Author Topic: FREE 77 cb550 B.I.A.B. project (Read 10580 times)

Boost_Junkiee · « **on:** April 20, 2008, 05:30:53 PM »

Hi, I am somewhat a newb to these older style bikesand on this forum. So hello to all! Anyways, this is my first build-up, any tips or hints would be appreciated. I have owned many Honda's before this one and loved everyone getting my first one, a xr200 at 14. Then at 15 I got my sis' 80 elite scooter, ya ya I know....Then at 18 got a VFR 750 in red, gotta love the single swing arm! Then a few years later a 01 F4i , pearl and red, had to have the first fuel injected CBR and it was sweet. My bike before this one was a beater f3 cbr, I got married and gone went the crotch rockets. Enough of the babble.... A little background on current bike.... I picked up this 77 cb550 K for free from a guy locally moving off to hawaii. Gotta love Craigslist. He originally bought it a month before as a complete bike you see in the first pic, then took it all apart to restore into a cafe and gave up, you see that in the second pic. So here we are.

Bike In A Box...

Cost to date: $0

here it is before taken apart...

now as she sits waiting for resurrection

Boost_Junkiee · « **Reply #1 on:** April 20, 2008, 07:23:00 PM »

I went through the carbs earlier this week and gave them a good cleaning. Everything moved smoothly and nothing felt like it was binding but i am pretty anal about my engines running like butter so i had to go through it. After taking off the bowls I noticed there was a bit of rust on a few of the leaf springs and some aluminum white crusties on one of the bowls and on the carb. I was shocked to see the jets were clean. The carbs in iverall decent shape. The floats on the other hand....It looks like it was previously worked on by a cobbler to say the least. The bowls were adjusted by what appears to be lock pliers and and a phillips screwdriver. They were way out of wack. I would not be surprised if they were sticking and I am sure it ran like ass at best.

Digging on further, one of the float pin posts has the top broken off yet is still capable to hold the pin in place surprisingly. Also a few of the float pin posts looks like the leaning tower of piza and needed to be gently set back in place. Im not sure if the pins are supposed to be free but these needed to be gently tapped out due to the end being damaged by those lock pliers I spoke of earlier. I cleaned them up but I would like to replace them along with the floats. I think I got them all back in a possible running state though just to get her running and see. I just got my clymers today for free (thanks again craigslist) and a cb 550 seat (wont fit but is up for grabs for parts trade if anyone is interested) and a original owners manual. Pretty cool. All in all the carbs can be salvgable which is good news because I am trying to keep this on a very small budget.

Anyways, I need to replace all the gaskets and rubber bits and I am having difficulty finding a rebuild kit for the '77 carbs. Any help there would be great. I saw one on ebay but it only goes to '76.

BlindJoe · « **Reply #2 on:** April 20, 2008, 09:47:54 PM »

Just so you know that's a '77 550 f, not k. Good luck

TwoTired · « **Reply #3 on:** April 20, 2008, 10:22:02 PM »

Don't bother with aftermarket rebuild kits. Get the honda ones. They have all the rubber bits you need. If your carbs are from a 77 CB550 F, they should have 069A stamped on them. Otherwise they are from an earlier model K. If stock, the mains should be #98, which will likely be too small for pods and and aftermarket 4 into 1 exhaust. The 77-78 K model 550s came with PD style Keihin carbs. The two carb types need different manifolds and rubber couplers to mate with the engine.

I can't believe a carb with a broken float pivot post is any good. Think about what vibration will do to the float level.

I'm not sure you have an F model because the chain guard sure looks like it's for a K model. And, I can't see your rear brake arm or kick starter arm with detail.

Cheers,

Boost_Junkiee · « **Reply #4 on:** April 21, 2008, 05:04:04 AM »

Quote from: KottkeHead on April 20, 2008, 09:47:54 PM

Just so you know that's a '77 550 f, not k. Good luck

My vin plate says k?

Boost_Junkiee · « **Reply #5 on:** April 21, 2008, 05:12:17 AM »

Quote from: TwoTired on April 20, 2008, 10:22:02 PM

Don't bother with aftermarket rebuild kits. Get the honda ones. They have all the rubber bits you need. If your carbs are from a 77 CB550 F, they should have 069A stamped on them. Otherwise they are from an earlier model K. If stock, the mains should be #98, which will likely be too small for pods and and aftermarket 4 into 1 exhaust. The 77-78 K model 550s came with PD style Keihin carbs. The two carb types need different manifolds and rubber couplers to mate with the engine.

I can't believe a carb with a broken float pivot post is any good. Think about what vibration will do to the float level.

I'm not sure you have an F model because the chain guard sure looks like it's for a K model. And, I can't see your rear brake arm or kick starter arm with detail.

Cheers,

The only stamps I could find in the carb says 087A. And I am surprised that the float post is still holding the pin but just the very tip is missing. It still folds over the top of the pin to secure it in place. I am still looking for some carbs, ideally I would like to have another set so I can make one good solid set. Now I am a little concerned though what I have for sure, yall have me questioning what carbs I may have....

The vin plate says 77 cb550 k and so does the title

Boost_Junkiee · « **Reply #6 on:** April 21, 2008, 05:18:44 AM »

I got the motor in, I had to straighten the main engine mount bolt and chase the threads, also I am still missing some of the upper mount bots to the triangle mounts. I thought I would post up what I did yesterday. I finally got to sanding and priming the tank and cowl. Thats red sandable primer on it now. I am going to probably do a few more coats of primer before painting it.

BlindJoe · « **Reply #7 on:** April 21, 2008, 09:33:17 AM »

Yeah thats a k, oops. But I think the tank, wheels, and carbs are from an f. Looking good.

TwoTired · « **Reply #8 on:** April 21, 2008, 10:13:56 AM »

That tank style was common for both 550 F models and the 77-78 K models. I expect most of what you have originated as a K model. That's a K side cover in the last picture. But, the 77 model K3 came with PD style carbs quite different from yours, for sure.

087A carbs are from a 76 model Cb550K. #100 mains and #38 slows, with air bleed adjust pilot screws, hollow tipped and cross drillled. These should work better with your pods and exhaust than the 069A F model carbs. The carb separation spacing is different between the style carbs you have and the PD carbs that came with it stock. Have you tried mating them to the carbs yet? If not, you either have to get manifolds and rubbers from an earlier machine, or find PD carbs to put on it.

Cheers,

Boost_Junkiee · « **Reply #9 on:** April 21, 2008, 10:43:26 AM »

I didnt take a pic of the manifolds and boots but they are there and they mount right up to the motor which I guess the mating part of it was done by the previous owner/owners. Another gentleman on the boards is offering me the other style carbs that I guess are original, the bowls look different and the top cover on the carbs are a different shape but I am wondering if the internals i.e. floats are the same. He is selling them at a hell of a deal and I might get them out of curiousity...

TwoTired · « **Reply #10 on:** April 21, 2008, 10:48:34 AM »

The manifolds all mate with the head the same. The early/ late manifolds mate differently to the CARBS. Have you mated the manifolds to the carbs yet?

Boost_Junkiee · « **Reply #11 on:** April 21, 2008, 11:13:33 AM »

Yes, they were all together before I took them off the carbs for cleaning. I didn't want to swell the rubber boots or dry them out from all the carb cleaner I ran throug them. I guess its good new that they are the 76 carbs cause now I can find the rebuild kits! I think I will just go order new floats from the dealer if thats the case. Hopefully they are cheap...

EDIT: If you look in the lower left of the pic of the bike in peices in the box you can see the manifolds still attached to the carbs

Boost_Junkiee · « **Reply #12 on:** April 28, 2008, 08:16:33 PM »

Well tonight I just picked up some super nice sonic cleaned carbs, so now the build can progress. Oh and I happen to get a whole 76 550 bikealong with it

pics tomorrow

Boost_Junkiee · « **Reply #13 on:** May 05, 2008, 09:14:26 PM »

Also have my taper stem bearings and carb rebuild kit coming this week so hopefully it will be a runner by next weekend... it been awhile but here are some new pics (we re about to move so ignore the mess

) what do ya think?

Boost_Junkiee · « **Reply #14 on:** May 17, 2008, 09:47:04 PM »

Just wanted to update that I took her around the block for the first time today. Ran like a champ! Cost to date $175!

Hush · « **Reply #15 on:** June 01, 2008, 04:54:35 AM »

Cheap bike and sounds like you are having fun with it, nasty looking side stand you got there though.

andy750 · « **Reply #16 on:** June 01, 2008, 09:51:29 AM »

Good news on getting it running and cheap! Any update photos of the finished bike!?

cheers
Andy

Kev Nemo · « **Reply #17 on:** June 02, 2008, 01:01:51 PM »

Wow-free? That bike was on Craiglist Austin forever and he wouldn't come off the price. I offered to buy the seat and he wanted $150 for it. I guess he had to ditch it at the last minute?
Cool to see that someone is keeping is caf

cleveland · « **Reply #18 on:** June 02, 2008, 01:09:34 PM »

Quote from: andy750 on June 01, 2008, 09:51:29 AM

Any update photos of the finished bike!?

Pics man! Pics!

Boost_Junkiee · « **Reply #19 on:** June 02, 2008, 06:51:37 PM »

Here it is as it sits, I have been driving it with the old beater seat on it. I am trying to get the cafe tail on there. Not bad for having $200 in it to date (including clean 76 bike in the background with no motor

) I am actually trying to sell it to fund a 750 project. There is a guy selling one I have my eye on so we will see how it goes...

cleveland · « **Reply #20 on:** June 02, 2008, 07:24:16 PM »

Nice!

Hush · « **Reply #21 on:** June 06, 2008, 12:43:29 AM »

Great to see these bikes being reloved and sold on to motivated owners, there must still be a sh*t load of old SOHC Hondas sitting under trees and in barns around the world for us to find.

News:

Author Topic: FREE 77 cb550 B.I.A.B. project (Read 10580 times)

Boost_Junkiee

Boost_Junkiee

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