Topic: What did you do to your bike today ?

[eigenvector]

Replaced the brake line.

All set to go for a ride, the front wheel wouldn't budge.  Turns out I pinched the hard brake line when putting the forks back on the bike.  Now my next challenge will be to remove the jammed brake pad from the caliper.  I don't have a grease gun and my pancake air compressor won't create enough PSI to blow it out (I think - no harm trying I suppose), so I'm gonna have to get inventive.

Incidentally.  If you get brake fluid on your pads - as is typical when you're trying to remove one from the caliper and it's stuck, do you automatically pitch it (throw it away)? 

[Stev-o]

I don't have a grease gun...

Go buy one, small one is adequate and only $10 at Auto Zone. 

[eigenvector]

 How long does it take to clean all the junk out of there once it's free?

edit:  Not that I'm doubting you're right - just ewww - all that grease.

[evanphi]

Stage 1 of frame cut/top end work...

Marked the spots

Cut them with a tube cutter to give a guide for the hacksaw. Covered the engine after threading the saw... and decided it was too cold to start getting in to this now. Bringing the space heater to the garage tomorrow.

You will use Franks weldless frame kit?
I have doe that on my bike too. Really good upgrade I have used several times last year whan I need to lift head, replace cyl studs, change cam, repair threds etc.

I recommend how I did the cuts . Max forward touching the ign switch and max backward so the carbs will stay free. There are welds back that must need space.
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=62832.msg1515860#msg1515860
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=62832.msg1515491#msg1515491
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=62832.msg1515491#msg1515491

Before the cuts of frame:
I started to measure and drill the 2 holes on each side on the triangular bracing.

Yep, frank's kit!

I cut just above the carb linkage, and all the way forward allowing for the ignition bracket.



Also got my valve cover off... turns out it is K head, just painted black by PO.




What is the consensus on the 5mm bolts in the cam towers? Keep them in? I see one was "replaced" by PO...

According to Hondaman, leave them out!

if i read that right mark, i should leave the little bolts out that keep the shaft from roatating?

I always do: I have a little box full of them, now! 

[Stev-o]

How long does it take to clean all the junk out of there once it's free?

edit:  Not that I'm doubting you're right - just ewww - all that grease.

Only 5 min or so, not bad.  I just did one two weeks ago.

[eigenvector]

I took my bike out for it's first official ride since the rebuild.

Tough to gauge the power, I'm so used to my R1200 GS that the CB550 feels like a slug.  It idles reasonably well - it's pretty obvious that it needs to be sync'd, the #4 cylinder is running rich - but not excessively rich.  Might just need to turn the air screw out (or is that in ) a bit.  Idle is hunting a bit, but not terribly so.
Don't have a working speedo - I think the mechanism in the wheel hub is messed up - the cable itself looks fine.

I'm going to try kick starting it - it's running well enough to the point where I suspect it will easily.

edit:  Oh yeah - and I don't have functional brakes.   I need to bleed them or burn off the brake fluid that got on them.

[kap384@telus.net]

Charged the battery on my 400F.  Cleaned the fork seals on my CRF450X.  Charging its battery too.


Shot this video:

[evanphi]

Charged the battery on my 400F.  Cleaned the fork seals on my CRF450X.  Charging its battery too.


Shot this video:

Always good to have a chuckle at the end of an exhaust demo.

[evanphi]

Picked up some slick stuff from the post office...

[mcswny]

Stage 1 of frame cut/top end work...

Marked the spots

Cut them with a tube cutter to give a guide for the hacksaw. Covered the engine after threading the saw... and decided it was too cold to start getting in to this now. Bringing the space heater to the garage tomorrow.

You will use Franks weldless frame kit?
I have doe that on my bike too. Really good upgrade I have used several times last year whan I need to lift head, replace cyl studs, change cam, repair threds etc.

I recommend how I did the cuts . Max forward touching the ign switch and max backward so the carbs will stay free. There are welds back that must need space.
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=62832.msg1515860#msg1515860
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=62832.msg1515491#msg1515491
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=62832.msg1515491#msg1515491

Before the cuts of frame:
I started to measure and drill the 2 holes on each side on the triangular bracing.

Yep, frank's kit!

I cut just above the carb linkage, and all the way forward allowing for the ignition bracket.



Also got my valve cover off... turns out it is K head, just painted black by PO.




What is the consensus on the 5mm bolts in the cam towers? Keep them in? I see one was "replaced" by PO...

According to Hondaman, leave them out!

if i read that right mark, i should leave the little bolts out that keep the shaft from roatating?

I always do: I have a little box full of them, now! 

Yeah, you don't need them!

[DaveBarbier]

In the process of removing the front end to upgrade the steering neck bearings to all balls, rebuild the forks and go to a single brake line with a nice low pro master cylinder from Nissin.

Just went out to get some ratchet straps to lift the front end...and get a beer.


---
1978 Honda CB550K

[flybox1]

...and get a beer.

you're off to a good start! 

[evanphi]

So I started taking my top end apart last night... and found a few surprises...



See that big bolt there? It is A) too large, B ) not necessary, C) Imperial.

Turns out the PO/whoever built the bike last time DRILLED AND TAPPED to put a 1/4" bolt into the rocker shaft. FOR FORKS SAKE!!!

All the other shafts came out no problemo... this one, on the other hand, scratched my rocker shaft bearing surfaces all to #$%*. The shaft has burrs on it from the drill/tap hack job, so there are gouges in all of them now...



You can see gouges already...





And here's the shaft... leftovers from the drill/tap on both sides of the hole.



PO had to ram the shaft in, and I had to tap it out.


AND! (more surprises)

NO 6x35 flanged bolts under the pucks?!?!?!?!




So obviously I need to get 4 flanged bolts. Easy.

BUT what do I do about the scratched bearing surfaces on my 3/4 cam tower? Get a new one? As for the shaft, I can get rid of the boogers at the edge of the holes using some emery paper. I'm not putting the bolts back in anyway... going to be like the K0-K2.

Can I salvage my cam tower? Can I use it as-is? There are no high spots in those bearings, just the gouges.

I'm going to add this info to my build thread, and also start a separate thread so others can see/chime in/gain info from it.

[flybox1]

that sucks!
plenty of usable cam towers and bits on ebay for $60+/-

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1975-Honda-CB750-Camshaft-Cam-Case-Rocker-Arms-/161628383959?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item25a1cd6ad7&vxp=mtr

http://www.ebay.com/itm/honda-CB750-cb-750-Four-1974-Cam-Rocker-Arms-And-Cam-Holder-/381181757201?pt=Motors_ATV_Parts_Accessories&hash=item58c0340711&vxp=mtr

[evanphi]

Got the head off last night... Following the diagram:



I went around to check if all the nuts were at least 15 ft-lbs... turns out the #2 and #4 nuts were loose, which was probably causing my head gasket leak around #3 piston, and the blowout which you can see in the pics. I notice 1 and 4 are much more carbon-heavy than 2-3. When I was checking everything before teardown, I noticed that all the tappets were very tight, no matter their position on the cam lobes. I'll be sure to set them all right when I reassemble.

Lots of carbon to clean off... I soaked the combustion chambers in engine cleaner last night, and it took away all the flaking. Need to get rid of all that stuff though... any tips? I was thinking of a stiff plastic bristle brush and some brake cleaner, or just straight up acetone. So now the cleaning process begins, as well as waiting on some cam towers...

 
CYLINDERS
1:


2:


3:


4:


HEAD
1:


2:


3 (Notice the blow-out to the front!):


4:

[Bailgang]

I got the cases together on my 750 last night and so far the trans seems to be shifting smoothly so hopefully I wont have 4th gear issues anymore but of course the real test will be when I fire it up and take it for a ride. I left the top end alone and intact but I still want to pull the cam and its cradle today so I can re-torque the cyl head. If all goes as planned I should have the bike on the road this weekend.

[mronegear]

Wheather was bad, so i painted the side emblems of the 550f1 gastank...

before...


after...


cheers!

[rb550four]

  Rekindling the affair with my mistress


 The garage door opened,
 There she was, as she's been so many times before,
 I set the fan on high, and the lights low,
 brought her to the open door overlooking the snow,
 Icicles melting from the eaves,
 I gently turned her over and she came alive,
 Firmly planted on her seat, with the kickstand up,
 Both hands on the bars,
 With one touch, of her throttle the rpms climax
 The breeze blows through my hair.....Hmm nice.
  She idles for minute, almost purring, then I shut her down.
 "That was nice.  We'll do this again soon"
 Took her back to the spot where she's been patiently waiting for me all these months,
  "Don't worry , spring is on it's way"

 
   and then ,   I'll ride her like a freakin circus pony !

[flybox1]

Well said!

[WhyNot2]

Poetic......

[oldhatt45]

rb550four

That's a keeper!!!!

Charlie

[eigenvector]

Bled my brake, I think I finally got all the air out this time.  We'll see.  Gonna go pick up a vacuum bleeder before dinner, along with some fuses (blew the main fuse last night testing all the circuits) and turn signal lights.

Need to look at replacing the brake lines - they're the originals and the rubber is cracking.   Haven't got a clue where to look though, seems like all the replacements are either banjo on both ends or threaded on both ends.

[flybox1]

Bled my brake, I think I finally got all the air out this time.  We'll see.  Gonna go pick up a vacuum bleeder before dinner, along with some fuses (blew the main fuse last night testing all the circuits) and turn signal lights.

Need to look at replacing the brake lines - they're the originals and the rubber is cracking.   Haven't got a clue where to look though, seems like all the replacements are either banjo on both ends or threaded on both ends.

Eigen....speedbleeders work really well, and check out slingshot cycles (Shaun is a member here on the forum). Custom made brake line sets just for our bikes.  Great product.

[eigenvector]

Done.

[eigenvector]

Evanphi - about all that carbon.  Personally I don't care about that stuff, the instant you turn the bike on it'll all come back anyway.  But if you're trying to be thorough - I cleaned my engine when I replaced the rings and honed the cylinders, try WD-40 as a start.  It works really really well at removing that stuff.  I just sat my self down in a lawn chair, got a roll of those blue shop towels, and squirted WD-40 on the pistons and wiped.  Cleaned them right up.