Topic: A Noob's 75 CB550 Cafe Project Thread ------- Stick a fork in it... ;-)

[bill440cars]

           Doug,

                  As far as the internals of your original cam cover, I'd think you'd want to swap those parts into the cover that you're going to use (because they have worn in with the cam that you are running) As far as the pieces in the center area,, I'm not sure (right off) what those nuts hold but, I'd be for getting replacements and installing them.

                                             Later on, Bill  

[TwoTired]

In the ideal case, you would keep the cam follower matched to the specific cam lobe that it was mated to during break in.  (Did you get a cam with the replacement cover?)

The exceptions are when either surface shows abnormal wear patterns.

Since the wearing faces are surface hardened, you can't simply polish them up pretty, as you run the risk of losing the surface hardening.

I pointed out two followers in your old cam cover that looked like abnormal wear.  I did not see if the corresponding cam lobes had abnormal wear.  Nor, was the picture quality sufficient to positively condemn your old parts.

The followers in the new cover look good and should work quite well with the cam it was mated to.

The old cam cover has eight shafts, one for each rocker.  You withdraw these by screwing an appropriate sized bolt into the end threads and pulling out the shaft.  Then pick the fallen rocker up off the floor.  Hint.

The new cover has only four rocker shafts (one for two rockers) that are held in place by a tapered pinch bolt.  The nuts that you have noticed missing, draw that taper pin up tight to hold the rocker shaft firmly in place.  Tap the head of those studly looking things to release the rocker shafts and allow shaft removal out the ends of the cover.

If you are not also replacing the cam for one that is nicely matched to your replacement followers, I would move the old original followers into the replacement cover and keep the positional assignment with the old cam lobes. I would also replace any old followers with the funny looking surface finish with the prettiest ones from the replacement cover.

I hope this is clear enough.

Cheers,

[doug_id]

Thx Bill and TT,

Nope, no new cam with replacement cover.  I guess I will go ahead then and try to put the original followers in the new cover using the new covers 4 shafts instead of the orginal covers 8 shafts.

Just hope I don't mess both up in the process.....hehe.   

Doug

[doug_id]

Wooohooooo.....think I managed to swap the followers in the replacement cam cover with original ones.....I even got them in the right place.   

Getting the pinch bolts out was kind of a pain until I remembered penatrating lube......doh!   

The followers in the original cam cover looked and felt about the same as the ones in the replacement cover so I put them all in so hopefully they would play nicer with the cam shaft.

I now have a fresh coat of paint on the new cover and am letting that sit for a while before I bake it.   

Here are some pics.

the ones that came with my bike (pre 77) have two shorter shafts instead of one longer one.....


Post 77....one long shaft with a notch in it for the pinch bolt.....


Installing the original followers into the replacement cover.....


Used a 6mm standard pitch bolt to screw into the shafts in order to pull them out.  This is the same for the pre and post 77 shafts.


Dropping in the pinch bolt....


The top of the pinch bolt comes out in the breather cover area....I ended up just using one flat washer and no lock washers...


Pic of the right and left sides of new cam cover with the followers replaced with the original ones from my bike......




Now I am waiting for new o-ring gasket to arrive and paint to cure before installing it back on the bike.

[CrisPDuk]

So how's the rocker cover rebuild going then Doug, you've gone awfully quiet

I'm working on the no news is good news principle, i.e; you are out playing






Good new from this end, the order's placed on Benjie for my pipes I've done the easy bit and payed the deposit invoice

I've just got to do the slightly more tricky bit now, and tell the wife what I've done

[doug_id]

Hi Cris,

Congrats on the new pipe order!   Don't tell the wife...most wives won't notice new pipes from old....hehe   

Just waiting for my new o-ring gasket for the cam cover.  I was tempted to just go with the old one but better I use new....The old one has been compressed in the engine for over 30 yrs now so I am thinking they probably won't seal as well as a fresh one.

I do have the cover painted and baked and ready to go once that arrives.

Doug

[CrisPDuk]

That's a good idea in theory Doug

But what do I tell her whan a guy in a brown suit turns up at our door with a box full of shiny tubes whilst I'm out at work

The way I'm looking at it, at the monent I'm here in Thailand, she's back home in the UK. If I tell her now, she'll have calmed down by the time she sees me again to the extent that I could actually survive this;D

[ProTeal55]

But what do I tell her whan a guy in a brown suit turns up at our door with a box full of shiny tubes whilst I'm out at work

That's why you have your parts shipped to your buddies house !

[kine8282]

Funny that you guys mentioned the new pipes as I'm thinking of having Benjie fab one for my scooter but don't know if I can get away with it with the live in GF. Been dating her for 6 years and everytime the M word comes up I tell her I can't afford the ring...dunno if that excuse would work when my bikes pipes are gleaming

Damn.

[doug_id]

tell her new pipes are prettier than diamonds......and then run.   

[kine8282]

haha yeah.

on a serious note, I looked back on this thread and is it just me or do the pipes ride lower than the stock? They also look like they run closer to the bottom of the chasis. I ask because does that mean that you had to take off your kick stand? How about jacking it up...do you have to take the pipes off or can you still fit wooden block?

[doug_id]

haha yeah.

on a serious note, I looked back on this thread and is it just me or do the pipes ride lower than the stock? They also look like they run closer to the bottom of the chasis. I ask because does that mean that you had to take off your kick stand? How about jacking it up...do you have to take the pipes off or can you still fit wooden block?

No, the kickstand is still there.  It does come up and rest against the pipes a little.  Benjie suggested bending it out slightly but so far I don't really see it as an issue.

I would most likely remove the pipes if I were to put it back on the floor stand.

Doug

[TwoTired]

No, the kickstand is still there.  It does come up and rest against the pipes a little.

Well then, are you aware that the stock arrangement had a rubber bumper on the muffler for the center stand to rest on?
While you are waiting for your Cam cover gasket, get your creative juices flowing to fabricate a proper "stand stop" so you don't have extra rattles and a vibrational wear point.  Or, are you talking about the side stand?  If so, nevermind. 

Also, before putting on the cam cover, back off all the tappet adjusters...way off. Then use rubber bands across the top from exhaust to inlet rocker to hold them up off the valve stems during installation.  I don't even want to read about sticky bent valves on your bike.  Or, I'll have to hire Guido to come over to smack your hands and say "bad mech"!

Cheers,

[doug_id]

No, the kickstand is still there.  It does come up and rest against the pipes a little.

Well then, are you aware that the stock arrangement had a rubber bumper on the muffler for the center stand to rest on?
While you are waiting for your Cam cover gasket, get your creative juices flowing to fabricate a proper "stand stop" so you don't have extra rattles and a vibrational wear point.  Or, are you talking about the side stand?  If so, nevermind. 

Also, before putting on the cam cover, back off all the tappet adjusters...way off. Then use rubber bands across the top from exhaust to inlet rocker to hold them up off the valve stems during installation.  I don't even want to read about sticky bent valves on your bike.  Or, I'll have to hire Guido to come over to smack your hands and say "bad mech"!

Cheers,

Hi TT,

Yea was referring to the side stand.  Yes, I do need to rig something with the center stand to keep it from coming up and slamming pipes.   That is something I should be working on.   

Yep, backed the tappet adjusters all the way off and have the rubber bands in place...just need my gasket 

Thx,
Doug

[doug_id]

Hi Clint,

Yea, I sure hope to have it serve me well for a long time once I get it all put together.

Thx for the link.  I might try something like that.  Instead of putting it on the exhaust pipe though I think I will see what I can do towards the center stand shaft.  If I can screw something to it in that area and then have that contact the frame itself and have that keep the center stand legs a 1/2 inch or so off the exhaust pipes that would be good I think.   

[mrbreeze]

I don't know if the 550 is the same as 750 down by the centerstand but on my 750,I mounted a tab with a 2" piece of pipe welded to it.Bolt the tab to the inside of where the passenger peg bolted up. I ran a tap through that hole so I could just run a bolt through.The piece of pipe catches the centerstand before it gets high enough to contact the chain on the other side.

[bill440cars]

           Hey Doug,

                   I know you're probably gonna fabricated something to take care of the stand hitting the pipes but, I though I'd post this link to some brackets and such over at mikesxs.com for you and/or anyone else who might be interested.

            http://www.mikesxs.net/mikesxs-exhaust.php?category_id=5.1

[doug_id]

Thx for the ideas.........

[bill440cars]

       Hey Doug,
              Not a problem guy. Always happy to offer ideas and info. By the same token, I too will be looking for ideas and info just like most all of us. Anything I know of or about, I'm willing to share. LOL


                                                        Later on, Bill

[doug_id]

Hey the new cam cover O-ring gasket came in today   

So I put the cam cover back on with the adjusters all the way out and the rocker arms held high via the rubberband trick.

Then just gradually tightened it down only going 1/2-1 turn at a time on each bolt.  Got it tightened down pretty good and no cracks in the cover.  Then I set about adjusting the valves.  That went pretty quick since I had done one adjustment prior.  So, I pause for a few mins and try to think if I am forgetting anything.......can't think of anything so I hook up the old gas tank and start it up.  It fires up pretty quick but it does not sound quite the same.....I can definitely tell there is more clattering noise coming from the cam area of the engine.   I think to myself well maybe the oil just needs to work its way up there and it will smooth everything out so I let it idle for a few mins but don't detect any change in the engine sound.   Doesn't sound horrible but for sure different.   

I am thinking I should pull all the tappet covers and recheck the valve clearances?    When I put the original rockers into the replacement cover I was very careful to make sure they were in the same spot as they were in the old cover.   This leaves me confused on why the sound of the engine would have changed that much.   I am hoping that I didn't damage my valves or anything while letting it run for a few mins?   

Anbody have any thought on this?  Is this normal or did I screw something up?

Thx!
Doug

[doug_id]

Just finished rechecking the valve clearances and they look good........I guess maybe it is just a result of the followers not riding on the exact same spots on the cam lobes as they did in the original cover?   Just guessing.  Trying to avoid destroying the top end of the engine.....

[TwoTired]

Did you oil everything up while putting it back together?  Assembly lube?

[doug_id]

Did you oil everything up while putting it back together?  Assembly lube?

Hi TT,

I put oil on the shafts and the and on the followers where they ride on the shaft.   Guess I will try squirting more oil in at each tappet cover and see if that helps. 

Doug

[TwoTired]

Hey Doug,
I don't know what or if you have a problem.  Here are some thoughts to consider.

When you open up the tappet covers, look inside to see if everything is nicely splashed with oil. (probably is)

The oil pump puts out the least volume at idle.  If you found decent oiling under the tappet covers, let it run about 2-3 k RPM where the oil pump gets flowing and let it get up up to temperature.

The tappets are adjusted cold for the gap.  This gap becomes smaller when the top end arrives at operating temperature.  Should get quieter when warm.

The new cover holds the rocker shafts and the rockers in a slightly different relationship than the old cover.  There is still going to be a small bit of wear-in taking place and things may get more comfortable and quieter after they all find their new happy place.  Do another tappet adjustment at 500 miles.

I, too, thought the new cover was noisier than the old one.  I speculate that the new rocker shafts being firmly held in place, conducts noise better into the tappet cover.  The old shafts kind of floated on an oil cushion that absorbed some of the operational shock, somewhat insulating the conduction of noise that gets radiated from the cover.

Are you still worried?

Cheers,

[CrisPDuk]

I'm worried, I don't want him needing to use that spare head he's now in possession of


That's a good point you've raised there TT. I had a similar experience on my V6 Ford when we swapped to roller rockers and cast ally covers, with the hood up there was far more noise than there used to be. Doing the easy check first we put the pressed tin covers back on and the noise dropped considerably (phew). I know it's not the same, but it highlights how well aluminium transmits (or fails to muffle?) even the slightest noise, any slight change in the arrangement of the parts attached to it will be noticeable.

For what it's worth Doug, my 550's cover is the same as your new one, and it's as noisy as you like even with tappets correctly adjusted