering parts i overlooked the chains so when i sat down to start assembling the engine back together i had to stop. Went through the fiche one last time before reordering all the necessary parts so hopefully sometime in next few weeks the engine will be back together!
I decided i might as well refurbish the points and advancer. New condensers and a slight cleaning/greasing now allows the advancer to rotate freely!