Topic: CB550 Reseal and 650 Cam Swap

[bryanj]

If you can live without the pined shafts, which worked for a lot of years, any 500/550 will fit

[JLeather]

If you can live without the pined shafts, which worked for a lot of years, any 500/550 will fit

Thanks for the info. The earlier ones seem easier to find. At the moment I just wanna get the bike back on the road. I assume if I got an earlier cover I'd need to get a complete one with shafts?

Sent from my moto g(6) using Tapatalk

[bryanj]

Idealy yes

[JLeather]

I think I've got it worked out.  I put out a call on FB and a friend of mine had a rough 550 engine (side covers off, internals unknown) so I bought the whole thing for $75.  It was a '76 by the numbers but when I opened it up it had the later valve cover.  Now I've got a good cover and a head to try porting later, plus any other spares that turn out to be good.  Threw a quick coat of Duplicolor "aluminum" on it last night, oughta be able to get it on and set the valves tonight.

[JLeather]

New cover painted and installed (not as pretty as the polished one but I'm not paying for that right now).  Managed to run the bike for a few minutes last night for a leak check, but it needs the carbs synched again after all this work and probably some tuning for the 650 cam and increased compression.

One annoying thing, when I fired it up for the first time it was only running on 1/4.  This was a solid running bike when I did this topend work and nothing should have changed in the ignition.  Checked for 12v at the coils, checked for 12v at the points, didn't find anything wrong but the timing light confirmed I had absolutely no spark on 2/3 after running it for a few minutes.  Left the light hooked up and decided to fire the points manually with a screwdriver while I fiddled with things.  First time I opened the 2/3 points with the screwdriver they fired (and lit off a bunch of unburned fuel in the pipes lol) and after that the bike ran fine.  I guess they were hung up somehow, but I can't figure out how.  I'd like to make sure it doesn't happen out on the road?

[bryanj]

Crap on the surfaces-------this is not an instruction

[JLeather]

Crap on the surfaces-------this is not an instruction

Hahahaha.  That's what I figured, but I'm surprised that a few minutes of running didn't dislodge it but one time firing the points with a screwdriver did.  Weird.  We'll see how she does after a tune-up and test ride this weekend.

[JLeather]

All back together.  New carb synch, which was way different than the one I just did a couple months ago.  The carb tune is nearly unchanged.  It's about 1/2 a turn leaner on the idle screws, and while I had the carbs off I bumped the mains up to 92's since it was a little lean stock.  Otherwise it feels good.  Knock on wood no leaks so far.

[wolf550]

very nice work.