Topic: Mystery Washer

[Dr. Frankenstein]

Anybody know what this might go to...? I was getting ready to put the halves of my 550/4 engine together, I picked up the bottom half and heard a little "tik" noise and found this guy laying on the case in front of the kick starter spindle, right below where my little finger is...it doesn't go on the kick starter, it's not one of my 'shop' washers, and the darker parts on it tell me that perhaps it goes to something in or on the engine, but I can't figure out what. One side (the first pic) is gently rounded, and the second (slightly-out-of-focus pic) is the other 'flat' side, but the 'wear' rings make me think it goes ON to something, but I don't know what. Any ideas?? It's not chewed up, and I don't recall taking anything like this out the first time I rebuilt the engine...it does suspiciously look like a washer to one of the outside bolts, but I don't know.

[bryanj]

Washer between cluch spring and bolt if 6mm hole, cylinder head nut washer if 8mm hole

These are guesses

[Dr. Frankenstein]

No, my 550 doesn't have any washers indicated on the clutch spring screws, and it's too small to be a cylinder head nut washer (and those are all accounted for anyway). I'll just make a command decision and leave it out, I've never seen a washer like that IN an engine...maybe one of the exterior shift mechanisms, perhaps, or an outside bolt. It just bothers me that it magically appeared IN the lower case next to the kick starter...the manual makes no reference to a washer like that in the transmission, nor does it appear on any of the transmission diagrams. Maybe it just got stuck to my hand or tool or something and fell off there.

Lol..."Always Time to Do It Twice," as they say...! 

[denward17]

Clutch cover adjustment bolt?

[HondaMan]

There is that long 6mm bolt inside the cases that goes up from the bottom side of the lower case, inside the case: sometimes I've seen these with a washer on them and sometimes the bolt has been the type with a washer molded on the head (flanged head) instead. Could yours be one with the plain bolt, so it needed a washer? That could put it loose in the cases when you took it apart, was my thought..?

[Dr. Frankenstein]

You mean the long flanged bolt (#9) that's inside the lower end under the oil pan? I do not recall seeing a washer on that, but that doesn't mean there wasn't one there - it could have been stuck to the case when I took out the bolt originally, and then finally popped off when I picked up the lower case to put it on and that could explain how I found it IN the lower end, but the diagram really doesn't tell you much.  This snippet comes from the CMSNL diagram for the 1974 CB550K, "Bolt/Washer Crankcase", so...Maybe...? 

And while we're on the subject, is this center shift fork on correctly? This is the way it was when I opened up the case the first time, so I put it back like this as well - it may look a little 'off' b/c I angled the camera a bit - I just want to make absolutely sure everything inside is the way it's supposed to be before I button her up again. Does it matter which side that pin hole is on? The diagram and manual are no help as far as the orientation of it.

[HondaMan]

Something is amiss, there: I don't see the snap-clip holding the pin in that center fork! It should be showing right across its face. It looks crooked.
When the little spring snap-clip is in properly, it shows right across the face of the pin in the shift fork, holding it in.

As for the long 6mm bolt: once in a while I've seen them as a normal bolt, and those had a 6mm washer under them. If yours is a flanged bolt, then it didn't have a washer under it (normally).

[Dr. Frankenstein]

It's there - you just can't see it, I have the camera at an angle, and the straight part of the clip is hidden in shadow. I'm just wondering though if the center shift fork is positioned wrong/on backwards - I don't think so, but should the pin hole be on the left and not the right side? This is the orientation I first found it in, so I put it back exactly like that when I rebuilt it the first time - I just want to make sure I have everything in correctly - having to do all this twice makes this the most slipshod build I've ever done in over 25 builds! 'Stuff Happens,' I suppose...

I didn't have this problem with my 500/4, which I just completed before I started on this one, and IT runs fine - but does the orientation of the center shift fork look okay? 

[bryanj]

What size is the hole in the washer?

[Dr. Frankenstein]

6 mm; I'm thinking it came off the interior bolt inside the oil pan. The bolt/washer diagram I posted seem to sow it having a washer, and even with the washer there's plenty of thread for it to bite.

[HondaMan]

It's there - you just can't see it, I have the camera at an angle, and the straight part of the clip is hidden in shadow. I'm just wondering though if the center shift fork is positioned wrong/on backwards - I don't think so, but should the pin hole be on the left and not the right side? This is the orientation I first found it in, so I put it back exactly like that when I rebuilt it the first time - I just want to make sure I have everything in correctly - having to do all this twice makes this the most slipshod build I've ever done in over 25 builds! 'Stuff Happens,' I suppose...

I didn't have this problem with my 500/4, which I just completed before I started on this one, and IT runs fine - but does the orientation of the center shift fork look okay? 

OK, that's good!
I think that if the fork were on backward, you wouldn't be able to mesh it and close the cases. I think it would bump into the gears and prevent the cases from closing.