Topic: Starting from a dry engine

[stereosilence]

Hi everyone,
I have a '75 cb550k that I began work on many years ago. I was getting close to the end of my project when I got ambushed by a family. So, a wife, three kids, a dog, and a new house later, I'm finally trying to get back to the project and see if I can finish it up and get it running and on the road.

Before I stopped, I had the engine and everything back together (with assembly lube) with mostly just electrical left to do. My question is this: is there a good guide for how to start a bike for the first time after a rebuild?

Since I need to work through the electrical components and make sure they work, my plan is to get a spare battery (I'm working about damaging my antigravity somehow in the test phase) and make sure everything is working correctly with the lights and check other stuff with a meter, etc. Then I planned on putting in oil and doing the standard 3000 mile tune-up to get the valve clearances and the points and everything set up how they should. Next, I figured I would use the kick starter to turn it over a bunch of time to get the oil pumped through the system. Finally, I'd add gas and try to start it.

I figured there is probably a standard procedure somewhere to help make sure this goes well, but I haven't been able to find it.

[jakec]

There are a lot of threads on here about it, with a lot of debate similar to "what kind of oil do you guys use?"

If it were me I would take the valve cover off and manually add oil or assembly lube to the cam shaft, then fill the crankcase with oil. Then kick start until you see the oil come out of the oil sprayers.

I would also put a few drops of oil in the spark plug holes and let it sit for a while. Then you can start up, and do an oil change after about 50 miles. Then good to go.

[BenelliSEI]

Do just what you have written, then (with plugs out), crank on the starter until the oil light goes out. Then a few more bursts. Remove an inspection cap and you should see oil in the rocket box.... Fire it up. Good Luck!

[jukku]

Do just what you have written, then (with plugs out), crank on the starter until the oil light goes out. Then a few more bursts. Remove an inspection cap and you should see oil in the rocket box.... Fire it up. Good Luck!

Thats how I started a "brand new" CB750A engine. It had been in the original Honda-crate for almost 35 years. Still going strong.
Of course I put 7 litres new oil into the engine. :-)