Topic: Terry's new new redneck K0 "Special"..........

[PeWe]

Float in need of adjustment?
You'll see if doing the clear tube method.
It must be something causing the overflow. Bowl vs valve action or bowl hit the side wall not moving that easy.

[bear]

Terry,I never saw Honda gauges in action,that would've been interesting;maybe you can get some new hoses and give'em a go.Were the Morgan Carb-Tune synchronizers invented over there in Australia ?

Morgan Carb-Tune are a Pommy unit and use stainless rods instead of mercury. Very good bits of gear in my opinion for what it's worth.

             Ex.........................pert or spurt
     "used to be"          "a drip under pressure"   

[grcamna2]

Terry,I never saw Honda gauges in action,that would've been interesting;maybe you can get some new hoses and give'em a go.Were the Morgan Carb-Tune synchronizers invented over there in Australia ?

Morgan Carb-Tune are a Pommy unit and use stainless rods instead of mercury. Very good bits of gear in my opinion for what it's worth.

             Ex.........................pert or spurt
     "used to be"          "a drip under pressure"   

I had some mercury Carb Styx before,dripping that precious metal here and there:I was glad to throw them away for a pair of gauges.I would like a set of those Morgans though. 

[Terry in Australia]

Yeah, the Morgan carb tunes are really good for syncing carbs, but actual vacuum gauges are a lot more useful for other diagnostic work. Check out this link, it's quite surprising for me as an untrained "mechanic" to see what you can find out just by using a set of good vacuum gauges:

https://www.onallcylinders.com/2015/05/08/quick-tech-how-to-read-a-vacuum-gauge-to-pinpoint-engine-problems/?fbclid=IwAR0uHejKdN6Tdp7-sLZWgdg-A007Uqlrph4OvVD4I68lzpVBxYZaL04JCv0

I'm happy that in between rainfalls yesterday, I managed to finish the carb job I started the day before. The bike starts easier now, doesn't need the choke once the engine has been running for a minute or so, idles nice and smoothly, and feels smoother overall. What does concern me a little is that when I blip the throttle, it takes a couple of seconds for the revs to drop back. This usually indicates an air leak. Now the carb insulators are new and seem to be sealing fine, but one think that confused me yesterday was when I took the tops off each carb, unlike my K1-K6 carbs, there are no rubber(?) seals under the carb tops, which doesn't match the diagram in my parts manual, so it looks like the "Expert" just didn't bother  installing them?

As Brian was saying, an "Expert" can be described as "Ex" - A hasbeen, and "Spert" (or Spurt) - a drip, under pressure. Anyhoo, d1ckheads aside, my son and I assembled my temporary carport yesterday in the drizzling rain, because I was bored, and slightly drunk. The benefit of my "Taj-Mahootch" is that I can work out in the driveway in the shade (like when I pull the engine out of the K2 bitsa, again....) and later today I think I'll get out my shiny new timing light and check the ignition timing on the K0, as I don't remember if I've done it yet? Anyway, after building the first one the week before Christmas it took no time at all (apart from drilling the holes in the concrete driveway for the Dyna bolts) to assemble it, and it feels nice and secure.

K0 Monday 4 Jan 2021 5 by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr

K0 Monday 4 Jan 2021 4 by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr   

I'm not so happy with what arrived yesterday. I'd bought some stuff from Yamiya including the headlight ear reflectors for my K0, but didn't realise that they didn't come with the rubber insulators that sit behind the reflectors.

A scan of Ebay had some "Made in Japan" reflectors for sale cheap in Taiwan, so I bought them, and nearly 2 months later they arrived. Trouble is they were cheap knockoffs with painted plastic backing plates (not metal, like the originals) and the thread size is 6mm, not 5mm. Hmmnn. OK, so I thought I could at least use the rubber insulators with the genuine Honda reflectors but no, the insulators are too wide as the knockoffs also had 10mm longer screws, so they're absolutely useless.

I'm really annoyed with this, as I'll have to go back to Yamiya and see if they sell the rubber insulators. Sometimes, nothings easy, and that pisses me off.........

The fake item, note the silver paint on the reflector, which is marked "Stanley" "Made in Japan" and the part number:

K0 Monday 4 Jan 2021 2 by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr

The real deal:

K0 Monday 4 Jan 2021 3 by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr

The painted plastic base and 6mm thread on the fake:

K0 Monday 4 Jan 2021 1 by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr

The backside of the real Honda item:

K0 Monday 4 Jan 2021 by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr   

[grcamna2]

Nice canopies you put-up Terry,plenty of protection from the sun,etc.

[Terry in Australia]

Thanks Bill, I put it to good use today. The bloody weather has been awful since Saturday, wet, cold and miserable, which is super annoying as I haven't ridden a bike outside my front gate since 2020! Anyway, today, being pretty cool outside, was a good opportunity to check/set the ignition timing. I rolled the K0 into the middle of the carport and fired it up.

K0 Tuesday 5 Jan 2021 by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr

After playing with the carbs over the last couple of days the bike started much easier, only needed the choke to start it, then after a minute took the choke off, and it idled fine. The tach needle jumps around a bit at 1000 RPM, but I'll get back to that shortly. I hooked up my fancy new timing light, and it took around a minute to set the timing spot on. One problem though, was that once it warmed right up, it was idling at around 3000 RPM. No biggie, I removed the tank, hooked up my temporary tank and adjusted each of the 4 idle screws around 1.5 turns, and it happily idled at 1000 RPM.

K0 Tuesday 5 Jan 2021 2 by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr

While it was idling with the tank off, I noticed that the tach cable was "oscillating", or at least moving around a lot, and oil was dribbling out of the tach cable port in the cam cover. I removed the cable, and the inner cable wasn't moving smoothly within the outer sheath. I could turn it half a turn smoothly, then it would get a bit tighter, then loosen off again. This was just an old cable I pulled out of a tub when I put the bike together, so I went back to that tub, and found a better one (Heat shrink tubing is great for repairing old cables with damaged plastic outer sheaths) and installed it.

I used some blue silicon sealant around the end of the cable that goes into the cam cover, and decided not to start the bike again until it set up overnight. I rolled the bike backwards into the garage, and almost dropped it. That fcuking tree in front of the carport is a plum tree, and the only members of our family that eat them is a couple of possums that live up in the big tree behind my house, so they fall off the tree, roll down the driveway, and turn into slippery crap in front of the garage.

The back wheel slid out from under me, and suddenly the bike was leaning to the right at around 45 degrees. Somehow I managed to hold the bike up while getting off it, and somehow lifted it up, without it falling all the way over. Fcuk! I put it on it's sidestand and inspected it for damage, but apart from some squished plums on the rear tyre and some mud under the right footpeg, there wasn't a scratch on it. Oh well, hopefully the speedo needle won't be bouncing around when I fire it up tomorrow, and my next ride will be extra enjoyable. I think the weather is supposed to be better tomorrow so I will go for a ride, but probably on one of my other bikes, I'll wait for a nice dry sunny day before I take the K0 out, because, I'm a chicken.  

[MauiK3]

What a wonderful bike! Great work.

[grcamna2]

What a wonderful bike! Great work.

Getting the K0 fully sorted,nice 

[Terry in Australia]

Thanks guys, I'm really enjoying it, it's a lovely thing to ride, just needed a couple of tweaks. I'm waiting for my Honda parts guy to come back from holidays so I can get him to order new rear spokes for me so I can lace up the correct rear wheel (the one on it now is off my K1 project bike) and get another tyre for it. The good thing is I can ride it while I'm still improving it.

[PeWe]

Extra wheels are useful.
You will replace the ball bearings too, Terry?

My K6 bearings went bad after 20 years storage in a barn. I had replaced them 1983. Used SKF RS2 bearings, pressed them into place correctly with a press, no hard wiggly hammering.

Easier and quicker tire change and when a bearing is shot in need of replacement. The extra wheel to be used while working with the other.

I have prepared two hubs (front, rear, derusted/polished, new bearings) which will get new wider alloy rims for my K6.
Old wheels with stock sized rims are OK, no need to take them apart.

[Terry in Australia]

Thanks Per, I haven't looked at the K0 rear hubs (I've got a couple) bearings yet, but over here we don't have the same weather as you in Sweden, and to be honest, the only wheel bearings I've ever needed to replace were the tapered roller bearings in my BMW R100RS, and only because I destroyed them using a high temp pressure washer (steam cleaner?) to clean the bike, and washed all the grease out of the wheel bearings.

I usually pop the bearings out, clean them and repack them with fresh moly grease, and they're good for another 50 years.

[PeWe]

My bearings felt bad at a tire change. Like sand inside, not a total melt down causing a wobbling wheel.

My project front hub (later K6) had later RS bearings, inside full of nasty brown greese. Rear hub old metal sealed outsides. Easier to fix them all now than later. Rear hub brake liner really rusty. No cracks and no marks from brake shoes so it is a really low miler. Probably long time parked on a wet place.

But you can feel with fingers if rotating easily without sandy feel.

[Terry in Australia]

Yeah mate, I clean them and check them, and if they're good I just regrease them, and they'll last another 50 years. I don't believe in throwing things out unless they're fcuked, but I see guys (especially noobs on the FB Honda pages) throwing money away replacing things that are still in perfect condition. I'd rather spend my money on stuff I don't have.

[spotty]

had all the bearings in a 16" wheel that was god only knows how old collapse and weld their inner races to the axle, it was not a nice thing to either experience or fix, since then i've been quite partial to new bearings, i don't pull stuff apart for no reason just to replace them but its like a little extra insurance when they are apart and i'm not sure how old they are

i think the K7 that you've dumped back over here got new ones while the wheels were off but that was a few years ago so i can't be sure

i know the zzr11 got them and its made it so much smoother to wheel around the garage.....

[PeWe]

I have got thoughts about the front axle 4 M8 nuts when cruising in 160-200kmh, "did I really tighten them enough", "or too hard so studs are on their way out"? I check them now and then. They have been a little bit loose more than one time.

Wheel bearings could cause thoughts about a sudden failure too when I met a group of bikers speaking about various risks at a coffee stop somewhere in the 80's.
My last set of 4 bearings front and rear just under $50US with shipping came yesterday.
FAG 6302 2RS, 6304 2RS
Bearing on sprocket holder 6305 is rather new. Not much money, the job is the worst thing and save the retainers, all 3 will add some.

So be sure to check yours Terry!
You have got a surprise stopper, no more!

[Terry in Australia]

Thanks guys, I’m trying to remember which build thread I posted pics of me popping out the wheel bearings, cleaning them, greasing and replacing them? It’s easy with a proper bearing puller, doesn’t harm the bearings and after more than 40 years of owning riding and fixing more than 20 CB750’s, I can’t remember ever having one fail? Maybe I’ve just been lucky?

But yeah, I know, there’s no harm in being careful, so if it makes you feel more secure, then do it by all means. I do remember putting my K1 hotrod together and taking it for a hard lap. At around 120 MPH I looked down and saw the front fender stay screws unscrewing, so I backed it right off, and was able to stop the bike before a fender stay migrated into the spokes, and who knows what would have happened then?

Anyway the sun is shining, so I might test my 50 year old wheel bearings, gearbox bearings etc etc and if you never hear from me again, you can say, “Well, we told him so”.....

[Terry in Australia]

Okay, so finally, the first sunny day in Melbourne, for 2021! And what a day it was. I convinced the wife to go visit her mum today, so I could do my second ride for the year. Being a sunny day, and being that I've been farting around with the carbs on the K0, I decided that it was next cab off the rank for a ride. It was only my third ride on the K0 but being that it hasn't exploded yet, it'd be a great vehicle to explore the hills and twisties between my place and Yea, a little town 80 miles north east of my place.

After my carb and ignition adjustments the other day, it started right up and with the new old tach cable, I was happy that the tach needle wasn't bouncing all over the place at idle. I decided to fill it up 10 miles or so into the ride just because there aren't that many gas stations when I ride the back roads to Yea, and I wasn't sure I'd make it with what was in the tank. I took the backroads to Yea via Beveridge, Whittlesea, and Kinglake West. I stopped out the back of Eden Park (a name with no place) for a pic, and a stretch.

K0 Thursday 7 Jan 2021 2 by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr

I was actually being very conservative speed-wise as I was just enjoying the day when I rounded a bend to see the road blocked off and the cops conducting a "Random Breath Test" (RBT) operation for all vehicles heading in the opposite direction. No issue for me as it was too early for me to have imbibed in the demon alky-hole anyway, so I just cruised on past. It was good to see the holiday crowds in Kinglake and Yea, lots of motorcycles on the road. (the only old one I saw was a Norton about the same vintage as the K0, the rest seemed to be adventure bikes and cruisers) I decided not to stop for food as the mask rule is a bit of a pain in the arse, so I pulled off the road for a piss on my way back to Whittlesea.

I took another pic of the bike, then hit the road. I filled the bike up in Whittlesea again, (and was happy that I was averaging 45 miles per gallon) then rode the backroads to Beveridge, hitting the freeway for the last 15 miles home. The tacho started to play up just past Beveridge, I was hoping the cable had just come loose at the bottom of the tach, but no, it was nice and secure, then a mile or so from home it started working again. I'll check the cable tomorrow, but I think it might be the gauge. I do have the guts from another K0 tach that had a really nice face, until I dropped it, oops.

K0 Thursday 7 Jan 2021 9 by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr

A little superglue later, and it was (almost) like new again.

K0 Thursday 7 Jan 2021 9a by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr

I've never pulled a K0 tach apart, if anyone here has any tips, let me know? Anyway, today's ride was 141 miles, so the K0 has now done a total of 394 miles. I think I'll drop the oil and filter at 500 miles, just to take a look and make sure everything's fine. So far, so good.

K0 Thursday 7 Jan 2021 8 by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr   

[71 V12]

Hi Terry,

I always enjoy your posts, they are almost autobiographical and very entertaining, keep them coming.

The bike looks stunning and I am in awe of your skills, just hope mine comes out half as good👍👍

Cheers

Kevin

PS how’s the gear change or am I mixing up threads?

[BenelliSEI]

Terry...... Back to your Jan4th post. Did you use the rubber gaskets under the carb tops or not? When I took my last K0 build to the Cobble Beach Concours, I had a hell of a time sync'ing  the carbs and setting a nice idle. A few weeks later, I found 4 of those gaskets lying on my bench!

[Terry in Australia]

Hi Terry,

I always enjoy your posts, they are almost autobiographical and very entertaining, keep them coming.

The bike looks stunning and I am in awe of your skills, just hope mine comes out half as good👍👍

Cheers

Kevin

PS how’s the gear change or am I mixing up threads?

G'Day Kevin, thanks mate, yep, there have been two bikes with gearshift issues, this one that just needed some tweaking of the shift drum outer flange (easy) and my K2 bitsa with an engine I bought that only had 3 gears because the clown who built it put the selector fork in backwards, requiring a full engine strip to fix.

[Terry in Australia]

Terry...... Back to your Jan4th post. Did you use the rubber gaskets under the carb tops or not? When I took my last K0 build to the Cobble Beach Concours, I had a hell of a time sync'ing  the carbs and setting a nice idle. A few weeks later, I found 4 of those gaskets lying on my bench!

Thanks John, no I haven't installed any, but I found some for a K1-K6 so I'll get my hole punch set out and make a bigger hole in them for the spring seats in the top caps. Looking at the parts manual there are also supposed to be some spring seats that sit on top of the slides, but they weren't present either.

It's hard to believe that this guy considers himself an "Expert", when as nice as they look, they were poorly set up, and missing important parts. I'm still glad I bought them as I can fix incompetence, but it would have taken more work to clean up a cheaper set.  

[BenelliSEI]

Terry...... my carbs were many years ago, by Mike Nixon. Totally exquisite job. I’m sure my problems were created by me. He had carefully wrapped up the slide/ needle assemblies and I never unpackaged them until I went to install them. Weeks later, I found the gaskets. I’ll dig them out and post a photo (still haven’t done it)!

[RAFster122s]

Mike Nixon does fabulous work. Was he affiliated with Randakk’s?  I was thinking he was owner or part owner. Randakk’s unfortunately sold their business to the same group that owns Z-1 Enterprises and XSCycles (?) The later is for Yamaha XS650 bikes, catering to them...
They Randakk posts, on their emailing lists, have been about 2x as frequent and push product far more than previous I recall having a smattering of tips and how-tos in many of their emailing. Maybe the emails have changed a lot and I didn’t notice previously. I have not been impressed with the frequent emails and the heavy push of product, even products I have no interest in, when I signed up for emails from them I recall having specified the model of bike I own. A dirty word by many here and they don’t want it uttered in other threads. That’s OK, they haven’t owned a Maggot and can’t appreciate it for what it is and is not. A man and a bike has to know its limitations... to paraphrase & adapt Clint Eastwood’s famous line.

Maybe Mike isn’t affiliated other than a contributor...
Hopefully Randakk’s doesn’t change their suppliers under the new management or they will ruin a good source of products for what they carry/carried.

David

[grcamna2]

Hi Terry,are you new to being a 'redneck' ?? 

[Terry in Australia]

Thanks Bill, well I was born and grew up in a small country town, dropped out of school at age 15, worked at a woolen mill and then a farmers store, before I joined the army at age 17. I'm probably not as big a redneck as I would have been if I stayed in that town, but it didn't help that both my parents were academics. I was the "Black sheep" though, so that's got to be worth a few redneck points?

I'm riding back home tomorrow actually. I haven't seen my 92 year old Ma since March because of the various covid lockdowns, so I'm gonna jump on my big blue Yamaha and do the 200 miles, have a late Christmas celebration with her and my oldest sister (who lived in the US for 20 years) then ride back next morning. It's gonna be a stinker on Monday, (it's Friday night here as I type this) around 100 deg F, so I want to be home and under the cooler duct with a cold ginger beer. I'm not telling Ma that I'm riding down, during the 70's and early 80's I lost 13 school mates in motorcycle and car crashes (mostly bikes) so even now she has a panic attack when she sees me on a bike. If I told her I was riding down, she'd think of an excuse to stop me coming.

Anyhoo, back to the K0. After John mentioned the carb top gaskets I ratted thru my tubs of NOS parts, and found 4 K0 carb rebuild kits that my mate Jona in Israel sent me last year. I'd sent Jona a carb for his Harley Sportster, and he sent me a grab bag of Honda 750 stuff that he didn't need when he sold his K7. No idea why he had a set of K0 rebuild kits, but I was really happy to have them.

K0 F2 Friday 8 Jan 2021 by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr

K0 F2 Friday 8 Jan 2021 1 by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr

John was right, as soon as I'd installed them, the engine ran way smoother. Only problem was, as the carbs were pretty much airtight now, the idle went straight up to around 3000 RPM. Bugger. OK, out with the vacuum gauges again, and got the carbs close enough.

I had some work to do on my Effing F2 as well today, so took it in turns to tweak the carbs on the K0, then work on the F2 and vice versa, so as not to overheat the K0 while I was doing some fiddling. It did strike me as somewhat symbolic, having the first of the CB750's parked alongside the last of the CB750's.

K0 F2 Friday 8 Jan 2021 8 by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr