Topic: petcock open but no fuel flow?

[DaveBarbier]

alright, i was planning on getting a rebuild kit off ebay and redoing the carbs anyway so i guess thats my next project. thanks for the help. ill update when i get it done.

Sounds good. Make sure to pull the jets and make sure all holes are free. I don't know your carbs as much as other pros here but I assume your emulsion tubes have a few tiny holes. Make sure you get those clean. And when installing the emulsion tube back in, don't over tighten it because it deforms easier than you'd think.

And change that oil.


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1978 Honda CB550K

[havokhaven13]

Sorry I haven't posted in a while but I took the carb off and cleaned inside the bowl. I found out the seat for the main jets was corroded and they didn't get a good seal so I got some clear silicone. Let it cure for a while and siliconed where all the gaskets were to get good seals. It starts right up almost every time and has a quick throttle response now. Idles better than ever and sounds a lot better. Still leaks gas out the over flow now so I think a float is getting stuck. But thanks for the help fellas. Real lifesaver as I can ride again now and give this bike to my dad for Christmas.

[strynboen]

silocone in kaburettors are no go...are yoy glad for you farther??

[DaveBarbier]

Yeah, gasoline will break down silicone and turn it to goo. I'd be hesitant to use anything like that in a carb but if you are going to you should probably use a fuel resistant kind by Permatex or something. What did you use exactly? I did do some tests with the yellow gasoline teflon tape this summer. Left it in three containers for a few days to see breakdown tendencies. Carb cleaner, gasoline and carb and gasoline mix. It was fine after the few days. No change and it dried out fine too. That could be an option for your jets but really, new jets and emulsion tubes are the right way to go and really aren't expensive.

How mechanically inclined is your father? I don't want to tell you what to do on that front but if it were me I'd only give my father a bike if it works well I.E. doesn't leak or have the potential to fill the crank case with fuel and thin out the oil and have the engine seize, OR I'd give it to him saying "Here is a bike that we are both going to work on which I wouldn't recommend riding yet."

The leaking needle seats shouldn't be too difficult to fix given it can save the the engine  of a seizure or hydrolock if it was accidentally left leaking.

My 2¢.


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1978 Honda CB550K

[flybox1]

silicon?!?! 
nice xmas gift....he'll be giving it back to you in a month or so...because the carbs leak again, but i'm sure you knew that 

[havokhaven13]

I know it's still going to take some work but we are both working on it and have decided to go ahead and get a new set of carbs. He had the same bike in college in England so he does know a few things about it he says. He is over joyed with it. I'm now working on a cb900 custom for myself and was wondering if there was a forum for those bikes? Or where I could get a new rear brake master cylinder.

[DaveBarbier]

If the carb bodies aren't damaged you don't need "new" carbs. If you just have leaking problems then it's a drastic move to get a different set. I don't think it's even possible to get a NEW rack of these carbs. Anything you get will, at best, be a rebuilt old set. (Someone with more knowledge can chime in to confirm or deny the validity of that claim). If you don't want to rebuild them yourselves I strongly recommend just sending the rack to a member on the forums here named Harrisuluv. He's a pro. Everyone I've seen is extremely happy with his work. Might be worth shooting him a PM.

Just...whatever you do, DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT use MotorcycleCarburetorRebuild.com. That guy is a hack on his best day.


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1978 Honda CB550K

[havokhaven13]

thanks for the input dave, ill give him a shout and see what he says. im hoping I can find a replacement for my brakes on this 900. I call ozpowersports.com and a master cylinder is $300? I don't have that money lol

[DaveBarbier]

If it's just leaky they can usually also be rebuilt. Most times with leaking things it's the rubber components that get either worn from over use or dry and cracked from non-use and sitting without fluid. Cleaning it out and getting new rubber parts is often all it takes to give it a new life. You could look into a rebuild kit if they're available. But on this forum there's a section for other non SOHC4 bikes. Might be worth posting in there.

Hope that helps, good luck.


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1978 Honda CB550K

[havokhaven13]

It does help and it doesn't lol. I got a rebuild kit but I can't get the piston out to put the new stuff in. It's seized up so bad it's stuck

[TheAccused]

With regard to Barbier's one-side character assassination where TheAccused wasn't even given the courtesy of responding to the ALLEGED mistreatment(s), I just happened to find this garbage and am going to make myself heard.  Thanks.

See my response at:  http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,141010.0.html