Author Topic: anyone done a 555  (Read 1607 times)

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Offline Spikeybike

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anyone done a 555
« on: September 07, 2008, 10:59:06 PM »
i found these kits and was wondering if anyone had used them

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Honda-CB500-Four-BIG-BORE-555cc-Performance-Rebuild-Kit_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ35595QQihZ009QQitemZ190249320130QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

i don't really like the piston tops , but that can be smoothed out, and i don't think the oil ring is a 3 piece like i would prefer .... but the price is right

i'd be doing it to my 550

martino1972

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Re: anyone done a 555
« Reply #1 on: September 08, 2008, 01:48:18 AM »
thats pretty cheap.......include some machine cost for the overbore,and you will be one fast spikey, :D :D

Offline Hush

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Re: anyone done a 555
« Reply #2 on: September 08, 2008, 03:34:29 AM »
Now that is a good buy.
I think the thing I most like about motorcycling is the speed at which my brain must process information at to avoid the numb skulls who are eating pies, playing the ukulele, applying make-up etc in the comfort of their airconditioned armchairs as they make random attempts to kill me!!!!!!!

troppo

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Re: anyone done a 555
« Reply #3 on: September 08, 2008, 03:37:39 AM »
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Cant wait to see the "Super Spikey" build thread :D

Offline hopterfixer

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Re: anyone done a 555
« Reply #4 on: September 08, 2008, 03:48:26 AM »
Have you found someone to machine reliefs in your cylinder head for the spiked stud in the tops of the new pistons? ;D

Offline bryanj

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Re: anyone done a 555
« Reply #5 on: September 08, 2008, 04:30:56 AM »
Its a second oversize rebore kit for a 550 so wont make much difference in power, and you can fit genuine 3 piece rings. Still not a bad price when you add up prices of wristpins, clips, gaskets and bare pistons
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zoeyk9

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Re: anyone done a 555
« Reply #6 on: September 09, 2008, 01:22:46 PM »
On the site selling this kit they say that the pistons are 58.95mm dia, the standard bore size for a 550 is 58.5mm. So how does this kit make it a second oversize for the 550 ?
I am very interested in this as my 550 needs a rebore and new pistons, and this kit is pretty good value for money, even with the crappy oil rings.

Zoeyk9

jsaab2748

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Re: anyone done a 555
« Reply #7 on: September 09, 2008, 03:17:42 PM »
Thought I heard/read somwhere that the particular kit is a 2nd size
over for a cb 500 to make it 555 cc. I used it on my 550 cylinders and had a slight over bore done. The one piece oil rings suck IMO. I STILL haven't had the inspiration to tear the motor back down after finishing the bike a year ago to replace them. Oil drips out of #3 exhaust. I've heard good things about that kit and bad things too. Wishing I'd used Genuine Honda.
« Last Edit: September 09, 2008, 03:19:57 PM by jsaab2748 »

Offline Spikeybike

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Re: anyone done a 555
« Reply #8 on: September 09, 2008, 03:40:14 PM »
well if i do end up doing it , i'm for sure gonna track down the 3 piece oil rings,  not looking for power. just wanna wake up a tired motor (compression isn't that great)

Offline hymodyne

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Re: anyone done a 555
« Reply #9 on: September 09, 2008, 03:53:15 PM »
I'd follow bwallers advice then about widening the ring channels and running Honda rings.
I've got the 605 kit, and after installing two new pairs of pistons and rings, she still smokes.

I just brought down a donor 550 engine I've been scavenging off since 2005. I'm thinking of switcing the elec. ignition, head and pistons (with widened oil ring and scraper ring gaps so i can run Honda parts) from my 500 engine to a freshly rebuilt from bottom up 550 motor. with the winter to have the machine work done on the pistons and rebuild the motor, hopefully I'll be able to run next season without smoking all over the place.

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Offline Sam Green Racing

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Re: anyone done a 555
« Reply #10 on: September 09, 2008, 04:21:48 PM »
They look cheap to me Manny, heavy to :-\ :-\ :-\

Sam. ;)
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Offline bryanj

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Re: anyone done a 555
« Reply #11 on: September 09, 2008, 09:34:11 PM »
58.95 is PISTON size 58.5 is BORE size check the piston/bore clearance
Semi Geriatric ex-Honda mechanic and MOT tester (UK version of annual inspection). Garage full of "projects" mostly 500/4 from pre 73 (no road tax in UK).

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Offline Spikeybike

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Re: anyone done a 555
« Reply #12 on: September 09, 2008, 09:44:03 PM »
They look cheap to me Manny, heavy to :-\ :-\ :-\

Sam. ;)

i thought the exact same thing Sam thats why i'm asking .... i think i'm leaning more toward "you get what you pay for" 

i just saw the price and  :o :o :o 

TheFox

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Re: anyone done a 555
« Reply #13 on: September 09, 2008, 09:52:09 PM »
The pistons look like melted down beer cans. I'd say it is definitely not worth the very slight power increase.

Offline Terry in Australia

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Re: anyone done a 555
« Reply #14 on: September 09, 2008, 11:01:25 PM »
Thought I heard/read somwhere that the particular kit is a 2nd size
over for a cb 500 to make it 555 cc. I used it on my 550 cylinders and had a slight over bore done. The one piece oil rings suck IMO. I STILL haven't had the inspiration to tear the motor back down after finishing the bike a year ago to replace them. Oil drips out of #3 exhaust. I've heard good things about that kit and bad things too. Wishing I'd used Genuine Honda.

If you've got oil dripping out of your exhaust port mate, it's more than the usual 1 piece oil ring problem. The problem with 1 piece oil rings is that the gap (as the ring wears) opens slightly, and will allow an occasional "puff" of smoke, as that minute amount of oil makes it's way up past the compression rings and ignites with the fuel/air mix. With three piece rings, there's never a gap, as the three seperate rings "mesh". If you've got a problem like you've described, it's more likely a broken oil ring.

They are very brittle, I busted one just fitting it to the piston, but providing that your "piston to bore" gap is within tolerance, and you don't have an unusually large ring gap, the oil usage should be minimal. I've got one piece oil rings on my 836cc race engine, and haven't noticed any problems, although Steve K0 thought he saw a "whiff" of blue smoke when I backed it off from speed with the engine cold when I was still "breaking it in", on one occasion. Honda used 1 piece oil rings for many years before their technology evolved, and most older "big bore kits" with one piece oil rings were early OEM Honda twin pistons and rings. Cheers, Terry. ;D 
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Offline MRieck

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Re: anyone done a 555
« Reply #15 on: September 10, 2008, 05:02:40 AM »
They look cheap to me Manny, heavy to :-\ :-\ :-\

Sam. ;)
They look awful.
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Offline bryanj

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Re: anyone done a 555
« Reply #16 on: September 10, 2008, 08:02:28 AM »
Dont look good but i remember genuine Honda pistons coming out of the box with unpolished tops
Semi Geriatric ex-Honda mechanic and MOT tester (UK version of annual inspection). Garage full of "projects" mostly 500/4 from pre 73 (no road tax in UK).

Remember "Its always in the last place you look" COURSE IT IS YOU STOP LOOKIN THEN!

Offline Sporkfly

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Re: anyone done a 555
« Reply #17 on: September 10, 2008, 10:30:38 AM »
Did a little search. The auction says they are ART pistons, which are made in Taiwan. This caught my attention initially because I'm having leak down. My compression tester said I was at 120 psi all the way across so maybe I'll just hone and replace rings.
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Offline ColinMc

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Re: anyone done a 555
« Reply #18 on: September 10, 2008, 10:58:11 AM »
Those pistons would need some serious finishing work before I even used them as paper weights...ack. They look worse than my cheapie knock off pistons I had spares of for my Honda MB-5.

I think the old saying "you get what you pay for" applies here. You may gain some displacement, but not much else...
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Offline bwaller

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Re: anyone done a 555
« Reply #19 on: September 10, 2008, 05:49:27 PM »
Send em to SwainTech for a skirt & dome coating & you won't see all the imperfections  ;D