Topic: Newbie from Colorado

[topfin550]

Hello out there!
Sure to have questions as my new ride has some bogg issues and I hope this is the place to get some direction.
Thanks in advance.

[78 k550]

Welcome,
There will be a bunch of us at the Club 404 on Broadway tomorrow anytime after 5. It is on 4th and Broadway.
any ?
google Denver rusted Nuts.

Paul

[topfin550]

Sorry i missed you Paul. I'm up in Berthoud and just picked up a very clean 76 CB550k. While driving it up from Co springs i noticed a bogg while going up hills and it got worse as the fuel level dropped. I called the guy I bought it from and he said the bogg developed after they did some rework on the petcock as it was leaking and at the same time they reset the carb float level lower, replaced fuel lines and filters.
I found a petcock on ebay and will install it next week and hopefully it will run better.
Any suggestions? Know any local mechanics if i cant get it running better?
Regards,
Mike

[HondaMan]

Sorry i missed you Paul. I'm up in Berthoud and just picked up a very clean 76 CB550k. While driving it up from Co springs i noticed a bogg while going up hills and it got worse as the fuel level dropped. I called the guy I bought it from and he said the bogg developed after they did some rework on the petcock as it was leaking and at the same time they reset the carb float level lower, replaced fuel lines and filters.
I found a petcock on ebay and will install it next week and hopefully it will run better.
Any suggestions? Know any local mechanics if i cant get it running better?
Regards,
Mike

Start with resetting the float level to spec. (Not sure what the 550 spec is, but TwoTired will know, ask him...). Also make sure the tiny vent holes in the float bowls are clear: these got corroded on a lot of these bikes in the 1980s when we suffered through the MTBE-enhanced fuels here in Colorado.

I'm in Lakewood...

[heffay]

berthoud is not far from us... we (the girlfriend and i) are in lafayette... just a quick cruise down 287 and you're here. 
a few of us took a ride the other day and rode county line road all the way from lafayette to berthoud... straight as an arrow but great scenery and leisurely pace. 

welcome.

[TwoTired]

Float height is 22 mm for the 76 carbs.  However with any performance issue, stating the air filter and and exhaust configuration (if different from stock), is important.

Also, performance issues are best addressed by performing a complete tune up first, including a new air filter, if the old one is more than a year old.

Cheers,

Welcome to the 550 fold!

[Ichiban 4]

Sorry i missed you Paul. I'm up in Berthoud and just picked up a very clean 76 CB550k. While driving it up from Co springs i noticed a bogg while going up hills and it got worse as the fuel level dropped. I called the guy I bought it from and he said the bogg developed after they did some rework on the petcock as it was leaking and at the same time they reset the carb float level lower, replaced fuel lines and filters.
I found a petcock on ebay and will install it next week and hopefully it will run better.
Any suggestions? Know any local mechanics if i cant get it running better?
Regards,
Mike

Mike:

Nice to meet another 550 owner in our area.  I'm in Longmont.

There's a savvy Honda certified mechanic here in Longmont (knows these old SOHC 4's) @ Rocky Mountain Kawasaki..name: Marv Rosencrans.  Other mechanics there seem okay..but I always ask for Marv..because he doesn't slam-dunk things when in a rush. Kinda expensive ($75.00/hour now I believe)..which is why I try to do most of my own work.  But in a pinch..or when strapped for time..I feel they're quite competant.

Also being in Berthoud..you're closer to Interstate Honda (used to be Honda of Loveland)..right next to I-25 in loveland area.  I haven't had much done there..but they come with good recommendations from others..seem reasonably familiar with the older bikes. ALL they do is Hondas..which I like.

Another is Sun Honda/Enterprises down in Thornton..a bit of a ways away. They are BIG though..sell Harley's, Kawi's, et al.  For parts (because they were originally only Honda dealer) they have a lot of OEM stuff for these older SOHC 4's (hope others reading this don't clean them out!).  Their mechanics seem quite savvy too..but it's a bit of a hassle getting things down there..especially for only minor stuff.

So..that's the run-down I use for mechanics, parts in this area.

Ichi

[topfin550]

Thanks for the info Ichi!
I have known Marshall over there for thirty plus years and chances are I have met rob also.

[HondaMan]

For parts, also try www.babbittsonline.com and www.hondaparts-direct.com . Shipping can take a while, but they can get a lot of things.

[heffay]

hey topfin... rob?  his name is marv at RMK... and he's the only wrench i'll let near my bikes. 
i worked w/ marv and marshall and all those guys at cycles of boulder before it was bought out by colorado powersports.  once they were set free, they went on to bigger and BETTER things.  (rocky mtn kawi) 
marv is a great guy and knows what he's doing.  sometimes i think he gets overworked because everyone wants him to work on their stuff, but thats what rides on his older, but still cherry, white vfr750 are for, right.   

and if all else fails, i have a decent working knowledge of the bikes w/ an MMI degree, gordon and paul are familiar as well... even several others here in the area know their stuff.

topfin... if you need anything (parts) let me know... dad and i have parts for 350, 400, 500 and 550.  can't guarantee availability but we've got the bikes available to scrounge. 

[topfin550]

thanks for the input. Replacing the petcock and misplaced fuel lines has my little 76' 550K up and running like a top. Any events rides or gatherings up in these parts?
Regards,
mike

[heffay]

check out the yahoo group "denver rusted nuts"... vintage bikes, a great crew, and we meet up at least 3 times per month... one of those meetups is at our house in lafayette on the second saturday of every month!