Author Topic: Third times a charm 75 cb400F, parking light bike. (Read 15472 times)

Don R · « **on:** March 27, 2018, 11:27:35 AM »

Yesterday we drove 2 1/2 hours and picked up a 75 cb400F. The license plate was IOE and was off their former BMW. They had wrecked it and the wife referred to it as instrument of evil since he wanted to ride and she never got on one again.
The sellers Mother in Law reportedly rode this one up pikes peak.
I'm still working on pics but can post a link later. Previously I owned a 76 and a 77 but sold them to pay for race car repairs. This one will probably suffer the same fate unless my wife decides she likes it.

It's a red 75, older repaint with 17,000 miles. NOS seat cover and a new battery. It needs the standard tune-up, carbs cleaned, caliper cleaned and a new seal, right control, and the biggie is the quick silver fairing removed and the headlight parts re-installed.
I test rode it, not impressed at all. The carbs are plugged from sitting, I believe it has new incorrect plugs with a huge gap, the forks feel heavy when turning so the neck is either tight or needs bearings. The right control is fubared and oddly is a 76/77 style. I plan to replace it with the one that has a headlight on/off and leave the hi/low on the left side. Now it has a 4 wheeler start button and a toggle headlight switch.
I made a deal on a yellow 77F tank here with two sets of sidecovers. The red is a pretty good paint job but not original as I had hoped.

11/74 build date, I'm thinking it's under 10 thousand serial number.

Don R · « **Reply #1 on:** March 27, 2018, 09:16:54 PM »

https://photos.app.goo.gl/3ytkS87AgwWKEL5I2

https://photos.app.goo.gl/RHsPxunKiuclx7uK2

I spent the evening making a shopping list and cross checking ebay. I've had good luck googling the Honda part numbers after writing them down from western Honda's parts fische. Sometimes parts will appear that a search by description didn't bring up, and sometimes western can still get them.

Don R · « **Reply #2 on:** March 28, 2018, 04:45:05 PM »

Since I need to buy them anyway, I'm thinking of a European style headlight and right control so it has a parking lamp in the headlight reflector.

SKTP · « **Reply #3 on:** March 29, 2018, 02:54:35 PM »

It looks great

Don R · « **Reply #4 on:** March 29, 2018, 09:14:52 PM »

It was claimed to be a daily rider with a weak #4 cylinder. Not true. It had been sitting and the carbs were all plugged up. I got them cleaned today and began putting the parts back on that came off with the accessories. I went through my box of old cb400 parts and found new carb rubbers and an airbox.

Don R · « **Reply #5 on:** March 30, 2018, 03:14:14 PM »

I cleaned the carbs and shrank the o rings. I ordered a generic set off ebay just to get something on the way. I don't really want new brass where's the best place for rubber carb parts?

crazypj · « **Reply #6 on:** March 31, 2018, 05:22:27 PM »

Probably Dave Silver or NOS eBay? Honda may even still have some parts or even be using them on something 'modern (still in production somewhere) problem is, finding a parts guy who can (or will) cross reference stuff
As for light, Hella were te ones to get
That thing looks immaculate in pics. My brother was a great fan of 400f, I found them fun but little bit too small so stuck with 550's but had to work on both. 400 has some 'better' solutions in some places compared to 550 but worse in others (cam chain tensioner

)

spuds · « **Reply #7 on:** March 31, 2018, 07:23:05 PM »

yet another 400F!!!!

Don R · « **Reply #8 on:** April 01, 2018, 08:37:34 AM »

I noticed the cam cover vent tube has been pinched almost closed and opens above the carbs. I see Honda sells this tube by the 1,000 mm roll. I think I'll get a roll and connect it to the separator rather than try to find some kind of cheap fix.
This bike was the victim of a tinkerer unwilling to keep it nice, also explains the dirt and oil on the carb rack.

When you buy the headlight rack rubber isolators they send sidecover rubber as a substitute. I got those once before and thought my shop ordered wrong. I have a metal airbox holder that has the original mounts. I think they are the same as headlight isolators so with a little luck I'm good to go there. I do have an extra plastic 4 into 1 airbox adapter left over from another project. I had to buy a pair of airbox assemblies to get all the parts to go back to stock on both of those bikes.

Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er · « **Reply #9 on:** April 01, 2018, 10:54:06 AM »

What diameter Don? I got a "roll" for my F and it was just enough for the complete bike.

12mm Hose Breather 95005-1200120M

120MM - a little misleading - they left off the second M in the part number

Don R · « **Reply #10 on:** April 01, 2018, 01:04:20 PM »

I'll check to see what it is. I considered clear tube but I'd rather do original looking stuff. I need a longer printer cable, my wireless won't work and I'd like to print some manual pages to take out to the bike. Now's a good time to set the valves and points.

This just in, I found a vent from a 750ss and trimmed it to fit.

Don R · « **Reply #11 on:** April 05, 2018, 07:46:07 PM »

The DSS order shipped and I have a Yamiya/Marchal euro style headlight ordered from JT. This should be fun, I've gotten to the point where I enjoy wiring and hooking up the park light will be a hoot. I'm expecting br/wh from the bucket through the parking light switch, then back to the park bulb. It may need an extra connector. I believe the right handlebar switch has off/park/on and hi/lo is still on the left.

The carbs are fuel tested and are back on the bike, valves were checked, they were all very close.

One of DSS's rocker stud tools will be on my next order although it went well. The top of the stud is 3mm and square and male.

crazypj · « **Reply #12 on:** April 06, 2018, 09:19:56 AM »

I always 'collected' various tappet adjuster tools when bikes were beyond redemption or written off and we bought them for spares (back in early 80's many 60's and 70's bikes still had unopened toolkits)
Some of the nicer ones came with C50 (or maybe C90?) Some were just pressed 'spanner' but a few were machined 'tube'

Don R · « **Reply #13 on:** April 06, 2018, 03:09:04 PM »

I got my 400F pegs and pedals but not the front part of the shifter. I don't need it for this bike but have a project in mind. I'll fab something, I'm not wild about those old swivel joints anyway.

I did check in the tool bag on this bike but didn't find anything interesting. I filled in the missing wrenches from my spare tool drawer. It amazes me how many tool bags go missing from these bikes. I had 15 bikes once and probably found enough tools for 3 kits. I look for bargains on ebay.

Later, I wondered if a small tap wrench would hold the valve adjuster while tightening the nut.

crazypj · « **Reply #14 on:** April 07, 2018, 02:44:04 PM »

Hadn't thought of that, I have a tiny tap wrench to try sometime

MoMo · « **Reply #15 on:** April 07, 2018, 07:30:43 PM »

Don, I use a pair of flat nose pliers to hold the nut, been using the same pair for many moons. Snap On about a quarter inch across the nose...Larry

Don R · « **Reply #16 on:** April 07, 2018, 10:25:18 PM »

That's what I did Larry. I've done the race car valve lash so many times I'm relatively good at it, it's the same only a lot smaller.
Has anyone seen this front mounted Honda plate on a 400F? I'm making a Euro clone 400F and saw this on Yamiya's site. I'm cheap so I got a used one off a 650 and aside from trimming off a cable holder it fits.

http://www.yamiya750.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=179_281&products_id=2951

I bolted on the carbs today, checked the spokes and shined the chrome a little. Waiting on the DSS order, I'm like a kid at Christmas.

Don R · « **Reply #17 on:** April 09, 2018, 04:06:30 PM »

I've checked worldwide for the right peg spring. It holds the peg up out of the way if you kick start. It's way different than a stock wound spring. I think it's going to have to go springless and I'll need to be careful if I kick it.

grcamna2 · « **Reply #18 on:** April 09, 2018, 04:26:39 PM »

Good looking 400F Don,I like the Quicksilver too

Don R · « **Reply #19 on:** April 09, 2018, 05:25:05 PM »

Quote from: grcamna2 on April 09, 2018, 04:26:39 PM

Good looking 400F Don,I like the Quicksilver too

Thanks, If you lived closer I'd drive over and make a gift of the quicksilver. L0L! I'm not a vetter hater (4 or 5 in the shop now though) but this one needs to be naked. I have a gl1000 dressed with matched paint vetter trim and love it.

The carbs have had the IV bottle on them for 24 hours and no leakage so I'm calling that deal a success. Hopefully I can get my parts and wire that puppy up. I may need to hardwire the printer so I can print out a wiring diagram to take to the shop. This one had a couple mods so I'll need my thinking cap to make it original again.

grcamna2 · « **Reply #20 on:** April 09, 2018, 05:52:22 PM »

Quote from: Don R on April 09, 2018, 05:25:05 PM

Quote from: grcamna2 on April 09, 2018, 04:26:39 PM
Good looking 400F Don,I like the Quicksilver too

Thanks, If you lived closer I'd drive over and make a gift of the quicksilver. L0L! I'm not a vetter hater (4 or 5 in the shop now though) but this one needs to be naked. I have a gl1000 dressed with matched paint vetter trim and love it.

The carbs have had the IV bottle on them for 24 hours and no leakage so I'm calling that deal a success. Hopefully I can get my parts and wire that puppy up. I may need to hardwire the printer so I can print out a wiring diagram to take to the shop. This one had a couple mods so I'll need my thinking cap to make it original again.

Little_Phil · « **Reply #21 on:** April 10, 2018, 02:57:59 AM »

Quote from: Don R on April 09, 2018, 04:06:30 PM

I've checked worldwide for the right peg spring. It holds the peg up out of the way if you kick start. It's way different than a stock wound spring. I think it's going to have to go springless and I'll need to be careful if I kick it.

Is that spring 50620377000? Same spring on 550F I think.

crazypj · « **Reply #22 on:** April 10, 2018, 08:08:41 AM »

Quote from: Don R on April 09, 2018, 04:06:30 PM

I've checked worldwide for the right peg spring. It holds the peg up out of the way if you kick start. It's way different than a stock wound spring. I think it's going to have to go springless and I'll need to be careful if I kick it.

Didn't they have a thin sheet 'flat' spring with a cover piece?
That bottom yoke badge is used on some later models, around 1978>

Don R · « **Reply #23 on:** April 10, 2018, 06:53:08 PM »

Quote from: Little_Phil on April 10, 2018, 02:57:59 AM

Quote from: Don R on April 09, 2018, 04:06:30 PM
I've checked worldwide for the right peg spring. It holds the peg up out of the way if you kick start. It's way different than a stock wound spring. I think it's going to have to go springless and I'll need to be careful if I kick it.

Is that spring 50620377000? Same spring on 550F I think.

And 50620-393-000 It is a flat spring with a cover. I think. I didn't pay enough attention when I owned one. lol.

I test fitted the 650 badge then took it off to install the headlight brackets. Honda sends you sidecover grommets in place of the headlight frame grommets. lol. They work but without the metal insert.

I posted a question about the front parking lamp. I'm thinking of a daytime running lamp and front parking light when the bike is parked. The wiring brings some realization I don't know how they were intended to work.

Little_Phil · « **Reply #24 on:** April 11, 2018, 01:31:28 AM »

Don, Think those two numbers are interchangeable. 550F has the flat spring.
See p/n 13 here.

https://www.servicehonda.com/oemparts/a/hon/506b87eaf870023420a1e6ee/stand-step

Honda 393 code is a CB750AT-A2....what's that?

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Author Topic: Third times a charm 75 cb400F, parking light bike. (Read 15472 times)