Topic: CB350F - Seized, but something is moving...

[roberttroll]

Picked up a "barn fresh" 72 cb350f. As original as the day it was rolled in by the owner some 20 years ago. Motor is seized of course and i have been soaking the pistons in PB for about a week now.

Yesterday i put her on the center stand and into 5th gear and proceeded to rock the rear wheel back and forth. Well after a little while something started moving with a groan and its not the engine.

So what exactly am i moving? Is it the clutch that is slipping? Should i take the slow boat, and gibe her a few pulls every day and wait for the OB to do its thing?

I essentially have zero dollars into this bike and am trying to determine the path forward.

[Bodi]

Often no bike is more expensive than a free one. The clutch could be slipping if the pistons are still stuck. You might be rocking the primary shaft a bit through primary chain slack and the starter motor is groaning as it is forced to turn when the crank is turned backwards.

[carnivorous chicken]

But the important question is how is the exhaust?

[roberttroll]

Ha. Yes I am no stranger to the free bike game.

Penetrating oil goes down overnight in 3 out of 4 cylinders. Of course all it takes is one to cause pain.

I am going to pull the starter to see if anything changes..

Exhaust looks better than other bikes I have found. One pipe is a little rotted on the front header but I should be able to fix that.

I have tank and seat as well.

Couple of pics on my OneDrive.. https://1drv.ms/f/s!Arp9XjAZ1fDcoHJhqb1DsD4ulaGc

[grcamna2]

Not bad for free "how is the exhaust"?    LOL    That MAC replacement exhaust looks fine    The whole bike is very decent looking.

I have read that a 50/50 mix of ATF and Acetone poured into each cylinder hot works wonders on seized engines.

[bryanj]

Pull the generator cover and try turning the crank with the big nut holding the rotor

DO NOT  try and get it to run with the generator cover off or you will fire the oil gallery blanking plug into a third universe from whence it will never be found and you will deposit large amounts of black slippery stuff on the floor

[roberttroll]

Thanks - just tried and no go. Wrenched on it enough that I was getting uncomfortable that I would break the bolt. Tell me if I am wrong on that one. More than happy to put an impact on it if I know I won't damage anything?


Also pulled out starter and still getting the same groan and movement when I really pull on the back tire. Guessing I am moving clutch.

Regarding the magic 50/50 mix I tried that on another project. Atf/acetone doesn't mix. I mean you shake it up and then it just separates on top of whatever you put it on. Funny thing is the original article that talked about that mix made a misprint. The real mix was power steering fluid and acetone. That I have not tried and just might. Always wondered if those two chemicals mix.

[grcamna2]

Thanks - just tried and no go. Wrenched on it enough that I was getting uncomfortable that I would break the bolt. Tell me if I am wrong on that one. More than happy to put an impact on it if I know I won't damage anything?


Also pulled out starter and still getting the same groan and movement when I really pull on the back tire. Guessing I am moving clutch.

Regarding the magic 50/50 mix I tried that on another project. Atf/acetone doesn't mix. I mean you shake it up and then it just separates on top of whatever you put it on. Funny thing is the original article that talked about that mix made a misprint. The real mix was power steering fluid and acetone. That I have not tried and just might. Always wondered if those two chemicals mix.

Good point,thanks

[bryanj]

Power steering and atf are the same oil and i have mixed with acetone ok

[roberttroll]

Well i mixed up a batch of the magical monkey pee solution using power steering fluid. Same behavior as i have seen with atf. You shake it and get a froth mix that immediately starts to separate into its two parts.

In any case i gave it a shake and dumped it down the cylinders to mix with the toxic mess of penetrating oils that i already have in there. 

[grcamna2]

The clutch plates could be rusted causing it to slip and make that sound.

[bryanj]

Perhaps your acetone has additives(otherwise known as crap) in it

[roberttroll]

Just got the acetone this morning at Wally world.

Clutch plates possibly, probably. I decided to take it a little easier on the rear wheel. Probably shouldn't be banging it that hard. I've been pulling on it like it is the price is right wheel.

Of course I don't know why the bike was originally sold in the first place... Just strange because all the videos I watch on the tube unsticking bikes, this issue hasn't come up.

Lucky for me rice-o-rama is in sep. If I can't get the motor free, might be able to pick one up. Or someone on here might have one.

Honda's tend to grow on me. Last bike was a GL1200.

[jgger]

If you are in Commiefornia your acetone may not actually be acetone. I know that paint thinner is some other crap now and the original, real paint thinner is NLA. The state of California seems to believe that anything other than distilled water will make your private parts fall off!

We can't get any of the good parts cleaners the rest of you have access to out here on the commune!

[bryanj]

Thats what i was wondering last acetone i got came from a firm making fiberglass panels so i know it was good