Author Topic: 76 CB550 Cafe build (Read 86424 times)

calj737 · « **Reply #275 on:** August 06, 2018, 07:43:14 AM »

Quote from: tshrey on August 06, 2018, 07:40:20 AM

Yeah, everybody settle down. I'm not complaining about the price, the sticker shock was my own fault.

I didn't interpret your other post as complaining. Nor do I think Mike would.

I know I paid nearly $3k for my head, parts, and some other pieces. But, he did a TON of work on all the pieces and manifolds, etc. Happy to send to him any head as a result since the work is exemplary, and the man's character is exceptional. As I'm sure you also experienced.

tshrey · « **Reply #276 on:** August 06, 2018, 07:54:49 AM »

Quote from: calj737 on August 06, 2018, 06:55:29 AM

Post the list of components you're using, I may already have a color-coded wiring diagram relevant for you. Which gauges, switches, etc. Key switch or M-Lock? That kind of stuff.

Excellent. I have that sheet at home, I'll dig it up and get back to you.

Thanks

tshrey · « **Reply #277 on:** August 14, 2018, 08:20:47 AM »

Bolting the head on now, it has been so long since I took the motor apart I don't remember some of the o-rings. I bought a generic CB550 gasket kit so it came with the o-rings, including many extras. Can anyone tell me if the thick or thin ones go around the oil passages between the cylinder sleeve and the head? They are both the same external diameter, 10mm. Is the other size for the cam chain adjuster?

Kemp · « **Reply #278 on:** August 14, 2018, 10:03:31 AM »

Thick ones!!

tshrey · « **Reply #279 on:** August 14, 2018, 10:07:13 AM »

Thanks. Any idea if the thin is for the cam chain adjuster?

Kemp · « **Reply #280 on:** August 14, 2018, 10:11:14 AM »

Yes, I think I’ve used the thin ones there with no issues

tshrey · « **Reply #281 on:** August 14, 2018, 10:17:48 AM »

Excellent.

Frame is back from powder, going to get the engine in place once I find all the bolts.

[imghttps://i.imgur.com/1hsjann.jpg][/img]

calj737 · « **Reply #282 on:** August 14, 2018, 10:51:55 AM »

Quote from: tshrey on August 14, 2018, 10:17:48 AM

Excellent.

Frame is back from powder, going to get the engine in place once I find all the bolts.

FTFY

Godffery · « **Reply #283 on:** August 14, 2018, 11:20:56 AM »

*LIKE*
Oh wait, that's FaceBook.

tshrey · « **Reply #284 on:** August 16, 2018, 05:29:36 PM »

Assembly is supposed to be the fun, easy part of the build. I have the head on and torqued, cam chain guide and tensioner are in correctly, tensioner bolt is set to make it as loose as possible. Took some real wrestling just to get the cam gear onto the chain. What the hell is the trick to getting the cam in through the gear? There is literally no room. This is a new cam chain.

tshrey · « **Reply #285 on:** August 16, 2018, 05:52:53 PM »

So it just dawned on me I should put the came and gear through the chain first, duh. I took the cam out originally because with it in there I couldn't get the chain on the gear.

tshrey · « **Reply #286 on:** August 16, 2018, 09:22:09 PM »

Took one more crack at it and stopped short before I threw the engine across the garage. I can't get the cam gear to drop low enough to fit the chain up over with the cam in place. This is a 650 cam and I'm using my 550 cam gear - do I need to use a 650 gear? Like maybe the opening in the gear is larger and lets it sit down more? Definitely need to walk away from this for a bit before I retry.

RAFster122s · « **Reply #287 on:** August 16, 2018, 10:30:07 PM »

Are you trying to fit the chain on the 550 cam gear with the cam gear already bolted up? That clearly won't work of course.
Try to get a bright light on the cam chain in the tunnel to ensure it is following the guides and doesn't have a catch shortening the chain. Tensioners are fully backed off and you have rotated the cam gear in the slots with the cam? You are not alone running into trouble. Many do. Sometimes it just takes a lot of patience and repeated attempts until things click and you realize why it was not working.

Ask FunJimmy about his Duc motor rebuild after it did a little melting of the piston. If you have the skills to do Duc service and a mentor you can pick it up and do it, otherwise the beasts can be VERY HIGH MAINTENANCE like some Italian women.
Duc service is often 4 digits and mid 4 digits is not unheard of...just think if you paid a mechanics rates for your rebuild. Quadruple or triple that number for a Duc that has something go wrong.

The cost of motorcycles is always much higher than just buying the bike and gear...insurance and mtce sometimes add up to sizeable annual costs on many bikes, luckily once sorted Hondas are not among that group...

David

calj737 · « **Reply #288 on:** August 17, 2018, 02:07:26 AM »

Slide the cam through the sprocket with the chain already on the sprocket. Then raise the sprocket STRAIGHT up to align the bolt hole to the cam with the cam sitting in the journal. Thread the first bolt. Rotate the chain and cam and repeat.

The trick is the chain must lift vertically while on the sprocket. Any deflection of trying to lift the chain over the sprocket while make it too short. Of course the tensioner needs to be loose. It’s barely long enough, but it does lift just enough this way.

tshrey · « **Reply #289 on:** August 17, 2018, 05:06:04 AM »

That was my first thought Cal. The only way I have enough slop in the chain to get it on the sprocket is if the cam isn't in place. But once the chain is on the sprocket there is no way to slide the cam through, it just sits too low for that to happen.

I'm starting to wonder if there isn't a link binding funny on the lower gear down in the case. I'm going to pull the sprocket and cam out and crank the engine forward and make sure the chain is moving on the primary correctly.

tshrey · « **Reply #290 on:** August 17, 2018, 06:16:38 AM »

Well this is some #$%*. See pic below. I rolled the engine forward a full rotation to make sure nothing is binding and then installed the sprocket on the chain. I measured the diameter of the hole in the sprocket. The centerline of that hole with the chain installed is below the centerline of the cam carriers, so there is no way this is going to work. I'm wondering if I just got a bad cam chain. It isn't original, it is the replacement one that David Silver sells. Anyone happen to know how many links it is supposed to have?

tshrey · « **Reply #291 on:** August 17, 2018, 06:41:00 AM »

Well thanks, youtube. I just watched a video on cylinder/head installation and realized I have the cam guide plastic on the outside of the chain guiding the chain to the inside. This is wrong by 180 degrees and should be inside the chain.

I have already torqued the head nuts down. Do I need a new head gasket if I release the nuts and pull the head off?

RAFster122s · « **Reply #292 on:** August 17, 2018, 07:09:28 AM »

MLS I believe you will be fine since you have not heat cycled it, but Cal will be able to answer for certain. Composite traditional I think you risk leaks trying to do that...
Cal and others following will chime in with the definitive. Having oil pan off can give you more viewing capability? And lighting...

The inexpensive cell or computer horoscope tools come in handy for times like this...

RAFster122s · « **Reply #293 on:** August 17, 2018, 07:12:38 AM »

Quote from: tshrey on August 17, 2018, 06:41:00 AM

Well thanks, youtube. I just watched a video on cylinder/head installation and realized I have the cam guide plastic on the outside of the chain guiding the chain to the inside. This is wrong by 180 degrees and should be inside the chain.

I have already torqued the head nuts down. Do I need a new head gasket if I release the nuts and pull the head off?

Sometimes it is 1 1/2 steps forward and 2 or 3 back when learning...at least you are learning...so don't let it get you down!

tshrey · « **Reply #294 on:** August 17, 2018, 09:56:10 AM »

Next backstep. Unsurprisingly it isn't much of a chore to get the chain on the sprocket and the cam in place when you have the chain guide in the right orientation. But now a new issue, the cam is out of phase of the crank by ~90 degrees.

The manual shows the cam mark pointing right and the nearest lobe pointing up and left but my lobe is down and left. I checked my stock 550 cam and it is the same so I guess it is just a drawing error.

Any ideas?

tshrey · « **Reply #295 on:** August 17, 2018, 10:21:32 AM »

I'm tempted to delete all the posts from today just because of the number of stupid things I've done. It just dawned on me that the sprocket can be oriented in any position AND THEN get the chain on it. I feel so dense. Thank you all for the help.

calj737 · « **Reply #296 on:** August 17, 2018, 12:09:44 PM »

You can re-use the gaskets. In fact, a full re-torque is advantageous before heat cycles.

I was otherwise engaged today since my first post, but when I saw your first reply about “no way...” I knew then you had the tensioner installed wrong. Imagine the smiles here as I read your continued revelations today!

It’s all about learning, Man. Everything you’ve done you’ve done by yourself, for yourself, at no expense but to your humility. Embrace it especially when you “learn” about a mistake before it causes damage. If you aren’t making mistakes, you aren’t learning.

Now, get that ignition timed, valves adjusted, and carbs on!

tshrey · « **Reply #297 on:** August 17, 2018, 12:58:52 PM »

I have to buy an ignition system yet, so that will be a bit. I did pick up CR26's so that is the biggest single expense left on the bike out of the way. I just wanted to get the top buttoned up so I didn't have to work around the frame. Next step is to get a bolt order together to put the engine into the frame, just have to find all the bolt sizes.

I think you said you wound up machining your own bolt for the big one that goes in the back of the engine. Now that I have a lathe I'm going to do that too, just weld a nut on one end and then thread the other.

calj737 · « **Reply #298 on:** August 17, 2018, 02:15:06 PM »

Yep, that’s what I did. Bought the raw stock from McMaster Carr in metric size to save myself huge time for sizing the length. Couple of threads on one end, weld a flange head stainless nut. Fully thread the other end.

You’ll want THIN 308/316 wire to weld the nut with. Up your CFM too. And let it cool afterwards cuz it’s going to be smoking hot! A quick polish up and she will look better than factory. You can even chuck it back into the lathe and face the welded end

tshrey · « **Reply #299 on:** August 24, 2018, 09:09:07 PM »

Pretty stoked, finished buttoning up the motor tonight. Still have to adjust all the tappets, but it is now oil tight so I can lay it on it's side and put it in the frame tomorrow.

Need to make a big order for fasteners but I thought I'd get it in the frame, measure everything once I figure out which bolt goes where and then I can swap them out one at a time when I get them.

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Author Topic: 76 CB550 Cafe build (Read 86424 times)