Topic: The Lost Socket Garage

[Gurp]

Nerve racking...
300 bones plus shipping...
Thats like a whole 5 day paycheck.

[Scott S]

 It is a lot of money, but I got the bike cheap. Going by what SR500's are selling for these days, I'm still not upside down on it.

[Scott S]

Well, I've put about 5 miles on her riding around the neighborhood. When she runs, she runs great. Falls into a nice idle (~1100 RPM), pulls pretty clean. Seems to really kick in over 3K RPM, probably when the pumper carb gives it a little extra juice. No real popping or backfiring anywhere; just a minor "chuff, chuff" on decel. Might just be the nature of the exhaust. The plug looks darn near perfect.

But HOLY HELL can she be a #$%* to get started!! I kicked until I thought I was gonna pass out this afternoon.

I have the mixture screw set between 1.5 and 1.75 turns out (TM36-68 pumper carb). I started at 1.75 turns and went out, but that made the idle sluggish. Going in towards 1.5 turns cleaned up the idle and maybe helped with the "chuff, chuff" on decel.

When I installed the stator, I just set it in the center of the slots on the backing plate. Is there such a thing as "setting timing" on the CDI model? Maybe adjusting the stator position would help starting?
I've read where people with new coil, CDI and stator experience 1-2 kick starting. Something is obviously not quite dialed in on mine just yet. What would you check next?

I base lined the carb slide per some instructions member ASE-79 gave me. I did experiment with the idle screw (slide position) and, to be honest, I'm not sure where it is at now. You can't really bottom it out and start over without seeing the slide. But the fact that it idles darn near perfect when running makes me think it's OK.

[Scott S]

And since everybody likes pics:

[jgger]

My old 2 stroke diet (DIRT gotta love auto correct!) bike had a magneto ignition similar to what you have. Timing was set with a dial indicator in the plug hole( probably not on a 4 stroke). Then there was a hole in the flywheel and the coil, insert a pin and it aligned everything. Might have a similar step for your set up.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

It's amazing how long that bike has been in production (in various evolutions).

[Scott S]

Well, that might have something to do with it.



 Let me get a new plug and see how it acts.

[jgger]

A little super glue and some shrink wrap and you should be good to go. 👍

[Fezzler]

Good looking ride. 

[Scott S]

 Just because.

[Scott S]

 Took the Glutton out for a ride yesterday. Stopped by the dealership and saw the new Super Cub, Monkey and Grom. I like the Cub, but I could build one for half the price. The Suzuki Van Van was cool. The Kawasaki W800 Cafe was pretty but the seat felt like a brick (they had two vesrions, identical except one was lowered). The new Z900 was nice.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

The Z900RS is a great bike, but I bet you got some gawkers out looking at the Glutton! 

[Scott S]

 Kinda on hold on projects right now so I pulled out this 550 engine for a quick clean up and de-greasing.
 This one is a '78 550K engine, so it has the upgraded rocker cover. It was a freebie, given to me after a friend finished his 550 project. I've had it for a little while now and have been collecting parts for the bike it's going in. Then I got the 550F from CalJ and went to work on that one instead.



 I was gonna just clean it up and tune it up and use it as-is, but then I saw this...



 Two broken exhaust studs and a bad attempt at drilling them out. Luckily, I have a nice, complete '77 head out back. I also have a head gasket, pucks and 7 valve stem seals....doh!
 Ordered ONE valve stem seal from eBay yesterday. I'll clean up the head, lap the valves, install new seals and then just swap the heads. Maybe not easier than paying a shop to repair the stud holes, but certainly cheaper.

[Scott S]

 Cleaned up OK, I think. I also have a full set of polished covers that Chewbaca5000 did for me a while back, when he had the members special going on.

[Scott S]

 Got the wheels trued and the Avon Roadriders mounted. That allowed me to get the chain on and adjusted, as well as the brakes on both ends.

[Scott S]

 I love the way the front end looks. I'm especially proud of the fender/fork brace.
 

[Scott S]

 I also swapped to some lower Super Bike bars, trying to get the wiring harness from the controls to fit where they're supposed to fit.

 And for whatever reason, the muffler hanger/center stand stop I was using is now too close to the swing arm. I think it's because of the taller tires. I have the correct brackets on order from Delkevic (I was attempting to use the stock 550F muffler hanger/stop).

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

I'm digging the street tracker look of this bike.  Are you staying all black on the bodywork or adding any contrast features?

[Scott S]

 There will be some contrast features.

[Scott S]

 Got the wiring sorted out today. All that's left is to tidy it up a bit. I can do everything back to the tail light/rear turns. I'll do those once the seat is painted and it's installed for good (the wires for the tail/brake attach to the seat frame.

 I now have spark and all lights work as they should!




 Since the wires on the aftermarket controls were a little short (only on LH control, really), I notched the front of the junction box and ran the wires in from the front instead of the top.
 It all fits and I can go lock to lock on the bars without pulling them too tight or disturbing the connections.

[Scott S]

 Pulled out the spare '77 head today to clean it up. I could tell the combustion chambers and valve faces had been cleaned. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the valves had already been cleaned and lapped and valve stem seals had been replaced.
 I put this sucker back together as-is and gave it a coat of paint.

[Scott S]

Not gonna lie.... took a big, long break from this project. Had life get in the way over the winter. Had lots of other distractions and, honestly, I just lost interest in it. I sold the Brat project with the stock 550 engine. I even tried to sell the 750 swap project and, I guess you could say luckily, I had no takers.



 So... I took it apart and started working on it again.









 I got the frame, swing arm and various bits and hangers painted yesterday. Today, I adjusted the valves (all were within specs but I snugged up the intakes just a bit) and slotted the timing advance plate to I can try advancing the timing once I get it running.

 I tried to install the starter motor I bought a year ago only to find that I had a -'98 starter and I have a '00 motor. Doh! Got the correct one ordered and once it's installed I'll get the engine back in the frame and start putting this thing back together.

[Fezzler]

What a slacker!  Can't work graveyard shift, moderate forum AND complete 5 project bikes at once!  NOT!

Seriously, you're A+ mentor for garage wrenching and more!

Remind me (photo?), which one was the Brat Project?

(Also, getting ready to put carbs on cb500 project.  Fresh rubber for manifold.  On the cb550 I used the board on the back of carbs method with ratchet strap around board and front of frame and tightened until they popped in.  You have a preferred method?)

[Scott S]

 The Brat was the leftover GS550 with the flat seat.

 And no more night shift for me! I left that job and have been on an extended vacation. Start my normal, 8 hour day shift job soon.

 I use some white lithium grease in the manifold rubbers. Loosen the band clamps more than you think they need to be (all 8 of them on the manifolds). Same with the clamps on the two inner air box rubbers.
 Remove the screws that attach the air box to the frame so that it will slide back. I remove the two outer air box boots and install them once the carbs are in the manifolds. They can be pinched and squeezed in. Just line up the tabs on the boots with the dot on the plenum when you get them in there. Put on outer band clamps and tighten up everything.

[Scott S]

 Today was gonna be fire up day for the CB550. That didn't go so well.

 I noticed right off the bat that the carbs were pissing fuel like crazy between the 1 and 2 carb bodies. Figured I'd fill up the bowls and try anyway.
 Cranked and cranked and cranked. It acted like it wanted to start when I went to WOT. Finally caught and ran for just a few seconds, but only on the #3 cylinder.

 I took a look at the timing with a light when I was turning over the engine. Didn't seem to be quite right but it's hard to tell when it's not running properly...or at all. Tried advancing and retarding it a little, just to see if it would help the engine catch and fire. No luck. I'll come back to it once it's running on all four.

 Went ahead and pulled the carbs and dropped them off with Rick at OldSkoolCarbs.

 After I pulled the carbs I noticed that the cam chain tensioner nut/washer was leaking oil. Changed the O-ring and swapped around the crush washer.

 This was supposedly a running engine a few years ago. I did check the valve adjustment, but I'll go through that again and set the cam chain tension again while I'm at it. Then try again when I get the carbs back.