Topic: CB400 Four, version 9.0 for ME I flip for 400 fours

[MoMo]

^^Don't think I'd want to take on a motor that has been sitting outside for years. Kind of what i'm dealing with right now. But thanks for thinking of me...Larry

I don't blame you on that one,it's a shame what this man has done to SO many nice vintage bikes in his yard for Many years;he really ought to Know better,right? working in a MC shop for years 
I feel like someone should care about them.
Larry,the other thing that's possible is maybe he might let me cut a piece out of one of those old crankcases to weld into your engine,you could trim it to fit.. and then enlist the services of a tig welder.

That could be helpful, I could sent some measurements if he agrees...Larry

[grcamna2]

ok,
well I'll stop by there and it will probably be either before this Fri.(I'm having a foot operation on that day) or about a week after.Let me know if that's what you want or are you going w/ another engine from Nils?
I need to hear back from you soon w/ placement on the crankcase(as in a clock face i.e.  '3:30-5:00PM,etc.)and just how deep in you want me to cut;I'll be using a hacksaw..  I just hate to see the classic Japanese bikes this man has sitting there in the weather 

[MoMo]

ok,
well I'll stop by there and it will probably be either before this Fri.(I'm having a foot operation on that day) or about a week after.Let me know if that's what you want or are you going w/ another engine from Nils?
I need to hear back from you soon w/ placement on the crankcase(as in a clock face i.e.  '3:30-5:00PM,etc.)and just how deep in you want me to cut;I'll be using a hacksaw..  I just hate to see the classic Japanese bikes this man has sitting there in the weather 

Left side lower crankcase between 6 and 8 an inch or so deep.  No hurry of course, still undecided on the motor Nils has access to,  thanks Bill....Larry

[MoMo]

bit more cleaning yesterday and today.


 

cheers....Larry

[grcamna2]

ok,
well I'll stop by there and it will probably be either before this Fri.(I'm having a foot operation on that day) or about a week after.Let me know if that's what you want or are you going w/ another engine from Nils?
I need to hear back from you soon w/ placement on the crankcase(as in a clock face i.e.  '3:30-5:00PM,etc.)and just how deep in you want me to cut;I'll be using a hacksaw..  I just hate to see the classic Japanese bikes this man has sitting there in the weather 

Left side lower crankcase between 6 and 8 an inch or so deep.  No hurry of course, still undecided on the motor Nils has access to,  thanks Bill....Larry

Larry,
a couple pics from that side will help,I hope to hear back from you by Thurs. if possible.. and then I'll go over there when you let me know. I'd want to offer that man Bob $20 for the piece.

[MoMo]

Good enough?  and good night, have to be up at 5....Larry

[grcamna2]

ok then.
I'll wait to hear from you by Thurs. if it's a 'go'  The frame looks good.

[MoMo]

ok then.
I'll wait to hear from you by Thurs. if it's a 'go'  The frame looks good.

go ahead Bill if the guy is agreeable to having a motor destroyed.  Let me know where to send money, and thank you....Larry

[calj737]

Not to be cynical but, I see no practical way to weld that case back up. The thickness of the alloy in those areas will make it extremely difficult to weld without distortion. The face of the piece missing (where it meets the stator cover) would likely need to be machined to be dead flush, or you could have misalignment. To weld that up properly, you'd certainly need to split the cases, super clean the cases, then weld. If you're going to that much trouble, replacement cases are a far better option.

Were the cases a super rare Sandcast, I'd say sure, try to fix them. But you'll need an extremely talented welder to make a proper replacement and then some machining behind it to blend it in where it doesn't look like road rash on a supermodel. You might ring up Jim French to get his thoughts?

[grcamna2]

ok then.
I'll wait to hear from you by Thurs. if it's a 'go'  The frame looks good.

go ahead Bill if the guy is agreeable to having a motor destroyed.  Let me know where to send money, and thank you....Larry

Larry,
I'll be sure to grab a much larger piece for you than it looks like from the pics you posted as I did notice there are cracks beyond the piece missing.Do you know what size thread the alt. rotor puller needs to be ? 

[MoMo]

Not to be cynical but, I see no practical way to weld that case back up. The thickness of the alloy in those areas will make it extremely difficult to weld without distortion. The face of the piece missing (where it meets the stator cover) would likely need to be machined to be dead flush, or you could have misalignment. To weld that up properly, you'd certainly need to split the cases, super clean the cases, then weld. If you're going to that much trouble, replacement cases are a far better option.

Were the cases a super rare Sandcast, I'd say sure, try to fix them. But you'll need an extremely talented welder to make a proper replacement and then some machining behind it to blend it in where it doesn't look like road rash on a supermodel. You might ring up Jim French to get his thoughts?

I had a carb fixed by Jim- and was thinking I'd send him a couple photos to get his feedback Cal...Larry

[strynboen]

you can easy weld that engine casting ..most alu boats are 1-2 mm thin/thik..and veldet in full length..just find the right velder..

[calj737]

you can easy weld that engine casting ..most alu boats are 1-2 mm thin/thik..and veldet in full length..just find the right velder..

Welding a raw, new piece of aluminum is a far, far cry from welding a cast piece of alloy of unknown spec that is 40 years old, filled with impurities like oil and grease, and has a machined surface on a radius with a jagged edge. MIG welding with a wire feed gun a sheet of pristine aluminum on a jig fixture is something I can train a monkey to do in about 15'. Apples and Elephants Stryn, Apples and Elephants.

It can be done. I would not undertake it in that area because the welding is only 1/2 of the repair.

See what advice Jim has. I suspect his recommendation will be to swap cases (unless this case is so vey special to you).

[MoMo]

Case isn't special, just that I don't feel like swapping cases.  I am headed to an aluminum fabricator tomorrow. Worst case scenario I have to swap cases, best he's able to do some sort of repair.  Theoretically, I could run the bike as is with duct tape covering the gap to prevent water from entering   ....Larry

[MoMo]

Flipped the bike upside down again to reinstall the center stand.  I've always used the same #3 phillips I've used for 40+ years to install the spring.




Bike on the lift and front end removed,  hard crusted dirt/grease but the races and balls look decent after cleaning.  Not sure if I'm going to go tapered or use a spare set I have. Bronze swing arm bushings ordered(that'll be the first money I've spent other than purchase price.

[MoMo]

Thinking of heading in a different direction. 

Maybe cut off all the tabs and install a rear hump(it'll be hump day everyday ).  Then fabricate a really hard plywood seat with minimal foam(I'm getting a bit soft in my old age so I figure a real hard seat will help tighten up my butt).  Next will be the installation of clubman bars(again, since I'm getting older I think leaning over real far will help to loosen my creaky back).  But.................."if you can't drive with a broken back at least you can polish the fenders".

It goes without saying that I'll most likely have to smash indentations into the front of the tank so the clubman relaxation bars will clear.  Since I'll be indenting the front of the tank I might as well add knee indentations.  Might even find some rubber pads like the old Honda 350's had .


The front fender will have to go,  all the road grime splashing into my face will make me look real tough.


I'll need to add a Sparta Limp Dick taillight(fitting for a man close to 70).

Finally, since I don't have much to do with the rest of my life, I'm going to add PODS, a header and open exhaust.  Trying to tune the carbs properly should occupy most of the time I have left on God's Green Acres.

After all that work is done I should be the coolest guy in Gap and King of the local Starbucks


WHAT DO YOU THINK?

[Stev-o]

DO IT!

[MoMo]

DO IT!

Glad you concur ,  if Granny(the little old lady from Pasadena) was still here I know she'd go along

[grcamna2]

DO IT!

DON'T DO IT !! 

[MoMo]

DO IT!

DON'T DO IT !! 

White Lines  -    Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five

[calj737]

I say do it. Because, if anyone can make it work on a 400, its YOU! With the time left you have, you probably cold untie the Gordian knot of pods and impart that wisdom on for all time's sake. Think of your new avatar: Legacy Larry!!!!

I'll even buy the pods to Kickstart your build 

[zammykoo]

Don't forget to have your name written in script on the tank - maybe even throw in a lightning bolt or two!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[strynboen]

you can easy weld that engine casting ..most alu boats are 1-2 mm thin/thik..and veldet in full length..just find the right velder..

you can easy weld that engine casting ..most alu boats are 1-2 mm thin/thik..and veldet in full length..just find the right velder..

Welding a raw, new piece of aluminum is a far, far cry from welding a cast piece of alloy of unknown spec that is 40 years old, filled with impurities like oil and grease, and has a machined surface on a radius with a jagged edge. MIG welding with a wire feed gun a sheet of pristine aluminum on a jig fixture is something I can train a monkey to do in about 15'. Apples and Elephants Stryn, Apples and Elephants.

It can be done. I would not undertake it in that area because the welding is only 1/2 of the repair.

See what advice Jim has. I suspect his recommendation will be to swap cases (unless this case is so vey special to you).

yes.. not all cast alu can be veldet..some types hold sand..dirt air nothing..and other non velding materials..mixed in the casting
i have working at vestas/nordtank/Siemens windmill fac in denmark for 10 years..so have some ideas of welding..and ve have done a lot of mc engine reparations..so this is a easy job(. easyer then speak English...).and gives Space for somefilling/ bakking at the inside. to give a nice surface grinding at the autside.at it not kritic komponents at the inside..you can use keramic to back up,at the inside..and some gas back.. flov vill make it nice looking..a glass blast vill dry all oil aut..and a after heat vith a gas burner vil sveat it aut,if  some oil have get stuck inside the material..so a ekstra blast vill klean all up

[MoMo]

Dropped the motor off, owner says no problem, as strynboen says it is not in a critical area so I'm quite confident it'll work...Larry

[grcamna2]

Dropped the motor off, owner says no problem, as strynboen says it is not in a critical area so I'm quite confident it'll work...Larry

Will he put a fresh piece of cast aluminum into it ?