Topic: From Sh*tty to Shiny: Sbeckman7's CB350F Cafe Resto

[zammykoo]

Ah, that pesky #4! Just curious, what are you using to compress your rings?

[sbeckman7]

Ah, that pesky #4! Just curious, what are you using to compress your rings?

My hands.  Squeezing them with my fingers while I tap the cylinder block down over each piston, going side to side.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Some people use metal screw-tightened bands or other methods.

There's actually a tool made specifically for it, but not necessary to get it done:  http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/322075235169?lpid=82&chn=ps&ul_noapp=true

[zammykoo]

Yeah, I've seen people use hose clamps and line the inner part with a strip of thin aluminum sheet (with deburred edges) to help slip them in. I think they cut up and repurposed an old license plate 

[grcamna2]

Those one-piece oli rings are weak/brittle as can be anyway;I like the 3-piece oil control rings myself.

[sbeckman7]

I know the tools, just too stubborn to buy one.  Well, look where it got me 

grcamna2, I prefer the 3 piece rings as well but couldn't find any for these tiny pistons!

[MoMo]

agree on the 3 piece as opposed to one.  I broke a single oil ring whilst installing the cylinder onto a 90cc. It was a hecho en china special...Larry

[sbeckman7]

Another annoying update.. I was ready to finish up the engine yesterday and button it all up when I couldn't find 2 of the brass washers required by the head studs!  I will check if a local hardware store has these but as they are somewhat specialized I can see having to order them online as a real possibility    So yesterday became a day to work on my car instead.  If anyone has some of these washers laying around they wouldn't mind shipping on my dime please let me know!

[zammykoo]

Another annoying update.. I was ready to finish up the engine yesterday and button it all up when I couldn't find 2 of the brass washers required by the head studs!  I will check if a local hardware store has these but as they are somewhat specialized I can see having to order them online as a real possibility    So yesterday became a day to work on my car instead.  If anyone has some of these washers laying around they wouldn't mind shipping on my dime please let me know!

Are you refering to part #90441-422-000? You should be able to find it at the hardware store, if not try auto parts store.

If you're not finding any luck, I'm planning to make a trip out to the next town this weekend to pick up some spare parts from a guy that rebuilt a couple cb350f's. I'll keep an eye out for that for ya!

[sbeckman7]

Are you refering to part #90441-422-000? You should be able to find it at the hardware store, if not try auto parts store.

If you're not finding any luck, I'm planning to make a trip out to the next town this weekend to pick up some spare parts from a guy that rebuilt a couple cb350f's. I'll keep an eye out for that for ya!

That's the one!  I'll let you know when I get back from the shops today, thanks for the thought!

[MoMo]

I have a couple extra, I can slip two into an envelope and send your way if necessary...Larry

[sbeckman7]

Larry to the rescue!    Today seems like the day to start tearing apart my old wheels.. Let's see how that goes!

[sbeckman7]

A sincere and heartfelt thanks to MoMo (Larry) for sending me the last two washers needed to button up the top end of my refreshed motor.  That's the kind of action that takes this website from being a forum to a community, and I hope I can pass the favor on one day to another member in need.  With that said, I've just finished torquing the head studs down to 15 lb-ft and will check them again in a few minutes   Good thing I took pictures when I took it apart or I would not have guessed that the longer double-threaded nuts go where they do!

[MoMo]

Thanks for the kudos guys.  It has taken me quite a few years to learn that "it is better to give than receive"...Larry

[sbeckman7]

You need to wait longer than a few minutes. More like overnight. Then release all the stud nuts, then re-torque to final spec.

MoMo is top shelf!

Cal, you're saying to keep everything torqued down overnight, then release and do it all over again tomorrow?  Does this apply for used head studs as well or just new ones?

While I'm here, I'm having a very difficult time getting the cam back in with the sprocket and timing chain...  Seems like there is not enough slack in the chain!  My method is to put the sprocket on the chain and then slide the camshaft in, but I can't get past the lobes on cylinder 2 as the thicker flange of the cam hits the head and won't budge.  What am I doing wrong?

[MoMo]

Chain off sprocket, sprocket and cam in place and then slip chain into place...Larry

[Bootsey]

If they are the same sort of sprocket setup to the 550's, there is a great post in the FAQ's on how to fit the camshaft and sprocket. Reply #7.

http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,369.0.html

[sbeckman7]

If they are the same sort of sprocket setup to the 550's, there is a great post in the FAQ's on how to fit the camshaft and sprocket. Reply #7.

http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,369.0.html

Thanks for the great link Bootsey, wish I had seen that 10 minutes earlier    It's finally back on but put a little gouge in one of the head nuts and side of the head.  Finally got it into place with a loud snap and accompanying "smoke" which was probably oil.  Scared me though, I rolled the assembly a few times to make sure no teeth had broken off!!  I will happily not do that again. 

[sbeckman7]

Regarding the torque process, you understand correctly. It's not just the studs that stretch, but the head gasket and base gasket compress. Once they fully compress, the nuts may lose their tension. So best to undo all of them, then step back thru yur torque sequence to insure they're properly torqued.

Undo them in reverse to how you torqued them.

Got it.  Why undo all of them first?  Why not just re torque in the morning?

[sbeckman7]

Well the cylinders are back on...  But I encountered a crazy amount of stripped screws when reinstalling the valve cover    There must have been 5  or 6 that wouldn't torque down to the specified 5-7 lb. ft and three of those remain hand loose (the others I at least couldn't turn with a screw driver socket).  One of them had no threads at all and looked like it had been drilled out... Pretty upset about that but I am hoping by some miracle they don't leak oil, as optimistic as that may be.  Not placing any bets especially as the stripped bolts are on the downward end of the head... 

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Hoping it will not leak without repairing/rethreading those holes will be shorthand for leaking oil all over the front of the motor, onto the exhaust headers, all over your legs and possibly worse (onto your back tire).  Fix it now and get peace of mind.

[sbeckman7]

Alright... Time to thread 

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Alright... Time to thread 

Good decision. Then you can remove the "glutton for punishment" title from your profile! 

[sbeckman7]

Good decision. Then you can remove the "glutton for punishment" title from your profile! 

Things like this are the exact reason I have to keep that descriptor! 

[sbeckman7]

Finally got some time to work on the 350F again. This evening I removed the bottom race from the triple tree, cleaning the triples up as best I could in the process.  I also finally managed to get the fork disassembled and found a looot of nasty surface rust.  Wire wheeled it for now, will be covered with rubber gaiters when the bike goes back together I think.  Lastly, I cut the hubs out of the original rims.  The hubs will have to be completely torn apart next, so thats what I'll be starting tomorrow hopefully.  I will also order the helicoils to get the valve cover properly installed.