Topic: Forgot dowel pins between the cylinders and the cylinder head (cb550)

[wmajinw]

As the name states - forgot to put in the dowel pins between the cylinders and the cylinder head.

I've been having trouble of putting on the cam chain on the sprocket and when i finally did it (after reasembling the top end 6 times) and torqued everything to spec I saw that i forgot the damned dowel pins.

Is it a major issue?

[MRieck]

Yes. Pull the head and put the dowels in.

[MauiK3]

Practice makes perfect!

[Don R]

 If the gaskets don't stick coming off, they should be OK to re-use. After it's been heat cycled not so much.

[BenelliSEI]

+1. Do it again.

[Dr. Frankenstein]

Been There, Done That - This is a lesson I have learned repeatedly: "Always time to do it twice, never time to do it right!"    Nothing teaches like experience...Lol! I was working on a KZ400 once- got the engine back together, got the head back on and I was feeling pretty pleased with myself - and then noticed the cam chain slide still in its bag...DOH!    It happens. It's the 'mystery' O-rings or the errant washer (especially the big ones!) that you sometimes find on the bench after getting everything together that keep me up at night - and then having to do it a second time!

[HondaMan]

I like digital cameras (not cellphone versions). I take pictures of each step as I do it, so that after it is all back together I can go check myself before startup (or putting it back into the frame). I never get to do anything continuously, but always in 2 hours here, 3 hours there, so this keeps the bad boo-boos away.

[Kelly E]

I often forget to take a picture before I take it apart. We do try to bag and tag parts and hardware as they come off but between old age and my buddy who's always in a hurry there's always plenty of unknown puzzle pieces to play with.

[Don R]

 When I got the 750K2 Rat Race unstuck I realized the rocker cover was loose. It had the frame cut then so I looked it over and tightened things up. I actually rode it a bit and realized the rings were shot. When it came apart I was placing the parts aside where they wouldn't get lost and I realized I hadn't taken the cam chain guide out.
 Yup, no guide in there. I assume the PO realized it and quit right there and that's why the valve cover was loose. The primary is noisy, and that cam chain saw a fair amount of abuse so it has to come back apart all the way this winter. 

[wmajinw]

Thanks for the answers. Went ahead today to install the pins, decided to remove the cylinders to clean up the area before volting down everything. When putting back on the cylinfers broke a piston ring... after a legthy "#$%*ing #$%*" tirade, fished out the pieces from inside the engine and I guess I'll be looking for a set of rings and a honing tool...

[MauiK3]

sorry for your difficulty, the good news is these things teach us stuff!

[HondaMan]

When I got the 750K2 Rat Race unstuck I realized the rocker cover was loose. It had the frame cut then so I looked it over and tightened things up. I actually rode it a bit and realized the rings were shot. When it came apart I was placing the parts aside where they wouldn't get lost and I realized I hadn't taken the cam chain guide out.
 Yup, no guide in there. I assume the PO realized it and quit right there and that's why the valve cover was loose. The primary is noisy, and that cam chain saw a fair amount of abuse so it has to come back apart all the way this winter. 

I once disassembled a 750 engine that someone brought to me for rebuild and it showed where someone had disassembled it many years before. The guy who brought it here had ridden it for some years, but said it was "noisy" so he wanted a general rebuild.

It didn't have the front tensioner, either(!).