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

[grcamna2]

I went to a Voc-Tech school(HS)this past Winter and had a pr. of crankcases repaired,the crack was very bad on the bottom of an 82' XL125S dirtbike left case.They heated the parts to 400+ degrees in an oven every time they applied weld to it.
They did a good job on the welding and I was ready to put them to use even though they also welded the edge of the mating surfaces on the vertically split case.. I just found another set of cases identical for an excellent price.
I went to Indiana County Technical not far from here.
Larry,if you have a Voc-Tech not far from you(and if you still have the broken piece)it's worth a try to get the job done.

[MoMo]

I went to a Voc-Tech school(HS)this past Winter and had a pr. of crankcases repaired,the crack was very bad on the bottom of an 82' XL125S dirtbike left case.They heated the parts to 400+ degrees in an oven every time they applied weld to it.
They did a good job on the welding and I was ready to put them to use even though they also welded the edge of the mating surfaces on the vertically split case.. I just found another set of cases identical for an excellent price.
I went to Indiana County Technical not far from here.
Larry,if you have a Voc-Tech not far from you(and if you still have the broken piece)it's worth a try to get the job done.

There is a vo-tech nearby but the piece is missing(probably from several owners past).

[grcamna2]

I went to a Voc-Tech school(HS)this past Winter and had a pr. of crankcases repaired,the crack was very bad on the bottom of an 82' XL125S dirtbike left case.They heated the parts to 400+ degrees in an oven every time they applied weld to it.
They did a good job on the welding and I was ready to put them to use even though they also welded the edge of the mating surfaces on the vertically split case.. I just found another set of cases identical for an excellent price.
I went to Indiana County Technical not far from here.
Larry,if you have a Voc-Tech not far from you(and if you still have the broken piece)it's worth a try to get the job done.

There is a vo-tech nearby but the piece is missing(probably from several owners past).

That's a tough break..

[MoMo]

Decided to switch center stands from the untitled 77 frame to ver. 9 so I flipped both bikes upside down to make access much easier(kind of like working on a bicycle).


Then spent better part of the day cleaning all the crud off the bike, looks a tad more presentable now.



Then went to work in order to use the parts cleaner for the motor.





Cheers...Larry

[grcamna2]

Nice and clean,I like the title change Larry 
Do you think you can find a piece of similarly sized case aluminum to use when you get the case fixed?,that can be an interesting challenge. 

[MoMo]

Nice and clean,I like the title change Larry 
Do you think you can find a piece of similarly sized case aluminum to use when you get the case fixed?,that can be an interesting challenge. 

Nils is checking to see if a spare motor is available.  If not, I think this is salvageable. After all, I have spare sleeves on the way, have 8 more pistons here, I think I've saved the head-will post photos when it is done.  Stanley Cup is on, you a Pens fan?  ...Larry

[Stev-o]

Nice and clean,I like the title change Larry 
Do you think you can find a piece of similarly sized case aluminum to use when you get the case fixed?,that can be an interesting challenge. 

 Stanley Cup is on, you a Pens fan? 

Yes....well more so than SJ.   Looks like we might be going into overtime? (5 min to go)

[MoMo]

Nice and clean,I like the title change Larry 
Do you think you can find a piece of similarly sized case aluminum to use when you get the case fixed?,that can be an interesting challenge. 

 Stanley Cup is on, you a Pens fan? 

Yes....well more so than SJ.   Looks like we might be going into overtime? (5 min to go)

Neither a Shark nor Pens fan(Flyers of course as I've been a lifelong Philly area resident) but I do not like Crosby so I'm rooting for the Sharks.  Should be a real good series...

[Stev-o]

Nice and clean,I like the title change Larry 
Do you think you can find a piece of similarly sized case aluminum to use when you get the case fixed?,that can be an interesting challenge. 

 Stanley Cup is on, you a Pens fan? 

Yes....well more so than SJ.   Looks like we might be going into overtime? (5 min to go)

Edit: Pens win!  I didn't see the entire game but the 3rd period was quite good.

[grcamna2]

I haven't been keeping up w/ the games

[MoMo]

That was a good game, hard to believe the Sharks couldn't score at the end with a 2 man advantage

[RAFster122s]

Sounds like splitting the cases to see if it needs bearings if you fix it would be needed so you can decide if this is just aluminum scrap or a candidate to fix. Granted it probably is better to switch to a different motor. That frame has a dire need of cleaning and stripping and repainting.
Afraid you are upside down on cost to put this one back together.
will it be hard to recoup the costs of parts and some time at the end? Or, is this possibly a bike you might keep?

Could always swap the frame with the low numbers version 8 to have a nicer bike to sell and reassemble vers 8 with this frame to donate or raffle off the less valuable one...

Just some idle musing...
If you do repair the case, then you could probably salvage a piece to fit out of any junk SOHC case and grind/cut to fit, right?

[MoMo]

I have a spare set of cases but do not want to go through the process of determining which bearings to use and then having to purchase them(after all I have been called cheap-but to me it is thrifty).  This frame is a fairly low number too and came out somewhat presentable after cleaning. More pics of the frame to come. 

[grcamna2]

I keep looking around to find a good,friendly motorcycle salvage yard locally.
Larry,I know of a guy who has many different engines/frames(or what's left of them) outside that are wasting away if you like I could give you his contact info.I go over to Twin Lakes Park here around Greensburg often and he's right down the road from the park.He works for A & A Kawasaki,Victory,etc. over in Latrobe on rte. 30 during the day and his name is Bob.I told him I was going to clear out all his 40+ year old vines for him.I spent a few days at it but didn't get any $,just some parts.. I also got myself a bunch of skin irritation from Sumac,Oak,etc. so I've backed-off on the vine removal for now.. He does have a couple CB350F and CB400F engines in the yard sitting.

[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

[grcamna2]

^^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.

[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

[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 ?